Signs Your Air Conditioner May Need to be Repaired

An inefficient air conditioner not only lacks the capacity to properly cool your home, but it can also be costing you more than you think. Between higher energy bills and frequent repairs, in the end, you could be spending more than what a complete AC replacement is worth. The best way to prevent untimely breakdowns and frequent repairs is to have your air conditioner professionally serviced at least once per year with an AC tune-up.

If you are experiencing problems, then the repair may be simpler or cheaper than you think. Some air conditioning problems aren’t too difficult to remedy, even if they seem to be causing some huge issues right now. The quicker you address repair needs, the less likely they will cause additional complications or irreparable damage to your air conditioner. Below are a few sings you may need AC repair.

Poor Air Flow

If you feel very little air coming through the vents even though the air conditioning unit is running, then you may need a professional to come to check the condenser or your ductwork. A failing fan motor may be the culprit in low airflow, or it may also be an issue of a dirty air filter. If you know the air filter isn’t the problem, then a call to a qualified technician is the next step in solving the issue.

Without addressing this problem, you could be risking high energy bills from the unit constantly running to keep up with cooling demands or a total breakdown if parts are starting to wear out inside the unit. If there are gaps or holes in the ductwork, a simple duct sealing should help fix the issue as well. Because low airflow can be the result of a variety of issues, it’s best to call a professional to help determine the main cause.

Blowing Warm Air

Perhaps airflow is fine, but hot air is coming from your vents instead of cool air. When you encounter this issue, the first course of action should be verifying the settings on the thermostat. It could be a simple issue of switching your settings over from heating to cooling.

Warm air could also be sneaking in through gaps or holes in the ducts, which could be the reason why you feel warm air through the vents. Other possibilities for warm air are a malfunctioning condenser or leaking refrigerant. Both of these issues should be addressed by an expert technician. If your unit is older, then they may recommend having a new AC installation done instead of repair.

Unit is Leaking Liquid

Leaks from an air conditioner are never a good sign. In fact, they can be downright dangerous. If it’s water leaking from the unit, a clogged drain line may be the culprit. The remedy for this issue is simply to clean or replace the line.

Leaking refrigerant is toxic to pets, children, the environment, and anyone who comes in contact with this liquid. It is best to call a repairman right away to handle this repair. They will repair the refrigerant line and make sure your unit contains enough refrigerant to adequately cool your home. Refrigerant and other liquids should never be leaking from your unit.

Strange Sounds or Smells Coming from Unit or Vents

Banging, knocking, and screeching noises coming from the unit signal that a part is either loose or broken inside the unit. It’s best to turn off the air conditioner until a repairman can inspect it to keep moving parts safe from further damage.

Bad smells coming from the unit or through your vents are another issue you should never ignore. Burnt smells can indicate that a wire has gone bad and needs replacing. Moldy or musty smells can mean that your ducts need a good cleaning. Sometimes mold and mildew will accumulate in ducts, which isn’t a pleasant smell to be blowing throughout your home. A technician will inspect the unit and ducts to help determine the best course of action in these cases.

High Energy Bills

A more subtle clue that you may need your air conditioner repaired is a sudden spike in your energy bills. Of course, on hotter days you will use more energy. However, if your bills are much higher than this time last year, you may want to get your air conditioner looked at.

High energy bills mean that your unit is working much harder to keep your house cool. This could be from parts wearing out or that your unit simply needs a tune-up. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to be paying more than you should. Call a professional sooner rather than later and benefit from an efficient machine all summer long.