Your air conditioner is your best friend during the hottest months of the year. Turning a sweaty, sticky day into a comfortable, cool one is its specialty! That is, until something goes wrong.
Air conditioners are complex systems that often require expert repairs when they’re not doing their jobs correctly. However, there are some quick fixes that you as a homeowner can take care of to get your home back to comfort.
Read on to discover what is causing your air conditioner to be working less than perfectly.
Warm Air
When your home is feeling stuffy and uncomfortable, the last thing you want is more heat being pumped inside. A common air conditioning issue homeowners experience is warm air blowing from their unit. There are a few things that could be wrong here:
- Dirty air filters
- Frozen evaporator coils
- Faulty thermostat
- Refrigerant leak
What can you as a homeowner do? Check your air filter and replace it if it is dirty and clogged. If the problem persists, make sure your thermostat fan setting is on auto and the unit is on cool.
If this hasn’t solved your problem, it’s time to give your HVAC technician a call!
Leaks
Leaks are never a fun surprise to discover, but they can happen, even to your air conditioner. These drips could be caused by improper installation, a blocked drain pipe, or low coolant levels.
Additionally, your air filters could be to blame once again. When a filter becomes clogged and does not allow air to pass through, your evaporator coil can freeze, form ice, and inevitably begin dripping. You can fix this by replacing your air filter every 3 or so months.
If your clogged drain line is to blame, you can use a wet/dry vac to clear out the clog. If this is intimidating to you, you can always call the professionals to solve the problem for you!
Noises
When you turn on your air conditioner for the year, it may make a few sounds as it starts up for the first time in a while. However, frequent noises should not be a regular occurrence, and different noises mean different problems.
Hissing
This could mean you have a refrigerant leak. Only an HVAC technician should handle this problem for you. The expert will find leaks and fix them!
Clicking
Clicking is a perfectly normal sound to hear when your unit turns on or off. However, if you hear this while the air conditioner is running, there may be a problem with your thermostat or electric system.
Banging
This sound is often caused by a loose or broken piece in your unit. This could be a pin, connecting rod, or crankshaft. You should turn off your unit and call a technician if you’re hearing banging noises
Incorrect Temperatures
Your air conditioner is supposed to communicate with your thermostat in order to ensure correct cooling and temperatures. If you’ve set the unit to one temperature, and you’re feeling another, there could be something wrong with the thermostat, its location, or (once again) your air filter.
A clogged air filter will affect your sensor’s ability to correctly read the temperature of your home. Switch it out for a quick fix!
Another cause of incorrect temperatures could be low battery power or incorrect settings. Finally, take note of where your thermostat is located. If it is hit by direct sunlight every day, that may be affecting the sensor.
Contact the professionals to get control back of your temperature levels.
If you’re looking for an expert HVAC technician to solve your problems, give Aire-Flo Heating, Cooling & Generators a call at (614) 585-8944!
