The summer season is fast approaching. You might be concerned that your air conditioning system won’t make it through the heat. If you suspect that your air conditioning system might fail this summer, don’t take any chances. Here are five tips that will tell you if an air conditioning repair is warranted.

1. Air Conditioners Ten Years Of Age Or Older

If your air conditioner is ten years old or more, repair should only be undertaken if you absolutely cannot afford to purchase a new air conditioner. At this age, no matter how well you have taken care of it, your air conditioning unit is most likely at the end of its lifespan. In fact, ten years indicates a higher than average lifespan.

If you had a particularly old model, you might want to consider investing in an inverter AC. You will not only enjoy cool air-conditioned comfort, but you will also save on your energy bills. In these units, an inverter is used to control the compressor speed. The power given to the compressor is based on how hot or cold the room is. The ability to gauge how much power to use results in lower energy bills.

If you are in the market for an air conditioning unit, be sure to know the right unit size for your house. It’s best to shop around and find out the different types of air conditioners available before making your final purchase.

2. Hot Air Only

If you are not feeling any or very little cold air, then you probably need air conditioning repair. If turning your air conditioner on at full blast produces little to no cold air or if there is a reduction in how cold the air conditioning is, then something is very wrong.

A reduction in the cold air often means that your air conditioner’s compressor has stopped working. It is the job of the compressor to circulate the refrigerant that allows the air conditioner to produce cold air. To make matters worse, your refrigerant may be leaking in a case like this. If you suspect a refrigerant leak, act quickly. Leaking refrigerant can pose a health risk to your family. Refrigerant contains a chemical called fluorinated hydrocarbons. It is a gas that is odorless and tasteless. It can cause refrigerant poisoning. If inhaled too deeply, refrigerant can stop oxygen from getting to your cells and lungs, resulting in trouble breathing, damage to vital organs, fluid in the lungs, or death. If you suspect refrigerant leaking, get it fixed immediately.

You may also notice other types of leaking when an air conditioning repair is needed. If you see a pool of water near the air conditioning unit, this is probably caused by the drain tube being blocked. You should get it fixed before the settling water causes mold growth in the area.

3. Air Conditioning Repair For No Air Flow

The hallmark of an air conditioning system that is working well is air flow. If your air flow has lessened in any way, then it is very likely that you need air conditioning repair. Low or no airflow means that the ducts in the air conditioning system are not working as they should. It is possible that debris may have gotten caught in them. If debris has gotten caught in the ducts, then the airflow of the unit will be affected. Air ducts that are blocked by debris can pose a health risk, especially if this debris also consists of decomposing insects or the droppings of small animals. Polluted airflow can cause the onset of respiratory disease or worsen an existing breathing problem. The best way to prevent these issues is to get air conditioning repair before the heat of summer sets in.

4. A Thermostat That Is Broken

There are times when the issue is not with the air conditioner itself but with the thermostat in the unit. If your air conditioner seems to have a mind of its own and has become selective about which parts of your home are cool and which parts are hot, then it is likely that the thermostat is malfunctioning.

A malfunctioning thermostat will cause even an inverter AC to malfunction. A broken thermostat may cause the inverter to feed the compressor more power. The result is higher electricity bills. If you are lucky, the malfunction will lean in the other direction, resulting in less power going to the compressor. This means your energy bill would not go up. In standard units without inverters, you can have large spikes in your energy bills from a broken thermostat. The thermostat is one air conditioning repair task that you literally can’t afford to put off for too long.

5. Weird Sounds And Odors

Is your air conditioner making strange sounds? It is probably communicating that it needs air conditioning repair. If you hear any of the three sounds below, then your air conditioner is struggling.

  • squealing
  • grating
  • grinding

These sounds are cries for help from your air conditioning unit that you should not ignore. When these sounds are ignored, they usually lead to an expensive breakdown in the unit.

Squealing often means that a belt has slipped off from somewhere.

Grating sounds may indicate that metal bearings in the unit need to be lubricated.

A grinding noise indicates that motor bearings have been broken.

If you smell a pungent odor coming from your unit, then wire insulation may have been burnt.

If you are smelling something musty, then you probably have mold growing in your unit.

All these issues require immediate repair if you do not want to end up replacing the unit.

Closing Thoughts

The condition of your air conditioner during the summer can mean the difference between comfort and misery. Heat that is unbearable during the summer months can result in sleepless nights, heat rash and a flare-up in respiratory conditions. If you would like to learn more about air conditioning repair and how to keep your AC in tip-top shape, then visit our website we have information that you are sure to find useful.

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