Signs That Can Indicate An Air Conditioning Issue
If you notice changes in your air conditioning, understand that air conditioning systems don't improve themselves. What this means is that any changes that you notice are likely indicative of something going wrong with the system. Problems aren't normally as obvious as the system not turning on at all. Instead, they start small and if you aren't paying attention, you might not even notice them at first. The problem with this is the longer the problem goes unnoticed, the more serious it can get, and it can end up involving more parts. Therefore, it's important to take an inventory of your home on a regular basis and make sure everything is still running smoothly. When you make time to pay strict attention to things, you can often catch the early warning signs of problems you may have otherwise missed.
Here are some things you want to check for.
The air conditioner sounds different
You should always be paying attention to the way your air conditioning sounds. There are so many things that can happen to it that would affect the way it sounds.
If you hear a whooshing or hissing sound, then this can indicate that you have a leak somewhere in the ducts. This is a big problem that can significantly increase your cooling costs. You will also likely notice that some areas in the home won't get to the same temperature as others. Plus, it puts so much more stress on the system that it will likely need more repairs and wouldn't last as long if the ducts don't get repaired.
If there is a loud buzzing sound, then this can indicate there is some type of malfunction going on. This can be something caused by loose parts, broken parts, or a malfunctioning compressor. Depending on what's happening, the condition can quickly get much worse. Having things checked out right away is important.
Hearing a squealing sound can mean that there is an issue going on with a belt. However, newer air conditioning systems don't use belts. This means hearing a squealing in a newer system will likely mean that there is a problem with the bearings.
The air conditioner doesn't feel the same
One sign of a problem with the air conditioning system can be the way it feels. If there is a problem with the whole house getting cooled evenly, then this can happen for a few different reasons. There may be a leak in the ducts that's preventing the cool air from making its way all the way through the ducts. Or, there may be a blockage somewhere that's preventing the cooled air from passing through.
If you notice that the air conditioning is blowing out war or room temperature air, then it can mean the system is frozen. You can turn it off and let it thaw, then try it again. However, if it freezes again, then it needs to be looked at by a repair technician because this can indicate there is a problem.
To learn more about air conditioning repairs, reach out to an HVAC contractor near you.