Yes, cleaning your air conditioner can make it cooler. A clean AC unit operates more efficiently, which improves airflow and cooling performance. Without regular maintenance, dust and debris can block airflow and affect how well your system can cool your home.
Routine AC cleaning helps maintain optimal performance, but what does that mean?
How to Make Your Central Air Blow Colder
When your AC isn’t blowing as cold as usual, you automatically reach for the thermostat. Unfortunately, that won’t fix a cooling issue and will only make your unit work harder. Dust, dirt, contaminants and debris collect in air filters but can also impede the heat exchange process of your evaporator and condensing coils. Clogged air filters and dirty coils can reduce airflow, cause uneven cooling, and eventually create mechanical issues if not addressed.
If you’ve noticed a reduction in airflow or your AC is struggling to cool your space, here are a few things you can do:
Change Your AC Air Filter
Dirty air filters restrict airflow into the air conditioning system, affecting its cooling ability. Understandably, air filters get overlooked, but they are an easy fix for homeowners when a cooling issue arises. Your air filter should be your first check if you know your filter hasn’t been changed recently. Swap out that dirty filter with a fresh, clean one, then monitor your AC’s performance. If your air conditioner is still not colder or is struggling to cool your space, it’s time to contact a professional HVAC company to inspect and diagnose the cause.
Professional Coil Cleanings
If your system is still not cooling correctly after changing the air filter, our AC tech will inspect the coils. Your system has two sets of coils. The evaporator coils are housed within the indoor unit and can be accessed by removing the cabinet cover. The second set belongs to the condensing unit outside. Over time, both coils can collect dust, dirt, debris, pollen, mold, and mildew. The dirtier they are, the harder it is for your system to change the warm air into cool air and release it outside.
The big box stores sell consumer-grade spray-on coil cleaners but that only touches surface dirt and is less effective than professional-grade cleaning solutions, especially for heavily soiled coils. For deep and thorough cleaning, especially if the coils are significantly dirty and require removal for cleaning, it’s best to hire a professional.
Detecting and Fixing Refrigerant Leaks
If your AC just isn’t cooling properly and you have replaced your air filters and cleaned your coils without success, you may have a refrigerant leak. These leaks can range from a slow pinhole leak to a large leak where your system quickly loses its charge. A professional can inspect your system and use diagnostic tools to detect a refrigerant leak.
Some signs your refrigerant is low include:
- Inefficient cooling
- Higher energy costs
- System running for long periods
- Frozen coils or icy refrigerant lines
- Hissing or bubbling sounds
- Warm air blowing from vents
If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to call a professional. Turn off your AC and schedule an HVAC technician to recharge it, perform system inspections, and identify leaks.
Only a licensed HVAC professional should recharge your system with refrigerant.
Keep Your AC Blowing Colder with Routine Maintenance
Ensuring your air conditioner continues to blow cold is easy by enlisting an HVAC professional to provide professional maintenance. Along with the deep cleaning of your AC coils, they provide other steps during scheduled maintenance to ensure optimal cooling and proper heat exchange. AC techs often have an extensive checklist of key points to assess during routine maintenance.
Maintenance consists of cleaning or vacuuming drain pans and condensate lines, replacing filters and checking air temps indoors and outdoors to ensure your system is cooling the space efficiently. They’ll perform a full system inspection to identify and address potential issues before they become costly repairs. During your inspection, the technician will also check and recharge refrigerant levels to keep your system cooling correctly. Staying on top of your air conditioning maintenance enhances your AC’s cooling performance, helps extend its lifespan, keeps power bills down, and ensures you and your family stay cool and comfy all summer.
