Air conditioners are very complex pieces of equipment, with a number of components and actions that make them work flawlessly. But just like any other home appliance, they are subject to natural wear and tear. There’s no avoiding that at some point, you’ll need a repair. In fact, you can expect to need a repair every couple of years or so as parts wear out.
Of course, you can fend off the most urgent and harmful repair needs with routine maintenance. Professional maintenance allows our technicians to fully inspect, clean, and adjust the components that need it. During the inspection part of this process, we look for anything that does need repair so we can alert you to it right away. This way, it has less of a chance to grow into something bigger and lead to a breakdown.
Maintenance isn’t the only way to detect repair needs, however! It’s important that you know the everyday sounds that your air conditioner makes. This way, when it makes an unusual noise, you’ll know that something is amiss. What noises are we talking about? Read on!
Shrieking
When you hear a loud, mechanical shrieking sound coming from your air conditioner–or really from anywhere–you know something is wrong. So what is it? Well in most cases, if you hear your air conditioner shrieking, it’s a sign of a motor bearing that’s worn down due to a loss of lubrication. This is an absolutely normal part of air conditioner wear and tear! However, letting it go on like this can lead to the motor burning out, so it is definitely something you want to have remedied right away.
RaTtLiNg
Here’s the thing about noises coming from your air conditioner. You know better than anyone what sounds are normal, and what sounds are not when it comes to your AC system. So if you’ve always heard a very slight rattling when your air conditioner cycles on, it may be something totally benign. For example, it could be your ductwork expanding and contracting with the temperature changes when your AC cycles on and off.
We want you to listen for anything out of the ordinary, though. Is there an intense rattling you’ve never heard before? Or is the rattling ductwork you’re used to hearing lasting a little longer than it should? Then it’s time to give our team a call.
Hisssssing
No, there probably isn’t a snake anywhere inside your air conditioner.
Instead, what you’re probably listening to is refrigerant gas escaping your air conditioner. Refrigerant is the chemical blend in your air conditioner that makes the cooling system possible. Your air conditioner is supplied with enough of it during manufacturing to last its entire lifespan. So if you’re losing refrigerant, it means there is a leak. And this leak must be repaired ASAP, otherwise, you run the risk of compressor damage. Once a compressor is damaged, you’re looking at either a very expensive repair or replacing the air conditioner altogether.
For professional Alpharetta, GA HVAC service, look no further than Wall Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Contact us today!