Catching Early Signs of Air Conditioner Failure Helps Avoid Expensive Repairs
You and your family have counted on your air conditioner to keep your home comfortable throughout our hot humid summer. Air conditioner and furnace maintenance, however, sometimes gets overlooked, and failing to take care of your air conditioner or heater can lead to a number of problems. To avoid adding a bucket of ice to your living room decor, learn some of the common signs that may indicate that your air conditioner is failing.
Strange Odors
Normally, your air conditioner shouldn’t produce a noticeable smell. If you start to smell foul odors, there may be a problem with the unit. A musty smell often indicates that mold has begun to grow in the unit, and an electrical smell may mean that a component of the unit is overheating.
Decreased Air Flow
When your air conditioner is working properly, you should feel consistent air flow while the unit is running. If you’ve started to notice that the air flow fluctuates, it’s probably time to have a professional investigate your air conditioner. In some cases a minor repair, such as cleaning out the filters, may be enough to get your unit back to form.
High Utility Bill
A sudden increase in your utility bill could be caused by any number of factors, such as using your electronics more frequently or adding more powerful appliances to your home. However, it’s also possible that a faulty air conditioner is to blame. If your air conditioner isn’t running as efficiently as it should, it will use more power than usual to keep your home cool, sending your electricity bill skyrocketing.
Poor Cooling
A decrease in your air conditioner’s effectiveness likely indicates that something is wrong with the unit. There are other factors that can impact your air conditioner’s efficiency, however. For example, if the temperatures outside have been much higher, your air conditioner may struggle to keep up with the rising heat. If you turn your unit to full blast and the air coming out isn’t very cool, your unit probably needs to be serviced.
Unusual Noises
If you start to mistake your air conditioner for a rocket preparing to launch, your unit may be failing. New noises may indicate that a piece of the hardware has come loose or is malfunctioning. You may be able to get an idea of what’s wrong by listening carefully to the sound. For example, a squealing noise may indicate that the air conditioner’s belt has slipped out of place.
If your air conditioner has begun to show any of these signs, it may be time to call a professional for help. AirNow Cooling & Heating has a repair team ready to help you with your air conditioner troubles; contact us to schedule an appointment today.