Summer is officially coming to an end. But as bathing suits make their way to the discount rack, football begins to take over the weekend, and Halloween decor starts to pop up on every endcap, Austin residents are in no hurry to swap their iced coffees for toasty pumpkin spice.
Austin summers are notoriously long, hot, and completely immune to official calendar rules. We know that if you’re experiencing issues with your AC in September, October, and even beyond that, finding a timely solution is a priority.
Uneven cooling and hot spots throughout the house can quickly become the source of a lot of frustration, negatively impacting your comfort at home and leading to an increase in energy costs. There are a wide range of reasons why your home might experience hot and cold spots. A professional from The HVAC Cowboys can accurately diagnose your issue and provide you with the best recommendations.
YOUR AIR FILTERS NEED REPLACING
By far one of the most common issues we encounter as HVAC techs are dirty, neglected filters. Filters are easy to neglect; out of sight and out of mind, they naturally tend to move to the bottom of the to-do list for a lot of homeowners. But during the summer months when your AC is running nearly constantly (or year-round if your home is fitted with a heat pump), replacing your filters should ideally be a monthly occurrence.
A dirty filter impacts more than the temperature in your home. Impeded airflow can quickly lead to a variety of additional problems including massive hikes in energy bills and damaged parts from frozen AC coils.
If there are warm spots throughout your home, your HVAC system might not have enough airflow. Check your filters once a month and replace or clean them as necessary. If this doesn’t resolve your issue, schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
YOU’RE OVERDUE FOR MAINTENANCE
Regular maintenance addresses a wide range of potential issues that can lead to uneven cooling in your home. If your AC isn’t keeping up with the relentless Texas heat, you may be noticing the effects of dirty coils, defective parts, a faulty thermostat, or insufficient coolant.
During an AC tune-up, your tech will inspect the indoor and outdoor coils, check for possible refrigerant leaks, inspect and adjust the refrigerant profile, ensure thermostat operation, level and calibrate the thermostat, check your air filters, and inspect parts and connections.
YOU NEED A BIGGER AC
If your AC doesn’t have the capacity to handle your home’s cooling demands, some or all parts of your home will experience hot spots. An AC that’s pushed beyond its abilities will lead to increased energy bills and cause the unit to wear out much more quickly.
A professional from The HVAC Cowboys will be able to perform a load calculation to determine if your AC unit’s size is the source of your unevenly cooled home.
YOU NEED A SMALLER AC
Uneven or inconsistent cooling can also be caused by an AC unit that’s too large. If your air conditioner is too big for your home, the unit won’t have a chance to complete a whole cooling cycle before cold air reaches the thermostat, prompting the unit to shut off. This short-cycling creates uneven warm and cold spots throughout the house, and significantly adds stress and wear to your entire system.
YOU NEED A NEWER AC
If your unit is nearing the end of its expected lifespan and consistently not keeping up with your thermostat to cool all the rooms in your home effectively, chances are it’s time for a replacement. Uneven cooling and cooling inefficiency are telltale signs of a failing air conditioner.
Selecting a new air conditioner is an important decision. Learn more about how we evaluate your home and discuss your energy-efficiency goals, home comfort needs, and budget.
YOU NEED TO RELOCATE THE THERMOSTAT
Your thermostat assesses the surrounding air temperature to determine when your AC needs to run. Thermostats that are installed near an air vent are prone to shutting the unit off prematurely before all parts of your home have achieved an ambient temperature.
Ideally, your HVAC thermostat should be located away from vents, direct sunlight, windows, or doors.
YOU NEED ZONING or MINI-SPLITS
If some rooms in your home are always warmer than others, installing a zoned HVAC system could be the solution. A zoned HVAC setup divides your home into individual zones, each controlled by its own thermostat. This gives the homeowner more control over heating and cooling, providing better comfort and improving energy efficiency.
Mini-splits are a ductless approach designed to address issues with zoning in your home. Whether your house has add-ons that aren’t being properly cooled or you simply want better temperature control throughout the day, a mini-split system provides a simple solution.
Ductless mini-splits can be placed in one room or throughout your entire home, allowing you to make customized temperature adjustments in each room. Learn whether a mini-split solution may be right for you.