The early days of summer weather are a time when we recommend homeowners pay close attention to how their air conditioners are keeping up. Catching early warning signs that something is wrong with an AC makes it easier to schedule air conditioning repair in Clovis, NM and have the trouble fixed while it’s still small. Believe us, you never want to allow an air conditioner to continue to run when it has a malfunction. The problem will worsen, affect other components, and may eventually cause a system breakdown or shorten the AC’s lifespan.
The Big Warnings Signs to Watch For
Here’s a list of the most common warnings that it’s time to call an HVAC technician to repair your central AC.
- Your house is too humid: The AC isn’t a dehumidifier, but it does have dehumidification properties. When it starts to struggle with removing heat from the air, it will also leave more moisture behind. Often, you’ll notice the humidity change before you notice the temperature change.
- Hot spots in the house: If you notice rooms in the house that are hotter than normal when the AC is running, check to see that the room vent is unblocked and there are no air leaks around windows. If these don’t explain the heat in the room, you may have a failing AC.
- Odd noises: What counts as an “odd” noise with an air conditioner? Anything that isn’t the whir of the fans or the hum of the compressor. Clicks, banging, hissing, grinding, mechanical shrieking, rattling, and generally, noisy operation are all warnings that something is out of sorts and needs to be fixed.
- Ice: No, you shouldn’t see ice anywhere on the AC. That’s not how this type of refrigeration works. If you see ice develop along with the indoor evaporator coil, shut off the system and call for repairs right away.
- Odors from the vents: An acrid odor, like an electrical fire, coming from the vents usually means there is a motor in the AC that’s on the verge of burnout. Musty and moldy smells often mean mold is growing along with the evaporator coil, and you’ll also need professionals to fix this (and put in UV lights to keep the mold and mildew from coming back).
- AC turns on and off rapidly: This behavior—where the compressor starts and strops multiple times during an hour—is called short-cycling, and there are many reasons for it to happen. Have a technician diagnose the trouble so it can be fixed before it puts too much wear and tear on the AC.
- Higher electrical bills: After the first month of steady AC use, take a close look at your electrical utility bill and compare it to the same month from last year. Is there a significant rise that you can’t explain? This often means the HVAC system has some fault in it.
Please keep in mind that modern air conditioners are complex refrigeration systems—they can’t be diagnosed and repaired by amateurs. Leave aside the DIY attempts, don’t call “that guy your friend knows,” just go right to the professionals.
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