An air conditioner is usually your best line of defense against the summer heat. In some instances, you may feel like your AC unit isn’t cooling enough, particularly on days when the outdoor temperatures are scorching hot. No matter how much you adjust the thermostat, you just can’t find relief from the sweltering heat. Even with the air conditioner turned to the optimal settings, you still feel sweaty and stuffy inside your own home.

You may be completely perplexed by an AC unit that is not cooling enough. When your air conditioner doesn’t work at all, the most obvious solution is to contact an air conditioner repair service for help. However, it might be more difficult to troubleshoot an underperforming air conditioner. The AC unit is technically still working, even though it suffers from a notable lack of cooling power.

What should you do when the air conditioner doesn’t seem to cool sufficiently? A great troubleshooting method is to figure out the root cause of the inefficiency. Here are the six common reasons why your AC unit is not cooling enough:

1. The AC unit is affected by poorly optimized thermostat settings

A poorly optimized thermostat may be the primary culprit of an AC unit not cooling enough. The thermostat is an electronic device that controls your air conditioner’s functioning efficiency. Adjusting to the right thermostat temperature isn’t always clear-cut and straightforward. Sometimes, it may require a few precise tweaks before you achieve a comfortable cooling temperature.

When the AC doesn’t feel cool enough, the simplest fix is to lower the thermostat temperature by a notch and see if that makes a difference. You should notice the effects quickly when a refreshing wave of cold air is introduced to your house. Among the newer types of thermostats, there are numerous settings to automatically detect the optimal indoor temperature. Keep experimenting with these thermostat settings until you find a balanced temperature level for your home.

2. The AC unit is too dirty

The entire AC system needs to be properly maintained for it to cool your home as intended. A dirty AC unit may lead to air circulation problems, limiting the effectiveness of its cooling abilities. This is a common problem with the outdoor unit, also known as the condenser, which is the part that condenses hot air into cold air. When this unit becomes too dirty, the debris can impede on the heat transfer process, so the overall AC performance decreases.

From time to time, examine the state of your outdoor unit. Is it covered with fallen leaves? Are there weeds growing nearby? Make sure you clear the area and clean the condenser thoroughly. There should be plenty of room around the condenser, allowing it to release air properly. No shrubs, bushes, weeds, or vegetation should grow within the surrounding areas.

In addition, you should clean the air conditioner’s cooling coils as well. If the equipment is caked with dirt and dust, the coils will have a difficult time transferring heat from inside to the outside. Since the heat isn’t being removed efficiently from the house, the air in your vents will feel warmer as a result.

3. The AC unit is low on refrigerant

The air conditioner refrigerant is an important fluid that absorbs the heat in the air. When you don’t have enough refrigerant, your AC won’t be able to cool enough. Low refrigerant levels are usually caused by leakages. Any bubbling or hissing noises from the AC unit may be a sign of a refrigerant leak.

Your AC will still run if you have a refrigerant leak problem, but the temperature won’t be nearly as comfortable. You should contact an air conditioner repair technician to fix any leaks and replenish the refrigerant levels again.

4. The AC unit has damaged parts

The compressor is a critical component that manages the flow of refrigerant between the evaporator and the condenser. If your compressor is damaged, the refrigerant won’t be able to absorb the heat. As a result, the air doesn’t get cooled enough. In many instances, you’ll need a replacement compressor to fix this problem.

Similarly, any damages to the condenser may impact the AC’s cooling functions. A faulty or broken fan motor will make it impossible for the condenser to dissipate heat. You will need to contact a professional to repair or replace these damaged components.

5. The air filter is clogged

A dirty air filter is another common culprit for a window AC or split AC unit not functioning properly. With frequent use, the air filter often becomes filled with dirt, dust, and debris. The cool air may not be able to pass through the filter when its passage is effectively blocked.

In fact, many issues arise with a clogged air filter, leading to short-term deficiencies and long-term damages. Always change or clean the air conditioner filters on a regular basis. If your unit uses disposable filters, these will need to be replaced. If your AC unit has reusable filters, these will need to be cleaned.

6. The AC unit is too old

As with everything else, air conditioners will get older year after year. Once the units have aged significantly, they tend to work much less effectively. Its cooling ability may have diminished with old age, so the air conditioner won’t cool enough even when you optimized all the settings.

While regular repairs and maintenance can prolong the lifespan of your AC, the equipment will need to be replaced when it reaches the end of its operating life. Consult with an HVAC professional to dispose old air conditioners and get a brand new system installed.

