Help - My Air Conditioner Won't Keep Up

[KG1]

I'm sure everyone has their A/C on by now, but remember to look at the forecast and turn it on before the house gets hot. Keeping the house cool is many times easier for it than making it cool.

Yep. We turned ours on Saturday before it gets to extreme temps. It has already what I call "pre-cooled" the in house temp in preparation on what's to come this week.

 

[churchmouse]

Received this email from a local HVAC dealer about extreme heat and how an AC works. They say it's normal for your AC to run continuously in extreme heat and it won't damage your unit. Now if your AC runs continuously to try and reach your set temperature at normal summer temps then that is obviously a problem.

URGENT: Extreme Heat & Your Air Conditioner​

Air Conditioners are designed to keep your home up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature and are sized based on regional summer temperatures.​ The extreme heat will cause your air conditioner to run continuously. This will not damage your unit. Your unit was designed and sized for the average regional temperatures we experience 98% of the time. Turning down your thermostat will not make it blow colder air. Set the thermostat to the temperature you want to achieve and leave it set there. When outside temps reach near or over 90 degrees, it is normal for the temps to go up in your home during the hottest part of the day. Check your vents. If the unit is blowing cold air, the A/C is working as best as it can during the extreme heat. Once temperatures cool back down to normal summer temps, your air conditioner will catch up and resume it’s normal run cycle.

Well, no it is not OK. It should cycle so the electric meter gets a rest. And no it is not normal for the temps to go up at high noon full sun exposure.
When you put your family in a neighborhood built by low bid sub-contractors you get exactly what you pay for. The silly crap we have found when upgrading the original units is just nuts.
Those installers get "X" amount per house to install units that are marginally sized at best and all too often at least a half ton short on delivery. They get the bare minimum. It's all about the money.
Every one of those homes (unless done by a very reputable builder and even then ???) has increased in comfort levels after we get done. Its very common to hear the house would loose ground on a 90* plus day and the unit never shuts off.
Thats just a waste of energy and costs so much more to condition the home.
The old adage that too big is not good holds true. Yes, you can over size the system. But it's not rocket science.
Also upgrading to a modern T-stat is a huge plus.

 

[churchmouse]

Yep. We turned ours on Saturday before it gets to extreme temps. It has already what I call "pre-cooled" the in house temp in preparation on what's to come this week.

Basically, you are de-humidifying the house. Thats the actual load on the unit. These systems are mainly de-humidifiers and the cool air is secondary. Once everything (carpet furniture curtains clothing in the closets are dried out the house is easily cooled.

 

[KG1]

Well, no it is not OK. It should cycle so the electric meter gets a rest. And no it is not normal for the temps to go up at high noon full sun exposure.
When you put your family in a neighborhood built by low bid sub-contractors you get exactly what you pay for. The silly crap we have found when upgrading the original units is just nuts.
Those installers get "X" amount per house to install units that are marginally sized at best and all too often at least a half ton short on delivery. They get the bare minimum. It's all about the money.
Every one of those homes (unless done by a very reputable builder and even then ???) has increased in comfort levels after we get done. Its very common to hear the house would loose ground on a 90* plus day and the unit never shuts off.
Thats just a waste of energy and costs so much more to condition the home.
The old adage that too big is not good holds true. Yes, you can over size the system. But it's not rocket science.
Also upgrading to a modern T-stat is a huge plus.

Not disputing any of this. Like I said in another post my 30+ years old Carrier unit may not be the most efficient but it's still been getting the job done just like when we first bought it. It's been a solid unit and I don't see any reason to upgrade while it is still doing so. Now it may be due to that it could be sized right to perform like it has. That's a real possibility for it's longevity and performance. My electric bill during peak summer months has been running less than $300 a month on a 3600 sq. ft house. That's not bad in my estimation.

 

[churchmouse]

Not disputing any of this. Like I said in another post my 30+ years old Carrier unit may not be the most efficient but it's still been getting the job done just like when we first bought it. It's been a solid unit and I don't see any reason to upgrade while it is still doing so. Now it may be due to that it could be sized right to perform like it has. That's a real possibility for it's longevity and performance.

30 years ago Carrier and Trane made their own compressors. They built most of the unit themselves. That is a solid reason the old unit you have is still chugging along.
These days the compressors are supplied by outside manf and are made to run to the end of the 5 or 10 year warr. and what you get after that is free.
Motors contactors control boards etc are outsourced as well.
You are buying a compilation of low bid parts assembled possibly in Mexico and shipped north.

Your unit has served you well.

If and when you do upgrade your comfort experience will be improved due to the advances in design. More air flow turns the house over more times in a cycle. The coils are larger and do a better job dehumidifying the conditioned space. The energy consumption is noticeably smaller especially over your current system. Yours might be an 8 seer unit but cant say for sure. The new ones are 13 seer and they are pushing the 114 seer systems hard.

 

[KG1]

30 years ago Carrier and Trane made their own compressors. They built most of the unit themselves. That is a solid reason the old unit you have is still chugging along.
These days the compressors are supplied by outside manf and are made to run to the end of the 5 or 10 year warr. and what you get after that is free.
Motors contactors control boards etc are outsourced as well.
You are buying a compilation of low bid parts assembled possibly in Mexico and shipped north.

Your unit has served you well.

If and when you do upgrade your comfort experience will be improved due to the advances in design. More air flow turns the house over more times in a cycle. The coils are larger and do a better job dehumidifying the conditioned space. The energy consumption is noticeably smaller especially over your current system. Yours might be an 8 seer unit but cant say for sure. The new ones are 13 seer and they are pushing the 114 seer systems hard.

