What are Some Signs your AC needs attention? Part 1

High Energy Bills and Other Signs Your AC Needs Immediate Service: Part 1

Scheduling AC maintenance at least once a year is ideal. Our air conditioners need maintenance to keep running smoothly and last for a much longer time as well. There are times, however, when you can’t help but notice or feel something off about your unit. It is showing signs that it needs immediate service. Listed below are some of the signs your AC unit must be checked out by a professional.

 

From Nexus Energy Center: We are thankful for this guest post from Precision Air and Heating. Here are some signs you might need help with your HVAC unit. If you’re local to the Madison and Huntsville area, give Nexus Energy Center a call. Precision Air and Heating serves the state of Arizona.

 High energy bills

Our AC is just one of the many appliances we use at home. Air conditioners, however, consume a lot of electricity, often making up a significant percentage of our energy bill. Then again, there is a high energy bill, and there’s the insanely crazy energy bill. If you get something like the latter, better take a closer look at your AC, because there could be something wrong with it that requires immediate attention from an experienced air conditioning company. Some of the possible AC errors that are increasing your energy bills include:

  • Faulty installation
  • Dirty air filters
  • Dirty coil
  • Low refrigerant charge
  • Refrigerant overcharge
  • Holes in the duct

Weird smells

Strange smells coming from your AC unit is one unmistakable sign that it needs immediate attention. If the smell is that of something burning, then it must be something actually burning inside your air conditioner. It could be an electrical problem or a component that is overheating. The moment you detect a burning smell coming from the unit, call an air conditioning professional straight away to minimize the damage to your AC. Don’t wait for smoke to come out of it before you call for help.

Strange sounds

Air conditioners are naturally noisier than most appliances, but if the sounds coming out of it are louder and weirder than usual, it’s probably time to have a professional check it out. More often than not, the unusual sounds are produced by a loose fan belt, a central air fan motor that needs more lubrication, or a compressor that is operating at an extraordinarily high level of pressure. If you hear bubbling sounds, it may be a slow refrigerant leak.

Whatever is causing those strange sounds, it is posing a hazard. You have to shut down your AC straight away and call air conditioning professionals as soon as possible.

Weak airflow

The air coming out of your unit may still be cool, but if you can barely feel the air flowing, there might be something wrong with it. It could be your duct work and not the unit itself. It could also be a failing compressor. After all, it’s the compressor that pumps the refrigerant though all the refrigeration components and generates the cold air. And if it’s struggling due to such issues as dirty coils, blocked suction lines, or electrical failure, it would be unable to generate as much air as it normally does. That would lead to reduced airflow out of your vents.

Whatever the case, weak airflow should be addressed immediately. If the airflow isn’t strong, cooling your entire home would prove difficult. It can also make your unit work harder to cool your home, and that automatically results in higher energy bills.

Check back next week for Part 2.

Share this: