If you haven’t experienced an air conditioning breakdown, then consider yourself a member of a privileged and exclusive club. For the rest of us, when the air conditioner went down there were probably a few hints and warning signs before the dreaded day arrived. Here are few of signs to keep an eye out for on you air conditioner so that you can address the problem before it becomes a complete shutdown.
- The AC runs nonstop: Is the air conditioner running all day and night? On an exceptionally hot day this may not be something to be concerned about, but If it happens on a regular basis, something is not right. Your air conditioner was designed to remove the heat and humidity from your house in an efficient cycle that allows the system to recover before coming on again. This ensures that you are comfortable and your electric bills aren’t the size of your mortgage. The culprit could be a small part failure, major malfunction, need for general maintenance, or an inefficient system being overworked.
- The air doesn’t feel “comfortable”: Is the air coming out of the AC vent not feel as cold as it usually does? Or does the air feel humid, creating a swampy feeling? This could be a symptom of low refrigerant levels. Refrigerant leaks in your air conditioner are just like a leak in the tire on your car. They generally start by leaking slowly, get larger as time goes on, and continue to leak even when the AC system is not in use. With proper service, a refrigerant leak can be identified and a repair can be done before the AC unit completely quits.
- Water is leaking from the AC unit: If you’ve experienced this, hopefully it has been in the secondary pan (directly beneath the unit) or out of a pipe on the exterior of your house… not coming through your ceiling. Sometimes larger issues loom behind a water leak in the air conditioning unit, but this is usually caused by a drain blockage and can be cleared by a AC professional who can check for other possible causes.
- Loud or strange noises: Although air conditioners do make some noise, they are designed to be quiet as possible. Call an AC professional if you notice any unusually loud noises coming from your air conditioner. A repetitive thumping or squeaking could be caused by a loose or worn part. A loud noise from outside may be a motor that is weak or a compressor that is going out.
If you notice any of these early warning signs, give Gentry Air Conditioning a call at 817-488-6733 to set up your Air Conditioning service appointment.