Yep. That's why I'm sticking with what I have for right now because I will not match anything new for the longevity and performance. We have not had to have anything but maintenance done on our 30+ unit. Not even a single repair has been made or a part that needed to be replaced.

 

[Leo]

I have a ranch style house. I keep the coils clean and filters changed, but I believe the best improvement was putting a powered fan in the attic. It is1200cfm and on a thermoswitch that turns it on at 80f. I am convinced it is helping, and I have pretty low electric bills.


I would like to add that in this kind of weather, I try to help the unit by not making dinner that requires the oven, keep lights off and like doggydaddy recommends, close the curtains against the direct sun. Every little bit helps. My A/C is still cycling, but right now it is 12 minutes on and 4 minutes off to maintain 74 degrees. It does better when the sun goes down.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have a ranch style house. I keep the coils clean and filters changed, but I believe the best improvement was putting a powered fan in the attic. It is1200cfm and on a thermoswitch that turns it on at 80f. I am convinced it is helping, and I have pretty low electric bills.

I have the same (ranch style), but it's Bedford stone over cinderblock for the outer walls. Dad built it in 1952. Livingroom picture window faces south into the back yard, so we've kept the "thermal" curtains closed since before dawn on Monday and I think that's helped this time around.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I have a ranch style house. I keep the coils clean and filters changed, but I believe the best improvement was putting a powered fan in the attic. It is1200cfm and on a thermoswitch that turns it on at 80f. I am convinced it is helping, and I have pretty low electric bills.

I did this in my last house. It was a Cape Cod that was hard to cool. The fan plus added insulation helped immensely. Which one did the most I don’t know but it/they worked.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

We have a 70's ranch brick with basement... Went from original chopped fiberglass insulation in the attic to double layer R30 rolled fiberglass years ago. Helped tremendously.

Also, keep a spare capacitor for your outdoor unit on hand too. Especially for older units. If the AC unit will not start but just hums, you might try changing the cap. YMMV.

 

[Brandon]

We have a 70's ranch brick with basement... Went from original chopped fiberglass insulation in the attic to double layer R30 rolled fiberglass years ago. Helped tremendously.

Also, keep a spare capacitor for your outdoor unit on hand too. Especially for older units. If the AC unit will not start but just hums, you might try changing the cap. YMMV.

This is a good one.
A now 10 dollar part on amazon and probably around 100 for any mom/pop place and lots more for big names.

 

[churchmouse]

This is a good one.
A now 10 dollar part on amazon and probably around 100 for any mom/pop place and lots more for big names.

Friend called me and asked this very question. He face timed and tried to start the unit and it buzzed/hummed.
Had him pull the panel and the cap was bulged. The contactor was a bit on the crispy side as well. He asked if I could fix it but alas mu current state denies me doing any such work especially in this heat. His spouse was flipping out and she called the big box boys to come out before I could refer him to a friendly tech.
Guess what the bill was for $50 worth of parts and a show up fee. He was there 30+ minutes...Guess.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

I think the technical-professional jargon for that type of call is... 'gravy'.

$50.00 part
$100.00 for service call
$extra fee for emergency/non appt.
$fuel surcharge fee
$e-waste disposal fee
---------------------
Listen to that giant sucking sound...

 

[churchmouse]

I think the technical-professional jargon for that type of call is... 'gravy'.

$50.00 part
$100.00 for service call
$extra fee for emergency/non appt.
$fuel surcharge fee
$e-waste disposal fee
---------------------
Listen to that giant sucking sound...

They marked the parts up. $50 would have bought them at the supply house.

$475.
Buddy’s spouse flipped the hell out. She should have waited.

 

[Brandon]

They marked the parts up. $50 would have bought them at the supply house.

$475.
Buddy’s spouse flipped the hell out. She should have waited.

Sounds about right for the big names.
Good or bad.

Guess that is one of many reasons I love installing and not running service.

 

[churchmouse]

Sounds about right for the big names.
Good or bad.

Guess that is one of many reasons I love installing and not running service.

They push those techs to sell. It’s a sliding scale on their pay rate. I get it. But man.

 

[Brandon]

They push those techs to sell. It’s a sliding scale on their pay rate. I get it. But man.

Between that, fuel, insurance yada yada ya.... but yeah it is alot.

 

[tmschuller]

They push those techs to sell. It’s a sliding scale on their pay rate. I get it. But man.

Yes! Not dropping any names but since it’s Summertime wink wink.. they had hosed several people I know with there ******** ooo it’s on its way out and we happen to have a quote we did for a very similar unit in a house like this.. we can do an easy payment plan too.. places like that are a cancer
At my work the big boss goes and shuts all the ac’s off at night (DMS program) to save energy.. so all night it’s loading up with humidity and heat = latent heat and will never catch up
Here’s your hey go hose off your condenser reminder too:
I spent 3 hours laying on a tar roof cleaning 1 large condenser coil today.. we had a company come and they had cleaned them.?? It was so packed with cottonwood units were kicking out on high head pressure..so it’s now actually done.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

You don't want a hot and bothered partner.

 

[indyblue]

They marked the parts up. $50 would have bought them at the supply house.

$475.
Buddy’s spouse flipped the hell out. She should have waited.

Indeed.

Happened to my unit a couple years ago. Couldn’t find any dual run caps at the time so I just used two separate caps taped together.