Why Is My A/C Running But Not Cooling the House?

Written on: June 9, 2021

Troubleshooting Tips That May Avoid A Service Call

With summer right around the corner here in central Maine, your air conditioning system is going to be working hard to keep your home cool and comfortable.

If you notice that it isn’t doing that, and instead blowing warm air into your home, you have a problem. It may be a small one, or a big one. But don’t ignore it. Ignoring the problem will get you an uncomfortably warm house, higher energy costs, and potentially large repair bills.

Check The A/C Before Requesting Service

Before you contact AFC for an air conditioning service call, do these troubleshoots. You may be able to fix the problem without us.

1. Make sure your thermostat is properly set to “cool” or “air conditioning”
2. Do a check around your home to see if your vents are blocked by furniture, curtains, or other obstructions
3. Check your outdoor unit (the condenser) to see if the fan is running. If it isn’t:
   • Check for a power switch on the unit itself
   • Check your circuit breakers
   • TURN OFF THE POWER, then check for debris inside the condenser unit
4. Check the indoor unit:
   • Make sure all power switches for the air conditioning system are on
   • Inspect the air filters – be sure to clean or replace clogged ones according to manufacturer’s instructions

Possible Problems If Troubleshooting Doesn’t Work

If you went through the four troubleshooting steps and your air conditioning still isn’t working, now is the time to call in AFC. Every one of our service technicians is licensed and experienced, and regularly does continuing education on the latest in equipment service.

You can be confident we’ll get the job done right because we back up all of our work with our Comfort Guarantee. Any service our technicians perform is guaranteed for one year after it was done.

One problem we may find is a refrigerant leak. When refrigerant levels are low, heat builds in your outdoor unit’s condenser coils, at first decreasing cool air output and eventually causing your cooling system to overheat (or even fail).

Refrigerant levels often drop due to very small leaks in your compressor that you can’t see with the naked eye. But AFC’s service technicians are trained to spot and fix them.

You may have a leak in your home’s ductwork. Do a walkthrough of your house. Are there some rooms that aren’t getting cool while others are? You may also notice your energy bills going up because the A/C needs to work harder to get the cool air around your home with leaks in the ductwork.

Our service technicians will be honest with you. Your air conditioning system may have reached the point where repairs are no longer cost-effective. If it’s time to replace it with a new, energy efficient A/C system, we’ll give you a free estimate and expertly install it.

You can trust AFC with all your home’s air conditioning needs. Contact us for service or a free estimate.