Does your home's air conditioner not produce the cold air like it once used to? This isn't because you have your thermostat set too high, since central air conditioners produce a consistent temperature of air to cool off your home no matter what the temperature is set to. It's not time to get a new air conditioner just yet. These are some things that you can do that will improve how well the unit works.

Clean The Condenser

The unit outside your home is known as the condenser, and it plays a vital role in the operation of the air conditioning. The unit may be built to withstand outside weather conditions, but it still needs to be cleaned from time to time. If debris or dirt is clogging the condenser, it could be responsible for that warmer than normal air inside your home.

All you need to do is brush the vents by using a soft brush that will not bend the fins on the outside of the unit. You can also use your hose with a spray nozzle to do it as well. This will help improve the airflow to the condenser, causing it to not overheat as easily so that the unit runs more efficiently.

Replace The Air Filter

An often overlooked maintenance item is the replacement of the air filter, because homeowners may not realize how a dirty filter has an impact on the overall performance of the unit. When the filter becomes covered with a thick layer of debris and dust, the airflow going to your vents will be diminished. The air will have a hard time pushing through the filter, will not move through the vents as easily, and could be warmer by the time it reaches each room of your home.

If you are not sure what kind of air filter you have, take it to your local home improvement store and have someone help you match it to the correct size filter.

Refill The Freon

Your air conditioner could have a leak that is causing it to lose Freon, the precious material that is necessary to cool the condenser coil and produce cold air. If ice has formed on the pipe going into your compressor, it means that there is an issue with the Freon. Have an HVAC contractor and repair specialist come out to your home, since they'll need to find the leak, repair it, and add more Freon to the system.

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