Skip to main content

What Could Be Causing Your Uneven Cooling

woman turning thermostat to cold air

When you turn on your AC, it has one job: keep your house comfortable, even when the sun is blazing. But sometimes, Florida homeowners find that they have uneven cooling in their house. Your AC could work great on one floor and not on another, or you might find that you have hot and cold pockets around the house. But one thing is for sure: it’s time to fix it.

There are many reasons why your home might be suffering from uneven cooling. When your AC isn’t blowing properly, it affects your comfort AND your power bills. That’s why we’re going to look at the top three causes and what you can do to get better AC in your home this summer!

Dirty & Clogged Air Filters

dusty air filter

We talk about air filters a lot on our blog, and for a good reason! Air filters affect your air conditioning in multiple ways: air quality, efficiency, wear-and-tear, and more. When it comes to hot spots in your house, your air filter might just be the culprit.

How does this happen? As your air filter removes dirt, pet hair, and debris from the air passing through your ducts, the grime builds up. This means we have to replace our air filters about once a month. When an air filter gets too dirty, it can block air flow and even cause total loss of airflow in some parts of the system. This is because the AC system is blowing, but the air is getting slowed down by the dirty filter.

Replace your air filters for the most efficient system possible! Whether or not this is your issue, your power bill and HVAC system will thank you. (Think about getting a UV light or other type of air scrubber for even better IAQ!)

A Short-Cycling System

When your air conditioner short-cycles, this means that it turns on and off frequently, before it has a chance to complete a full cooling cycle. When the compressor starts and stops without a full cycle, it can prevent the cool air from getting to every part of the home. And the worst part is that short-cycling will drive up your power bills!

Your compressor should run for more than ten minutes each time it turns on. If your system is running for less time, it is short cycling for some reason. This can happen with single-stage systems or systems that are having mechanical issues. The best thing to do in this case is to call a professional and see why your compressor isn’t running fully. It may be a quick fix to get comfortable temperatures back in your home!

Your System’s Fan Settings

This is a simple problem and an easy fix for every homeowner. In the summer, if your fan is set to “auto” on your thermostat, it might be increasing the likelihood of hot spots. When you set the fan to “on,” it doesn’t turn off after the air conditioner is done cooling the house. Running the fan longer will let the air circulate for longer, letting the temperature even out in each room. While this can increase your power bill slightly, it will make you more comfortable in the long run!

Cool Rays Logo long

Leave a Reply