Hot Spots in Your House: Is It Bad Ducts or a Bad AC?

Hot Spots in Your House: Is It Bad Ducts or a Bad AC?

As the hot weather starts to really get underway here in Southern California, you’ll have your first opportunity to see how well your air conditioner is operating. If you had it professionally inspected and tuned-up, it should have a great start for the hot season. But no amount of maintenance can make an AC 100% repair-proof. If you notice hot spots in your house when the AC is running, it might mean the system needs repairs.

There’s another possibility, however: damaged ductwork. Air leaks in the ducts steal away cool air on its way to rooms, resulting in warmer air from the vents.

So which of these two is giving you grief during hot weather?

When Good ACs Go Bad

The simple answer to the question is “Call the professionals!” You’ll need HVAC specialists to repair the trouble, no matter what, so leave the diagnosis to them. However, we’d like to offer you some education on some common reasons for uneven heating around the house.

A whole range of problems in an air conditioner may lead to uneven heating. Here are a few of the possibilities:

• The AC system is losing refrigerant to leaks.
• The evaporator coil is dirty and not absorbing sufficient heat
• The outdoor cabinet is blocked so it can’t properly vent out the heat from indoors
• The compressor is short-cycling so the AC isn’t completing a full cooling cycle

All of these problems can lead to even bigger problems. Loss of refrigerant will not only cause a decline in cooling power, it will eventually lead to the compressor failing. A short-cycling system will have a shorter service life. A dirty evaporator coil will ice over and provide no cooling at all. The sooner you have the AC repaired, the less likely you will run into bigger repairs or even a need to replace the air conditioner.

When Ductwork Doesn’t Work

Ductwork problems are simpler to explain, because the trouble is almost always leaks along the ducts or a place where the ducts have broken and allowed air to escape. Ducts in homes are usually made from plastic or ductboard (a sort of insulated cardboard), and both are susceptible to damage. Ductboard ducts in attics are often filled with leaks because they’re exposed. Age can also cause material to wear away, and there’s always the possibility of pests opening up holes.

Cooled air escaping from the ducts is not only bad news for household comfort, it’s a big waste of money. You’ve already paid to cool that air, and up to 30% of it will end up vanishing out the holes and breaks. You can expect much higher bills until the leaks are sealed or the broken ducts are repaired/replaced.

AC Repairs and Duct Sealing from the Pros

Whether you need duct sealing or air conditioning repair in Cathedral City, CA, you can rely on our HVAC experts. We offer duct sealing using the Aeroseal process that does the job better and quicker than standard sealing methods using mastic and metallic tapes. Our NATE-certified technicians will see any AC problems are solved.

Look to Russell’s Heating & Air Conditioning when you need AC or duct repairs. For exceptional customer service, please give our office a call.