Telltale Signs You Should Have Your AC Unit Checked

Any time is better than never, but early air conditioner maintenance can prevent many small problems from becoming more expensive repairs later on.

Furthermore, if you do your air conditioner check-up in spring, you’ll also beat the long waits and higher prices that come with the peak season.

On that note, if you see any of the following warning signs, you most likely need an air conditioner repair.

Strange Noises

All air conditioning systems are designed to run smoothly with barely any noticeable sounds at all. If you happen to hear any peculiar noises, especially for instance metal screeching or any banging whatsoever, it should definitely be a cause for concern. Rattling or buzzing noises can indicate a loose part while whistling or grinding noises can signal something more serious. When you notice any strange sounds, do not hesitate to contact your local contractor. They should have a look and find out what the problem is. 

Bad Odors

As with sounds, AC units are designed so that they don’t generate any smell. If you do smell any unpleasant odors and suspect that they’re coming from your HVAC system, you’ll want to deal with the issue before it becomes not only smellier but possibly even dangerous. There are a couple of possible reasons that your AC smells bad, and none of them are good – pest infestation, algae that can potentially lead to mold or even microbial growth. Whatever the reason is, the experts at https://coolbestaircon.com/ suggest a quick diagnostic visit to know whether your air conditioner needs a tune-up and a complete cleaning session or if your cooling system needs a more high-tech solution. Also, a pro tip – ultraviolet lamps can eliminate persistent microbial growth in your air conditioner. Duct cleaning can also address odor issues that have accumulated in the ductwork.

Water Leaks

While it is normal for your air conditioning unit to condensate water, any bigger water accumulation isn’t normal and it is a sign that you should get it checked. Your air conditioner relies on refrigerant to cool your home and may produce condensation as it operates. Neither of these liquids should accumulate or leak into your home, though. Pooled water or an active leak around your air conditioner is an important sign that your cooling system isn’t running properly. Don’t wait to call the air conditioning service technicians. Leaks can quickly damage your home and may even lead to serious structural issues.

Spikes in Electricity Costs

If it’s getting more expensive to run your central air conditioning, rising energy costs may not necessarily be the culprit. As your AC system gets older, it will eventually stop functioning as efficiently as in the beginning, and it shows through the rising bills. As it ages, an AC unit loses its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio points, costing up to a staggering nine percent of its efficiency per point.

Moisture Build-up or Humidity Issues

One of the jobs of your AC is to remove humidity from the air inside your home. The way that it does this is with help of its evaporator coil, by extracting warm air from the inside of your home, cooling it, and redirecting it back inside. When we were talking about condensation of your air conditioning unit, this process is one of the reasons for why it happens, because the moisture it removes from the air during this process may leak out of your unit outside. A little water dripping from a home AC unit is, as already mentioned before, normal. 

However, as your AC ages and loses efficiently, or if any other issues develop in the meantime with the evaporator coil, your unit will no longer be able to extract humidity from the air inside your home as efficiently as it once did. Your home will feel a lot more humid, and one of the obvious indications that this has happened is if you can see the fog on your windows or moisture around your vents or in your ductwork.

It is also important to mention that this may result in mold or mildew growth inside your unit or on the walls around it. And, again, mold is never good and can pose a health hazard if present in high enough concentrations!

Just as most machines tend to give early warnings before they completely go off, your air conditioning system is no exception. The breakdown process is gradual, and so, if you know what signs to look for, you can notice some of them pretty early on. This way, you can get ahead of the problem and get it fixed before it’s late.