A properly working air conditioner is essential to keep your home cool and comfortable. But, if your air conditioning system is on its last legs, there are signs you should watch for to know when to call a professional.
Warm air from your vents indicates the system is low on refrigerant or has a compressor problem. This needs to be repaired immediately.
Cool Air Loss
Air conditioning repairs should be addressed quickly to prevent problems from becoming severe. The earlier an air conditioning repair is completed, the less likely your system will require a replacement.
One of the most obvious signs that your air conditioner needs repair is the sudden lack of cool air coming through the vents. This can indicate a dirty filter, a problem with the blower motor, or even a refrigerant leak.
Another sign is a sudden rise in your energy bill that doesn’t match your increased air conditioning usage. This could indicate a broken thermostat, a clogged filter, or even mold growth within your system. All of these are issues that can be fixed with professional AC repair. The sooner you call for help, the better for your family’s health and comfort.
Strange Noises
A broken AC system can make various strange sounds, including banging noises, hissing, rattling, and screeching. Any of these sounds should be a serious cause for concern and shouldn’t be ignored, as they are most likely signs that something is wrong with your unit.
Hissing is a sound you may hear when hissing noises come from your air conditioning unit, which is most likely a sign of a leak in the refrigerant. A professional should handle This extremely important issue as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your unit.
Screeching noises can also indicate a problem with your fan belt or that your compressor is beginning to fail. Either way, these are issues that you need to address by a trained and certified HVAC expert right away.
Musty Smells
If you notice a musty smell when you turn on the AC, mold, and mildew are present inside your unit or in the air ducts. This odor will spread throughout your home and cause health problems for you and your family.
Mold and mildew love moisture, so excess humidity or a drainage leak can create the perfect environment for these harmful substances. The air moving through the ducts and vents will spread these odors around your house.
Rodents may also find their way into ducts and die there. Their bodies will spread a horrible, musty smell throughout your home as the air moves through the ducts and into rooms. This indicates it’s time to call an HVAC professional for duct cleaning and repairs.
Moisture or Leaks
Your air conditioner creates a quiet buzz you tune out over time. However, any rattling or grinding sounds indicate something is off inside your unit.
A clogged condensate drain line can cause your AC system to leak water. The condensation your system generates should drain through a PVC line to the outside or into a slop sink in your house. It may trigger a safety float switch to shut off your system if it doesn’t.
Moisture leaking around your AC unit indicates it’s time for a residential air conditioning repair. If you notice a musty odor, mold may grow inside your system. This could be caused by pest infiltration, burnt wire insulation, or other issues. A technician can diagnose the problem and fix it right away.
High Energy Bills
The air conditioner is one of the largest electricity consumers in your home, so a spike in the utility bills is often an early warning sign that there’s something wrong with your system. It can be caused by any number of things, from a dirty air filter to a leak in the refrigerant line.
A dirty air filter will make your AC system work much harder to keep your home cool so that it will use much more energy. This is another great reason to ensure that you are keeping up with the air conditioning maintenance, like cleaning or replacing filters and ensuring all components function properly. This will help ensure you don’t have any big energy bill spikes in the future!
