It’s quite difficult to imagine living in the summer without an air conditioner, but even now in the winter, most of us use our AC unit for heating purposes, which makes this an irreplaceable device in our homes. However, due to the constant strain, we put on our AC units, sometimes they get worn out pretty easily, especially if we don’t have a top-tier brand with a long warranty.
However, there are some signs that we can use as an indicator that it’s time to repair our air conditioner before it fully stops working. Doing so will help us save money because some smaller repairs cost a lot less than purchasing a brand-new unit. Not everybody knows about these signs because it’s rarely ever the case to analyze or repair your air conditioner. Thankfully, we’re here to point them out for you, so sit tight and get ready to learn.
1. Hot air coming out of the AC Unit
This is the main function of an air conditioner unit, so the very moment we see that hot air is coming out instead of cold air, we know something is wrong. Now for this particular issue, there may be a few causes, such as a leaking or low amount of refrigerant, issues with the condenser, or duct leakage, but if you manage to notice this on time, it’s not going to cost you a lot for a repair. For more information on this, you can learn more at hammondservices.com
2. Strange and unusual sounds
We’re all familiar with the sound of a properly-working air conditioner, both when it’s heating and cooling down our place. If anything starts sounding funny, then you probably have an issue with the AC unit that needs repairing ASAP. AC units are usually quiet, even when they run on full power. Now, they are not completely silent, as you can still hear them running when you get close, but if you start hearing noises that remind you of grinding or banging, this might be a problem with the following things:
Broken components
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Loose belts or pieces of debris that are now stuck inside and moving to the vibration
Screeching metal noises may be the cause of serious displacement of components
Not all of these are equally serious but for the sake of your device, we recommend calling a professional AC Unit maintenance company to check things out for you before the damage further increases. The number one mistake people make when they need to bring a decision regarding the unusual sounds coming out of their AC is thinking that these noises will go out on their own, which is rarely the case. If something inside your air conditioning unit is loose and it’s screeching, banging, or grinding, it means that a particular component went completely detached and out of order. This can sometimes even lead to a fire hazard, which is why we’re so serious about telling you to look further into the problem as soon as possible.
3. Water accumulation and moisture
AC Units are engineered to remain dry at all times. The way they handle heat and water is simple yet sophisticated. This means that if you start noticing water accumulation or moisture forming somewhere in your device, something is wrong with the condensate drain. To avoid further damage or even a complete death of the AC unit, you should stop using it and begin a thorough inspection process. The same thing applies if you notice a leak, which indicates an even more serious problem. In that particular case, you should unplug your AC from electricity and stop using it immediately.
But, here’s a really important thing that you also need to know. Don’t be surprised if the AC unit inspection team concludes that nothing is wrong with your AC unit when it cannot keep moisture levels in a comfortable range. Another solution to this problem is considering a dehumidifier device which shouldn’t be too expensive but can cover your entire home at once.
4. Problems with the thermostat
The thermostat is one of the main components in your AC unit. This component is responsible for getting accurate temperatures in your room, or more accurately speaking, “guiding” your AC Unit to achieving that. The easiest way to find out whether something’s wrong with your thermostat is simply measuring whether the temperature that you previously set on your device is the same as the one you got as a result in your room. If the two numbers are off by about ten or five, for example, it means that the thermostat is not working properly. This is an easy fix that doesn’t cost a lot of money.
5. Unusually high electricity bills compared to other years
Last but not least, we’re all taking a close look at our electricity bills each month, so we have some rough estimate of how much they need to be when we use our AC unit normally. If suddenly your electricity bills start becoming a lot more expensive, but your AC unit usage remains roughly the same as all previous years, then you need a complete check because something is spending more electricity inside your air conditioning unit, which shouldn’t be happening. You won’t be paying much for an inspection, but if you ignore this problem you’ll end up spending a lot more money on bills.
Conclusion
Our air conditioner unit is responsible for the pleasant temperature we have in our home during hot summers, and even during the bone-chilling winters. They are a real-life-saver when it comes to heating or cooling in just under a few minutes, which is why it’s so important to properly maintain and take care of these devices. AC units are not expensive, but if you don’t keep an eye on them, things might start breaking down, and that’s when costs start to spike up. In today’s article, we listed the five most important warning signs that your air conditioner needs repair.
