Your air conditioner in St. Pauls, NC may break down occasionally, especially if you don’t have it serviced often. When an AC breakdown is imminent, you may notice some signs. Below, we will cover indicators that show your AC is about to break down.
Strange Smells
An air conditioner should clean and freshen your indoor air, not introduce unpleasant odors. Any unusual smell from your AC is usually a sign of trouble. Some common odors you may encounter when your system has faulty components include burning, musty and chemical-like smells.
A burning smell may occur due to electrical issues or too much friction between moving components, while a chemical-like odor occurs when refrigerant leaks occur. A musty smell indicates that there may be biological contaminants thriving in your air conditioner.
Weird Sounds
Typically, an air conditioner in good condition produces soft sounds that don’t disturb your family. When the AC’s components malfunction, you may hear loud noises.
Some noises you may encounter include banging, hissing, rattling, bubbling, vibrating and buzzing. Loose components may cause a banging sound as they collide with other parts.
When you hear a hissing sound, your air filter may be dirty. A clogged filter leaves very little space for air to pass through as it enters the air conditioner.
As the AC draws air through these tiny openings, a hissing or whistling noise occurs. You may also hear this noise when your refrigerant leaks.
Rattling can occur when foreign items, such as sticks, enter the AC and collide with the moving fan blades. This noise may also indicate that your system has loose parts.
When you hear bubbling or gurgling sounds, the refrigerant lines could be allowing air to enter and mix with the refrigerant. A buzzing noise from your system may indicate underlying electrical issues. If your AC’s outdoor unit vibrates when starting, the compressor may be on its last legs.
Short Cycling
An efficient air conditioner cools your home in cycles. Each cycle lasts between 10 and 20 minutes. However, underlying issues may make your system fail to complete cooling cycles.
These problems include a clogged air filter, refrigerant leaks, thermostat errors and an oversized system. While repair services can fix refrigerant leaks and thermostat errors, they can’t fix an oversized system. To address short cycling, you must replace an oversized AC with one that matches your cooling load.
Running Constantly
A system that runs constantly shows that it is struggling to meet your temperature needs. Factors that make your AC run continuously include a clogged air filter, refrigerant leaks, ductwork leaks, an undersized system, a dirty evaporator coil and a clogged outdoor unit.
High Energy Bills
A faulty air conditioner could be the cause of the increasing energy bill in your home. When the system works longer than usual or turns on and off regularly, it consumes more energy, raising your energy bill.
You can invest in a smart thermostat to monitor your AC’s energy usage. The device records the system’s energy usage within a certain period and generates a report for you. It also monitors the system’s well-being and notifies you when you need to schedule repair or maintenance services to ensure your AC is always in top shape.
Warm Air from the Ducts
Some components may be faulty if your AC blows warm air instead of cold air. Some factors contributing to this problem include ductwork leaks, a clogged air filter, refrigerant leaks and a dirty outdoor unit. However, before you conclude that your AC is faulty, ensure that you have set the thermostat to cooling mode and the fan is in “Auto” mode.
Water Leaks
Your air conditioner helps to dehumidify the indoor air, making your living space comfortable. After drawing excessive moisture from the air, the system channels this moisture to the surroundings via drain lines.
If the drain lines are too dirty, they cannot dispose of the water efficiently, thus allowing the water to leak from the system. A damaged drain pan and a dirty evaporator coil can also make your AC leak water.
Take action immediately whenever you notice any of the abovementioned signs. Call the air conditioning experts at Cape Fear Air Conditioning, Heating, & Electrical Company, Inc. to have your system inspected. Our team will accurately diagnose and repair all the underlying issues as quickly as possible.
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