“My air conditioner doesn’t seem to keep in the summer, why is that happening? My system won’t get below 75 on the thermostat.” So when it’s 95 degrees outside and the temperature is 75 in the house, the unit is doing what it’s supposed to be doing. Once it gets to 100 you’re probably getting to 80 in the house, it’s still working properly, but it could also be one of three things:

1. It could be the unit.

2. It could be the air distribution, which is the duct system.

3. Or the envelope, which is the home, could be a problem.

Now, you need to have a professional come to look at all of them, but especially the unit, and make sure it is the correct size and operating correctly. As far as it being sized correctly, even the location of the indoor unit and duct system is calculated for the sizing of the system when a load calculation is done. That heat loss/heat gain calculation is different than if it was in the crawl space versus the attic because you have more of a heat load if it’s in the attic versus the crawl space, so that should have been factored in sizing the unit, the equipment, and the duct system. The size shouldn’t be a problem if a load calculation was done.

You, yourself can look at the duct system to make sure no runs have fallen down, no big gaping holes where an animal or something tore it up, or the pest control company accidentally broke something loose.

The third is the envelope or the home itself. Make sure you have insulation in all the spots needed because what we’ve seen happen is we will get an infrared thermometer and we’ll get the temperatures from around the house and to be 75, 75, 80, 80, 80, 102 and you’re like okay, well, you need some insulation over here. That’s why it’s so hot. Check those three things.

If it’s not the duct system and if it’s not the home or the envelope, then it’s the unit. All three of them factor into why you’re having a problem, especially with a home that did not have this problem previously.

Hopefully, you lived here for a few summers or at least the one summer before and have not had this problem. If it’s a brand new problem it’s usually either the duct or the unit. Folks want to think that when they’re having a cooling problem or heating problem that it is just the unit where it could be one of the other factors. It could be all three having problems or it could be just one of those three having a challenge but one of those three being off is going to cause you not to be comfortable.

Your friend in comfort and energy savings,
Derek Cole

https://www.SimmonsOneHour.com