Avoid the mistake of waiting too long to request an air conditioner repair. The sooner your AC specialist gets to the problem, the cheaper it’ll be, and the less hassle you’ll experience. Here are 10 indications that you should call a trusted HVAC company as soon as possible.
1. A Spike in Your Electric Bill
All ACs and heat pumps run on electricity. There’s great potential for inefficiency with these systems, including evaporator and condenser coils that are dirty or malfunctioning. Those issues can cause your system to draw more power and your electricity bill to go up. It’s why we recommend tracking your energy usage each month and year to year. When a spike occurs, you’ll know about it.
There are also smart thermostats that can detect abnormal energy consumption. These systems can often identify that high usage within just hours or minutes of it occurring. If your smart thermostat sends an alert to your phone, that’s another reason to call us right away.
2. AC Won’t Turn On
If your AC turned off and won’t turn back on, there are several things you can check. Check the circuit breaker. If it tripped, reset it once. Examine your HVAC filter and ensure it’s not clogged. Inspect the outside HVAC disconnect switch. Verify that it’s seated tightly. Remove the thermostat faceplate and make sure the contacts are clean. If after all that the AC still won’t turn on, it’s time to call in the pros. It could be a wide range of issues, including a clogged condensate drain line or a blower malfunction.
3. Warm Air or Weak Airflow From Your Vents
Two other problems you shouldn’t ignore are weak airflow from your vents and air that feels warm to the touch. In both cases, it could be a clogged HVAC filter, so check that. If that isn’t the problem, you’ll need a technician, and you should turn off the AC for the time being. There are many potential causes. Those include a refrigerant leak, dirty coils, the blower operating at too low a speed and air leakage in the ducts.
4. Uneven Temperatures in the Home
You may not notice weak airflow without putting your hand up to a vent. You’ll eventually notice it as it manifests in other ways throughout your home. You may experience warms spots in various areas. A home can have entire rooms that just feel warmer than the others. In a multi-floor home, you can experience a temperature difference between levels of 2 degrees or more. In a zoned system, those issues can also reflect problems with your duct dampers or smart vents.
5. Short Cycling
How long an AC should cycle depends on the model and size of the unit. What’s typical is between 10 and 20 minutes and for two to three periods an hour. If your AC is turning on and off more quickly, this behavior is short cycling. When it happens suddenly, it’s often a sign of low refrigerant. That can occur over time because of a micro-leak that wasn’t obvious. It can also be electrical issues, a clogged air filter, a faulty thermostat, a blockage in the condenser unit or frozen evaporator coils.
6. Moisture or Stains Near the Outdoor Unit
If you see pooling liquid near your outdoor condenser unit, it’s most likely water. Humidity may account for some moisture, but it won’t result in puddling. Pooling water generally means that there’s an issue with condensation. It can also mean that you had a frozen condenser unit that is now melting. In all of these cases, you should turn off your AC and call for professional assistance.
Many people think that if they have a refrigerant leak, they’ll see it pooling on the ground. This isn’t the case, as refrigerant is a gas that will quickly evaporate into the atmosphere. You may see dark stains on the ground, which are left behind by the evaporated refrigerant. If the leak is ongoing, you may also hear a hissing sound. As with the moisture, disable the system, and call for help right away.
7. Outdoor Unit Freezing Over
A frozen condenser unit is a serious problem that generally indicates an issue with airflow. The condenser coil isn’t getting enough air to complete the refrigeration process efficiently. What you shouldn’t do is turn the system off entirely. Turn the cooling mode off, but keep the fan on. This will help the condenser unit defrost as efficiently and quickly possible. Once you’ve done that, check the HVAC filter. If it’s not clogged, call us. Don’t let system the defrost hoping the problem won’t come back. It’s important to understand why the problem is happening to avoid serious damage to your equipment.
8. Hard Starting
Hard starting is a malfunction of a compressor pump, which pressurizes the refrigerant into the condenser coil. The causes can be old age, inadequate lubrication, a bad capacitor or other failing component. A compressor pump that hard starts will often vibrate excessively. That excessive vibration can also be because of a loose motor mount that needs tightening. Often, hard starting will eventually graduate to a loud bang that you can hear whenever the system kicks on. It may also trip the system’s circuit breaker. As with an AC that won’t turn on, if you have a tripped breaker, only reset it once. Don’t continue resetting it, as you can cause more harm to the system.
9. High Humidity Levels
While an AC dehumidifies to some degree, it isn’t a dehumidifier. An AC should reduce the relative humidity (RH) enough that you feel comfortable. If the home is cool but feels unusually humid, this may suggest a problem that you should explore. A common culprit is an evaporator coil that’s dirty and not transferring heat energy efficiently. It can also be the air handler. If it isn’t sending enough air across the coil, then that will cause inefficient cooling as well. It may also be that there’s a low refrigerant charge or that the evaporator coils have frozen over. First check your filter and make sure you didn’t set the fan to on. That can interfere with evaporator coil dehumidifying. If neither of those are the cause of the problem, contact a professional.
10. Unpleasant Smells When the AC Kicks On
When your AC turns on, you shouldn’t notice odors coming from your vents. An unpleasant smell may mean that you need your ducts cleaned. Mustiness suggests you have mold in your ducts and requires immediate attention. You also shouldn’t ignore any burning smells. That may indicate an issue with the electrical components and wiring in the air handler. Turn off the system, and call us right away.
Do You Need an AC Repair in Cheshire?
F.F. Hitchcock Plumbing, Heating & Cooling has been serving the needs of Cheshire homeowners since 1870. We are a family-owned and -operated company that installs, maintains and repairs central and ductless air conditioners. Our technicians specialize in furnaces, heat pumps and ductless heat pumps as well. We perform home energy audits, install insulation and seal ducts. Our plumbers pipe gas lines, perform plumbing repairs and clean drains. They also specialize in boilers, water treatment and water heaters. Our roofers replace and repair roofs. We have electricians who conduct inspections, repairs and panel upgrades. They also install solar systems, surge protection, indoor and outdoor lighting, outlets and much more. Contact us today with questions about AC repair or any of these services or to schedule an appointment.
