Air conditioners do not last forever. But the worst way to find that your air conditioner is on its way out is to wait for it to fail completely. Inevitably, this happens when it's really hot outside, leaving you to sweat away in a toasty, warm home. If you're keen and aware, you can take note when your AC is on its way out. Here are the key signs your AC unit is starting to struggle.
Your home is humid, even with the AC running.
Air conditioners work, in part, by removing moisture from the air inside your home. When an AC unit starts to struggle, its effectiveness at removing humidity goes down. You may feel like the air in your home is still sticky. You may also notice other signs of high humidity, such as musty odors or mold growth. If your thermostat has a humidity reading, check it. If the relative humidity is over 50%, your AC is likely starting to struggle.
Your AC is turning on and off a lot.
Your air conditioner should turn on and off a few times per hour. The hotter it is outside, the more often it will run. However, there is a limit here. If the air conditioner is turning on and off every few minutes, and it seems like it's barely cooling the home before turning off again, that is a red flag. Even if your air conditioner is still keeping your home cool, this symptom points to a leak or shortage of refrigerant, which usually means the end of your AC unit. (Refrigerant leaks can be fixed, but doing so is expensive and replacing the unit is usually the more financially viable choice.)
Your AC unit is noisy.
A properly running AC unit should not make much noise beyond a whirring of air. If your AC unit is making a buzzing, banging, or hizzing noise, something is amiss. The fan motor may be going out. Or, the refrigerant may be low, causing the refrigerant inside the coil to over-expand. Some of these issues may be fixable, but if your AC unit is on the older side, making the repairs is not often worthwhile.
It's not fun to have your air conditioner fail. So, make sure you keep an eye out for these subtle signs that your AC unit is struggling.
Contact a local air conditioning service to learn more.
Share27 September 2022
Last summer, I began to get extremely hot in my home. My air conditioning system couldn’t adequately keep my home cool anymore. Therefore, I contacted an experienced HVAC contractor. This individual visited my home and thoroughly inspected my unit. If your air conditioner isn’t working like it once did, your air ducts may be clogged up. Thankfully, an expert HVAC contractor can determine if faulty air ducts are the cause of the hot temperatures inside your home. On this blog, you will discover how an HVAC contractor can properly inspect your air ducts. Stay cool and comfortable during the hot summer months!