Edited June 4th, 2021

This is a common question from customers during the sizzling summer days of July and August, why is my AC running but not cooling? Let’s talk about what may be happening and what you can do to feel more comfortable.

When temperatures reach 95 degrees outside, your air conditioner is going to run about 22 to 23 hours each day. Plus, all air conditioner systems are designed to provide a 20-degree temperature difference. This means if it’s 95 degrees outside, your air conditioner system is designed to keep the indoor temperature at 75 degrees.

Tips if Your Air Conditioner is Struggling to Cool Your House

• Change your AC filter monthly. We constantly remind homeowners, but a dirty filter can restrict airflow into the system and decrease its efficiency.

• Close the curtains. Keep window blinds and curtains — especially on the south and west sides of the house — closed during the day to prevent direct sunlight from heating up your home.

• Turn on your thermostat’s fan function. This function allows the fan on your HVAC unit to run continuously and keeps the air moving in a home, helping to regulate temperature and humidity levels.

• Don’t turn up the thermostat. During periods of high humidity or extreme temperatures, we recommend you do not set the thermostat back while you’re not home. The system will have to work harder to catch up and to reduce the humidity and temperature levels in the home. Program your thermostat to maintain a realistic, consistent temperature in the home 24 hours a day.

• Use ceiling fans to cool down rooms. Ceiling fans should rotate counterclockwise in the summer to push cool air down onto you.

• Check if you have dirty condenser coils. If they are dirty or have dirt buildup between the coils, the best way to keep the coils in your HVAC system clean is to schedule regular preventative maintenance. When one of our service technicians comes to your home to clean and inspect your HVAC system, they will also inspect and clean the evaporator and condenser coils. These coils are hard to access, so cleaning them is a job that should be handled by a trained service technician.

• It’s important to recognize the limits of an air conditioner. If it’s 100 degrees out, your air conditioner is just not designed to keep your home temperature at a cool 69 degrees. By following these tips, you should be able to maintain a comfortable and realistic home temperature.

If these simple tips don’t do the trick, and your air conditioner is still not cooling your home, you may have a problem that requires AC repair service. Contact our HVAC technicians at Bell Brothers to fix your AC that is constantly running.