hard time cooling home?

Question

two stoires home 110 out side 89 inside , i have a 3 ton ac but just cant seem to cool the house down , ive notice whe painting a room upstairs that i could feel a small amout of cool air coming out of the wall socket, ( w/ac on) would this be nomal , i just cant seem to cool the house down enough. had the ac check ok yrs ago same problem then so i put in double paine windows

Answer 1

The AC does have to work harder when the temps get over 100. But sometimes the window need to be caulked to seal off tiny holes where you are losing heat/AC. Could be the same with a light socket. However, you AC unit may simply need to be recharged. Some electric companies and HVAC companies will come out for a free inspection and I would have the unit checked out just to see if you need recharging. I really cut out a lot of the heat coming into my home by tinting the windows, keeping the blinds and drapes closed during the heat of the dy and planting shade trees in the yard.

Answer 2

Other suggestions are good. Here is another-two actually-- Check and see if your power company will evaluate your house for A/C power loss/too high bills for FREE-- you will get professional information about amount of insulation you need in the ceiling/attic, and maybe suggestions of companies that are reliable. This will also pay off in the winter.
A second and simpler/cheaper mode-- at least one wind turbine (spinner) installed on the roof--I have two and am about to have put on a third for the roof over my garage. This is a DIY thing and the big box stores will help you figure out what to do and how. I am too old to get on roofs! If you are thinking you need to annually plastic bag cover the turbines in winter-- not so.
When you go about sealing the openings of the windows-- be sure and check your outlet and switch boxes--these are usually placed in the wall attached to one stud-- with open space from the floor boards to the ceiling-- lots of air loss there-- both winter and summer. There are many things you can do to stop or at least slow down air conditioned air escaping very reasonably-- so see what you can get your power company to do-- They may not come out and measure your insulation (as mine did) both pre- insulation installation and post installation-- but at the very least they should give you an R number that your location needs.
Good luck

Answer 3

Above 95 degrees, everything has to be right. It is much too important to speculate here. Spend the $300 to get someone to come do a walk-through for you. Too many thing can contribute to the problem. Call you local HVAC company and let them have a look. It will pay off in the long run. Be sure to ask all the questions you have. If he knows what he is doing, he will be happy to explain everything.

Answer 4

This article has some tips you can use to keep the heat out.

Depending on how old your home is, you may have plenty of air leaks. If you want to spend some money, you could have vinyl siding put on with foam board insulation underneath. Insulating your home to keep the cool in and the hot out is essential (like your double pane windows). They also have that foam stuff to use around your outlets, door jams, etc.

Answer 5

have yoiu tried closing the blinds/shades so that sunlight does not get in during the day? it can quickly warm up your inside temperature with the greenhouse effect (assuming the windows are closed).