Why Is My Air Conditioner Running But Not Cooling The House?

Do these troubleshoots before asking for a service call

The weather’s been scorching hot in recent weeks here in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

That means your home’s air conditioning system has been getting a workout but not getting much of a break as you need it to keep your home cool and comfortable.

But if you’re noticing that your A/C is running, but your home isn’t getting cool, that’s a problem. But before you contact Wesco Oil to schedule a service call, the cause may be something simple you can find with a little detective work, and maybe even fix yourself, saving you money and getting your home cool again faster!

Home Cooling Tips

We’ve put together four troubleshoots you can do. Remember, if you’re not sure about anything, don’t hesitate to contact us.

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

Troubleshooting didn’t work: What now?

While you’re checking out your air conditioning system indoors and out, you may spot something that may lead you to the cause. These issues need to be fixed by trained, experienced HVAC service technicians like ours. Contact us and we’ll be on the job!

Refrigerant leak. If you notice ice buildup on the refrigerant line in your outdoor unit, or a hissing/bubbling noise neat the unit, this is the likely culprit. If the unit is older and uses R-22 refrigerant, you really want to consider replacing your air conditioning, as R-22 can no longer be produced in or imported to the United States. Prices for it are already soaring and will only continue to go higher.

Ductwork leak. The easiest way to see if this might be the case is to 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 has to work harder to get the cool air around your home with leaks in the ductwork.

Contact us for air conditioning repair and maintenance.