How Healthy Is Your AC Unit?
As soon as your AC brakes, you’ll know it right? Well maybe not. Your AC unit may have been sending out cries for help for months now, that you simply couldn’t identify, or didn’t hear. But there are some tell-tale signs you can look out for that can help you prevent a catastrophic AC failure in the middle of a heat wave. Whether your AC is chirping at you, leaking, blowing warm air, or increasing your energy bill, it’s sending you warning signs that it needs some TLC.
If cool air isn’t blowing through your AC vents it could mean a very serious problem, or it may be something as simple as a clogged filter. Shut your AC off right away and check your AC filters. If they appear clogged, carefully remove them, and replace them with new ones. If the filters aren’t clogged, your AC could be leaking refrigerant or the unit could be undercharged. Contact Wayne Price Heating & Air Conditioning immediately to prevent further damage and have the issue resolved quickly.
If your AC makes a strange sound the first time you turn it on after months of sitting idle you probably have nothing to worry about; however, if the noise continues, or gets worse, it could mean the unit has an internal issue. A chirping sound coming from the outside unit the first time you turn the unit on for the summer shouldn’t concern you, but if it gets worse and the unit begins to emit a clicking sound, a relay may have failed and needs to be replaced. High-pitched squealing as the fan rotates often accompanies compressor failure. And a damaged compressor fan will cause the unit to rattle.
If you’ve noticed an increase in your energy bills, your AC may be struggling to run at its proper efficiency. Faulty wiring, poor airflow across the coils, failed capacitors, and decreased amount of voltage reaching the unit can be to blame. These reasons can result in the decreased efficiency of the AC, causing it to run more often, and harder, thus raising your energy bill. If the AC is at the end of its life-expectancy consider replacing it with a more energy-efficient model; however, if the unit is new, contact an AC repair service to inspect it and identify the problem immediately.
Don’t ignore the warning signs your AC is giving you! Proper maintenance and simple repairs can ensure your AC will operate efficiently for as long as possible. Please contact us today for any additional information or a AC Maintenance Tune Up.