Every summer, your air conditioner works tirelessly to keep the entire home cool and breezy. From the basement to the attic, you expect the crisp cold air to flow freely, reaching every part of the house. Unfortunately, there is a common phenomenon where your AC unit doesn’t seem as effective upstairs. Your house may feel pleasantly cool on the ground floor, but the temperature gets much warmer as soon as you go up the stairs.

If you live in a two-storey home, you may have noticed a difference in the temperatures between the first and second floors. This is happening because warm air, which has less density, tends to rise above cold air. As your AC unit produces cool air on the first floor, the hot air is getting pushed upwards, so the heat lingers on the second floor of the house.

During the summer, a powerful air conditioner will cool the whole house from top to bottom. However, if you feel like the indoor temperature is still too warm, check out these seven methods on how to make the AC colder upstairs:

1. Clean the air filter in your AC

No matter where you are in the house, your air conditioner should be running at maximum efficiency. After all, you are less likely to make the AC colder upstairs unless the unit has been properly optimized.

A good place to start is by cleaning the air conditioner filter on a regular basis. When the air filter becomes clogged, this will decrease your AC’s cooling power significantly. If the problem persists, it may lead to further deterioration of the AC system. Cleaning or replacing a dirty air filter is an important task, and it should be one of the ongoing maintenance tasks for your air conditioner.

2. Install a window air conditioner upstairs

When the second floor feels too warm, this may indicate that your central air conditioner isn’t strong enough to cool down the entire house. In these instances, you can bring in reinforcements by installing a window air conditioner around the hot spots of your house. This small window unit can be placed near some of the commonly frequented rooms, such as the second-storey bedrooms.

Once installed, the AC unit will give a boost of cooling power, and the nearby areas will feel colder almost instantly. If you have a small window air conditioner upstairs, shut the doors in the rooms that you are not using. This way, the AC unit will focus its efforts on cooling only the important rooms.

3. Replace the AC system

An air conditioner is supposed to cool down your entire home, including all the rooms upstairs. If it doesn’t seem to be cooling the second floor effectively, then you need to assess whether your current HVAC system is still adequate.

Over time, air conditioners tend to malfunction, break apart, and perform less efficiently. A professional air conditioner inspection will reveal if the unit simply requires maintenance, or if the existing damages are beyond repair. In some situations, your old air conditioner may have deteriorated so much that a replacement is necessary.

When replacing the air conditioner, make sure you consult with the HVAC professionals to ensure you’re upgrading from your current model. Ideally, you’ll want a new air conditioner that is sized properly and has enough cooling power for the entire home.

4. Use your air supply registers efficiently

The air supply registers control the flow of cool air produced by your AC unit. A neat trick is to open the upstairs registers, while closing some of the ventilation points downstairs. By doing this, the airflow is being guided through a certain direction, which may make the temperatures colder on the higher floors.

Another helpful tip is to make sure these registers aren’t being obstructed by furniture. Move any potential clutter out of the way to improve the air circulation.

5. Seal the windows and open the doors upstairs

Improving the airflow in your home will help to make the AC colder upstairs. Start by checking each of your windows around the house. One or more windows can potentially be leaking, which means the cold air is escaping through the tiny cracks and gaps around the enclosure. Make sure you seal your windows properly, or you can replace them with energy-efficient windows to keep the house cooler.

In addition, you should leave the upstairs doors open as much as possible. By opening the doors, you create a passageway for the air to flow freely, which will help to make the AC colder upstairs.

6. Close the curtains and turn off the lights upstairs

To feel the full effects of your air conditioner, you want to minimize the heat sources in your home, especially on the second floor. When sunlight enters through your windows, it brings some heat inside the home. On hot sunny days, you should keep the shades and curtains closed to reduce the indoor temperature.

Another potential source of heat may be the lights in your home. When you have all the lights turned on, the lightbulbs could be emitting heat into the room. Try to keep the lights off to cool down the temperature upstairs. If you need some functional light inside a room, considering using energy-saving LED lights instead.

7. Insulate your attic

The attic is probably the most elevated room in your house, so this is the room that attracts a lot of heat. You can make the attic cooler by adding some insulation, which keeps the heat outdoors all summer long. Since this task requires extensive labour, it is recommended that you contact a professional to insulate the attic properly. Once the attic has been insulated, this can help the AC unit to cool the upstairs more efficiently.