Two floors - one cool the other is not

DVCRobin

I am not sure what I have in the way of units. Outside I have two separate units with fans. Both appear to be working fine - both are spining easily. No weird noises. Upstairs in the attic is another single unit, but it is an upright unit with no big fan. It has two large duct works - one at the bottom and one at the top. There are two thermostats that work independently of each other - one upstairs and one down.

Problem, upstairs is 82, downstairs is 73. Does this sound like a thermostat problem - something I can tackle. Of should I call the HVAC people? I feel some cool air coming out of the vents, but not very cold. The metal aroung the vent is cool to the touch, just not cold like downstairs.

The upstair unit is producing condensation. I thought it might be the water overflow sensor so I dried up all the water in the resevoir - didn't help. But it has produced more condensation so something is working.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

beenthere

Have you changed your air filter recently.

DVCRobin

The return filters are changed every month. I just looked at the indoor unit and don't see a way to get to a filter. I looked through the grates and I don't see a filter.

Let me revise my statement previously. I do have two fans outside, both are spinning fine. It upstairs unit has two large duct works coming out.

beenthere

Can you tell if the fan is running in the upstairs unit.

AllanJ

The fans spinning outside are not the same fans that circulate cool air through the ducts but all fans are needed.

Can you find the two pipes, one fat (perhaps one inch) and one skinny (perhaps 3/8 inch) going into the attic unit that serves the upstairs and connecting to the unit outdoors? If the fat pipe is quite warm just as it exits the unit, you may have a low freon or other deficiency in the AC unit that needs attention.

There should be an air filter somewhere in the ducts or the body for each AC unit inside. With no filter, the innards of the unit, which include closely spaced razor sharp fins similar to baseboard radiators, will become clogged with dust.

A lot of condensation means the unit is fundamentally working although not necessarily most efficiently.

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DVCRobin

Allan, I am not sure what I am looking for. there are alot of pipes.

While there are two outside units, there is only one inside unit.

I did turn off the unit last night just in case there was ice somewhere. This morning, it has cooled the house down my about 8 degrees in 8 hours. But the real heat of the day is just starting, so lets see if it holds. I would have expected it to have cooled quicker, so I am begining to wonder if it is the freon. But I have a question, isn't the freon in the upstairs unit? If so, then why is downstairs good, and upstairs so hot if they are service by the same unit upstairs? Or is the freon related to the outside fans?

beenthere

The refrigerant travels from the outside unit to the inside unit and back to the outside unit.

DVCRobin

thanks beenthere

Well it held temp for the most part. I heated up only 1 degree, but it never reached the set temp. Started at 86 made it to 78, went up to 79, back to 78 about 1 hour ago. (Was set for 74) I am going to have professional look at it.

Thank you to everyone for the help. At least I don't believe I need a new unit and if the repairman suggest one, then I am off for a second opinion. Here's hoping a good dose of freon and a filter change will do the trick.