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Why isn’t my air conditioner cooling well?

less than a minute readJun 04Lyle Weischwill
image of heating-cooling-combined-unit

When your central air conditioner is running and producing some cool air but not cooling down your home, check the air filter. A dirty air filter won’t allow air to flow through the evaporator in your air conditioner and the air vents in your home properly. Replace the air filter if it’s dirty.

If replacing the air filter doesn’t restore proper cooling, then check for blocked air flow through the condenser unit outside your home. The condenser coils cool down hot, compressed refrigerant before the refrigerant enters the evaporator. If condenser coils are blocked or clogged with dirt and debris, then the central AC won’t cool very well. Clear grass and vegetation from around the condenser. Have a service technician clean the condenser coils if they’re clogged with dirt and debris.

If these tips don’t help restore cooling capacity to your HVAC system, then low refrigerant charge, a faulty compressor or clogged evaporator could be preventing the central air conditioner from cooling properly.


These repairs may help solve your heating-cooling-combined-unit problem

Replace the air filter

Replace the air filter

Replacing your air conditioner’s air filter is an essential task that keeps the system cooling properly. A dirty air filter inhibits air flow through the evaporator heat exchanger inside your air conditioner. Air flow will also diminish through the air vents throughout your home when the air filter is dirty. Replace the air filter regularly. For many central AC systems, you’ll need to replace the air filter monthly.

To replace the air filter, shut off the air conditioner and allow the blower fan to stop if it’s running. Open the filter access door and pull the old air filter out. Position the new air filter according to the air flow arrow on the side of the filter and slide the new air filter into the filter housing. Close the filter access door. Turn the air conditioner back on to restore cooling.

Air filter

Find the required part specific to your product.
Clean the AC condenser coils

Clean the AC condenser coils

Blocked or dirty condenser coils can prevent your central air conditioner from cooling properly. Clear grass and vegetation from around the condenser to allow proper air flow through the coils.

Have a service technician thoroughly clean dirt and debris from the condenser coils if they’re clogged.

Clean the ac condenser coils

Find the required part specific to your product.