As the weather finally starts to heat up a bit around here, it is important that you keep an eye on your air conditioner. The more you use your air conditioner to keep your home cool in hot weather, the more strain the system is going to be put under. That’s going to increase the odds of some sort of problem cropping up with the system. You need to know how to recognize that your air conditioner is beginning to malfunction, so that you can have it repaired as soon as possible and mitigate the damage. The following are some of the more common signs that your air conditioner needs professional repairs.
Leaking Fluid
If you see fluid leaking from your air conditioner, it could be one of two things. It’s either condensate, which is a problem but not an urgent one, or it could be refrigerant. A refrigerant leak is a major issue that threatens the health of the air conditioner, and should be dealt with as soon as possible. Air conditioners rely on the same charge of refrigerant throughout their lives to cool the home. The lower the refrigerant level drops, the lower the air conditioner’s output capacity will drop as well. Eventually, the refrigerant level can drop so low that the system will break down. Make sure you have a technician check out any leaks you find in your air conditioner, just in case.
Short Cycling
Short cycling is when your air conditioner turns itself on and off every couple of minutes, instead of completing a full cooling cycle. This is occasionally caused by electrical issues, or even by a damaged compressor. Short cycling cuts into the air conditioner’s ability to cool the home, since it prevents the system from completing a full cycle. However, it also increases the rate at which the system wears down by a significant degree. If you don’t have the air conditioner repaired as quickly as possible after noticing it short cycling, it will be more prone to breaking down and have its effective lifespan shortened.
Strange Noises
If you know what your air conditioner is supposed to sound like while it’s operating, then you should be very concerned if it suddenly starts to make any strange noises. Grinding sounds could mean that the system’s air handler is about to burn out. Hissing and bubbling could mean air bubbles are forming in the refrigerant line, in which case you have a leak. All kinds of different issues could manifest as strange noises before they start causing any other symptoms. So, call for repairs if you hear anything out of the ordinary coming from your air conditioner. You might manage to block a major issue from getting worse if you act quickly enough.
Saddleback Plumbing provides comprehensive air conditioning repair services in Lake Forest, CA. If you have reason to believe that your air conditioner is malfunctioning in some way, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our expert technicians.