We have one of those climates in which we get to enjoy relatively mild winters, and long, hot summers. Since we still have a couple months left of warmer temperatures—with recent weeks being some of the hottest—the condition of your cooling system is very important.
We’d imagine you’re running your AC system on a consistent basis. If you had your air conditioner tuned-up within the last year, and your technicians didn’t raise any cause for concern, then you’ll likely be able to get through the rest of summer without the need for air conditioning repair in Gainesville. If, however, you skipped maintenance this summer, then you may very well run into cooling system trouble, since this is the time of the year that the most stress is put on it.
It’s important to note, even with the right amount of maintenance at the right time of the year, not all AC system problems can be avoided. So whether or not you’ve had your AC recently serviced, it’s a good idea to be aware of the following signs, as they indicate that your system is struggling.
Strange Sounds
No air conditioner is silent. Wouldn’t that be great if we could find one of those? But you know better than anyone else what noises you are used to hearing your cooling system make while it’s running. You know—the regular cycle of the sound of the compressor coming on and shutting off, and the hum of the fans. What you should pay attention to and heed warning from are any strange or unfamiliar noises that interrupt this typical white noise.
Strange sounds often signal that something is wrong with an air conditioner. We’re talking about noises like clattering or clanging, potentially indicating that mechanical parts have become loose. Hissing is another odd noise: it may mean that refrigerant is escaping. If your motors are wearing down and on the brink of burning out, then you will likely hear a grinding and screeching noise before they bite the dust.
Short-Cycling
As we mentioned above, you hear your compressor turning on and off regularly. If it starts to do so too rapidly and frequently, however, then what’s occurring is the process of short-cycling. This means your cooling system is not completing its cooling cycle, and instead shutting down prematurely only to start back up a short time later.
This can be caused by one of a few things. It could be as simple as a clogged air filter; you should really be changing yours every 1 to 3 months during periods of HVAC use. Or, you may have a miscalibrated thermostat, a refrigerant leak, or even an air conditioner that wasn’t installed correctly to begin with (if this is the case, you’ll notice short-cycling right away, not months later).
Uneven Temperatures
This is one of the more subtle signs of an air conditioner problem, and therefore gets ignored sometimes. Truthfully, it could be a case in which your home is not well designed for even cooling, in which case you may want to consider the installation of a zone control system.
Uneven cooling can be caused by other issues, though. You might have inadequate insulation, windows in need of caulking, or perhaps even breached ductwork, which can result in a 30% loss of conditioned air.
When you’re looking for a reputable company to handle your air conditioning repair services and other HVAC care jobs, you needn’t search any further than AllTech Services, Inc. Contact us today!