Common Indicators of an AC System in Disrepair

Imagine this is your reality: You’re sitting in your home, feeling very relaxed. It’s over 85°F outdoors, but that’s okay! Your cooling system is blasting away and providing you with chilled air that helps you feel perfectly comfortable indoors… Until it stops.

You rush over to your thermostat. The settings are correct, and the thermostat still seems to be functioning. So then you check the circuit breaker to see if it tripped. Nope, the circuit breaker looks okay. Great, so what’s happening? You call for emergency repairs, but you’ll have to wait a bit because your neighbors are doing the same thing.

Suddenly, your relaxing day just turned into an uncomfortable and probably frustrating one. But what if you could prevent all this? Read on!

How to Prevent Major AC Emergencies

The best way to prevent major AC breakdowns is to know the signs of disrepair before your system gets to that point. Actually, the best way to avoid surprise repair needs is with routine maintenance. Maintenance allows our technicians to thoroughly inspect, clean, and adjust the components that need it, ensuring that your air conditioner works as effectively and efficiently as possible, for as long as possible.

But knowing the signs of disrepair is also helpful. After all, even with professional maintenance, air conditioning systems can still experience issues. Keep reading as we uncover some of the most common signs that an air conditioner is in disrepair.

Poor Airflow

This can be caused by a couple of different things. The first thing we want you to do is to check the air filter. The air filter that comes standard with your HVAC system should be changed out every 1–3 months to help protect the air conditioner and improve airflow.

Airflow issues can also be caused by damaged ductwork. The best thing you can do when you discover low airflow is to give our team a call!

Low Cooling Power

So, let’s say that your airflow is all right, but the air doesn’t seem as chilly as it should be. This may be the sign of a refrigerant leak.

There’s a relatively common misconception about refrigerant—that it’s something that depletes from your air conditioner like gasoline does from a car. But actually, your air conditioner is supplied with enough refrigerant upon manufacturing to, ideally, last the system’s entire lifetime. If your AC is losing refrigerant, it means there is a leak that must be located and repaired.

Short-Cycling

Short-cycling is a name given to the process where an air conditioner turns on and off rapidly throughout the day, never actually completing a full cooling cycle. Air conditioner systems use the most energy cycling on, so this is actually really inefficient.

Short-cycling, unfortunately, exacerbates the wear and tear on an air conditioning system, which can lead to premature breakdowns and replacement needs.

Weird Noises

What qualifies as a “weird noise” when it comes to your air conditioner? Anything that is unexpected! If it’s not a noise you’ve heard from your system before, you are right to be alarmed. It may be the sign of a loose component, a refrigerant leak, or even something as benign as a warm motor bearing that needs to be replaced or lubricated.

For professional air conditioning repair in Tallahassee, FL, contact Parker Services Inc. today.

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