It’s easy, especially this late in the summer season, to ignore small signs that something might be amiss with your air conditioner. But the fact of the matter is, this is when your air conditioner is most likely to break down, because this is the time of the year it runs the most and essentially works the hardest.
This is particularly true if you skipped maintenance this year. Maintenance allows our technicians to thoroughly inspect, clean, and adjust your system to ensure proper, efficient functionality. It also allows us to spot small repair needs before they become bigger ones! But this doesn’t mean you can’t spot small repair needs on your own—and when you do, the next best step is to give the pros a call. Read on to learn more about these signs.
Your AC Is Not Cooling
This seems like a pretty apparent air conditioner problem, right? After all, that is literally your air conditioner’s job. But what we see fairly often is homeowners chalking up the lack of coolness to just how hot it is outside. And it’s true, an air conditioner will struggle to reach temperatures any more than 20° below what the temperature is outside.
But, if you find that you need to set the thermostat lower and lower to reach the same level of comfort you’re used to at a higher temperature, then there is definitely something wrong with your cooling system.
Now, it may be something simple to fix, like restricted airflow from a clogged air filter. You should be checking and changing your air filter every 1-3 months! But let’s say the air filter isn’t the problem, then what is?
It could be a number of things: a refrigerant leak, ductwork damage, ice development on the AC system’s evaporator coil, etc. The best way to find out is to call in a trained professional.
A Drop in Airflow
Let’s say that the air coming through your vents is cool, but it isn’t very powerful. There could be a couple problems at play here. Your air conditioner’s blower might be in failure, you could have ductwork problems, or again, it might be the air filter.
If you notice that some rooms in your living space are getting more powerful airflow than others, this is very likely a problem with your ductwork.
Within your air ducts, debris such as dust and even mold can take hold and multiply, particularly if there are any tears in the air ducts. And this is more than just an airflow or air conditioner problem–this is a health problem! If you suspect your ductwork is to blame, it’s time to give our techs a call.
Thermostat Trouble
Sometimes your air conditioner problem isn’t a problem with the actual air conditioner at all, but rather your thermostat. If you do notice a lack of cooling or what you perceive as low airflow, check your thermostat settings!
Perhaps it’s in “fan only” mode, or even heating mode. If this is the case, you can’t expect to feel the same level of comfort when you think you’re using your air conditioner.
It’s also possible that the thermostat is miscalibrated and isn’t reading the temperature correctly, and therefore isn’t accurately signaling the air conditioner when to cycle on and off. If you suspect this is the case, give our team a call!
Contact Wall Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today for quality air conditioning repair in Alpharetta, GA.