My air conditioning seems to run non stop in the summer.
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What advice can you give me to help my air conditioning run more efficiently. It runs continuously and does not seem to reach the desired temperature except after the sun goes down.
16 answers
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You might consider a service call. If it's constantly running and doesn't cool properly it may need to be charged or tuned up.
MN Mom
on Jul 14, 2016
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I agree with MN Mom! If you don't have your thermostat set too low and it not too hot outside, it should stop running when temp is reached. If the thermostat is located in or near direct sunlight, that may be a problem.
William
on Jul 14, 2016
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It either needs to be cleaned, serviced or replaced. If you can take the panels off by yourself check them for air flow and wash them with a hose. If that doesn't help then you will need to call a pro and have it checked professionally. When we moved into our newly purchased house a few years ago it was determined that the unit was just old and needed to be replace. It was so worth it because we finally had a cool house and lower utility bills.
Suzann
on Jul 14, 2016
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1) If you have a two story house and only one air conditioning unit, it won't cool your house down correctly. 2) If it ever gets cool in the morning or at night, where you live, then I suggest getting a "whole house fan" installed! We have one and what it does is it sucks in the cool air from outside and cools your attic down. Your attic holds a lot of heat! Once the temperature starts to rise, shut the fan down, shut all the windows, and pull your blinds and drapes to keep that cool air in, then set your air conditioner to only go on at a certain temperature. 3) Another thing you could do is to put tin foil or one of those adhesives on your windows to block out light, because it will also block out the heat. Do that and/or invest in window covers that block out the heat in the summer and keep the heat in during the winter. 4) Make sure you're changing the filters every three months. Those are the filters in your ceiling that blocks the dirt and dust from going into the ducts in your attic. 5) Hire someone to clean out your ducts and check your air and heating system.
Esther Fredricksen Sorenson
on Jul 15, 2016
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First change your filter and wash out your outside unit it could be clogged with debris. If that doesn't do the trick. You maybe low on refrigerant. A service call is the answer then.
Bsq1746019
on Jul 15, 2016
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Several factors would contribute to inefficient cooling, thermostat set too low, age of unit, lack of trees shading home, not closing blinds in daylight, unit too old, outside component/airhandler needed cleaned and serviced, ( CAUTION be careful high voltage), low on refrigerant, use very cheap filters no more than a 8 merve rating & change every month, insulation in attic & walls insufficient, dark colored roof. I could go on & on, sometimes your local electrical provider will perform a energy audit for free.
Jhunt10
on Jul 15, 2016
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It may be low on freon. You may need more atic insullation. Sometimes animals get into the atic and really tear things up. There may be some big air leak involving ductwork or a clogged a ir filter. First Change the filter and clean out the outside condenser coil of dust/dirt or obstructing shrubbery.
James Ingemanson
on Jul 15, 2016
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It could be because it is so hot. Try to block sunlight from your house. There are these fantastic reflective curtains some of the silver foil work great I got some and I can not believe how good they work Even in the winter to block cold air.We put some over the backdoor we covere it from top to bottom and we have a screened in back porch and when those night time winds got up in the middle of the night we could hear the plastic in them rattle. We knew then it was working. GOOD LUCK DHALL
Allinthefamilysingers
on Jul 15, 2016
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I did this for a living so what Jhunt10 and Allinthefamilysingers is saying is very true the darker you keep a house in the daytime the cooler it will be also if you have a outside unit make sure that nothing is too close to it they need air to keep them cool . People love to try and hide them with bushes and fences, no good they have to be able to cool their self by getting rid of the hot air they produce and also if you have an outside unit you need to keep it clean also but unless you know what you are doing it's best to let a experienced person do it. If it's a window unit and you have had it awhile it's best to get a new one because the time the repair people are done with you , you most likely could have bought a new unit. hope this helps and be safe water and electric don't mix.
Gregg
on Jul 15, 2016
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I'm in an older, slab, ranch and have found that by keeping the fan to the furnace in the "on" instead of "auto" position, my home is cooler and the actual air conditioner does not run as much.
