How long should it take for my house to cool down?
Common Air Conditioner Problems and Solutions
Empire Heating and Air Conditioning understands air conditioner problems and solutions. We received a call from a longtime customer who had suffered through a power outage for two days during the 90-degree heat. The power came back on at 10 pm and by 8:00 am her home had only cooled down from 82 degrees to 78 degrees and she was certain the air conditioning system was broken.
At Empire Heating and Air Conditioning, we get these types of calls often and most customers feel like their home or business should cool down quickly within a few hours. The fact is it can take up to 48 hours for your space to get cool if the air conditioning system has been off for some time.
Understanding Common Air Conditioner Problems and Solutions offered by Empire HVAC
When your air conditioning system is completely down not only does the temperature rise but so does the humidity. Every item in your home warms up and all porous items begin to absorb moisture. So after a couple days with no cooling inside your home, it can actually be warmer and more humid than outdoors. Initially turning the air conditioning back on will usually drop the air temperature a couple degrees and then it will run and run and run before the indoor temperature starts falling again. When you are uncomfortable, this cooling down period can seem like an eternity.
How Humidity Affects Air Conditioning
The simplified science behind this is once the indoor air initially drops a couple degrees and a few percentage points of humidity – all the stuff inside your home starts releasing its heat and humidity into the air. Floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, sheetrock, furniture, bedding, books, and carpets – the list goes on and on. All this STUFF must be cooled and dehumidified before the space can actually cool down.
A power outage for a few days is the ultimate stress test of your cooling system. As long as it is running, blowing cool air (the air blowing out of the registers should be 17 to 22 degrees cooler than the air being drawn into the return grills) and pumping water out of the drain – your air conditioning system is working.
Maintenance is the Key to Avoiding Common Air Conditioner Problems
It is true that the better the condition your air conditioning system is in, the faster the recovery will be. Being just a little low on refrigerant or putting off cleaning coils will affect the recovery period, so have your system serviced regularly to be ready summer storms and for power outages! When you experience air conditioner problems, call Empire Heating and Air Conditioning at 404-294-0900 for your service or a/c repair appointment.