Connie Savoix Eshman
on Jul 15, 2016
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I lived in South FLorida for 25 years and I guess you could say I am a sorta expert. My double wide mobile home faced west in the afternoon. I had window tinting on my windows....THREE layers thick on my bedroom windows and livingroom windows. Ceiling fans all over the house. I had an insulated metal roof over put on that was specially coated to not absorb heat. I planted ficus bushes the entire length of the house on the west side....all 60' of the house. I had a huge Hong Kong Orchid planted at one corner of the house that gave such dense shade nothing would grow under it. I went through 4 a/c units as they were the a/c and heat in an outside unit combined. The last unit I bought was a 4 ton model and that did the trick. Depending on where you live you may have to up your tonnage. Now in NE Ohio during the summer when it's really hot I just close my wooden shutters both top and bottoms and have my house darkish in the daytime just cracking the shutters enough to let some light in but keeping the heat out. I have storm windows I do not take off year round which helps a lot also. That works great for me in the very cold winter days also. Sometimes my home is so cold during the day I up the temp to about 75 and I'm still cool.
Linn Prey
on Jul 15, 2016
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For a real assist, coat as many windows as you can stand with aluminum foil. See this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daj9o5hwoHw .I show you how to do it. It makes your house darker, but it keeps out heat as well as light. Adjust your AC thermostat to no more than 20 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature, or expect it to work harder and longer to keep up. If your unit has an economy setting use that as well. Make sure your filters are clean and changed regularly. I survived Arizona in the Summer, at temps of 110+ for weeks on end. Believe me when my trailer was cooled to eighty degrees, it felt really good. But I seldom got it to eighty.
George Knipp
on Jul 15, 2016
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you've been given some pretty good tips here. I didn't see anything about ceiling fans though... maybe I skipped over it. BUT, if you don't have any install some. Put your thermostat a little higher than you have it now. I keep mine at 74 and run the ceiling fans to keep air moving in the house. In the South facing rooms we have ceiling fans and osciallating fans because those rooms get really hot in the afternoon. I live in the Orlando, Fl area. We are experiencing temps in the high 90s lately but we are nice and cool inside. OH and change your filters at least once a month. More often if you have indoor pets.
Loretta
on Jul 15, 2016
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Hi! All of the prior suggestions are excellent. My ex husband is an HVAC guy and the best thing to do is replace the filter once a month. Then get an annual service from a reputable service. In your part of the country, it should not cost more than $200. I base this on my girlfriends 5000 sq. ft., 3 unit home in Asheville and thats what she pays. I happened to be visiting on her last scheduled appointment and they did a magnificent job. I live in CA and the cost is much higher for the same service. Next, the a/c unit needs to be sized appropriately. General rule of thumb is 1 ton per 500 sq. ft. of living space - unless you have unusually high or vaulted, 2 story ceiling heights. Proper attic insulation is also a factor. Properly sealed windows are another. I live in a 1300 sq ft home on the edge of a CA desert. Here is what i do. I close everything up in the morning and turn on a fan in several rooms during the day. I also have 2 attic fans and proper insulation and a new roof along with a newer a/c unit. It keeps the house between 78 - 80. Now i need new windows, (that is next on the improvement list), and will drop by bill even more. I am very lucky, my ex helps me find the proper contractors. Also when hiring a contractor, check your State Contractors Licensing Board to make sure they are legitimate. Hope this helps some and provides a jumping off point for you.
Naomie Moore aka baileyanddaisey, Castaic CA
on Jul 16, 2016
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From Georgia: My house is mostly in shade and we keep our A/C at 78 to 80. We also open the windows at night if it's going to be in the 60's. My June power bill was only $103.
MATTIE HYDE
on Jul 17, 2016
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I did not read all of the responses so sorry if someone already posted this but have you had your thermostat checked out it may need to be replaced. Make sure you get one that you can program so when you go to work you're not running it as cold and you can set it so as you walk in the house is the way you like it. I have a Honeywell and love it. Make sure to keep all blinds closed in the rooms that get more sun while you are gone as well. Is your thermostat by a WI down or across one because it will assume the entire house is that warm as it feels sun on it and keep running. If this is a new home for you I would checkout this first and of course change filter every month. If it is a newly built home you may have a warranty on thermostat. If you have lived here for years and it ran properly before have you had it checked out for this season? Hope it helps.
Eroque022810
on Jul 17, 2016
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