We may not have as sweltering summers as they do in other parts of the country, but that doesn’t mean our air conditioning systems don’t get quite the workout! In fact, they go through a lot of strain throughout the years, accumulating natural wear and tear that can shorten their lifespan and lead to efficiency problems.
Of course, you can prevent most of these problems by staying on top of your maintenance needs. If you have a standard air conditioner, this means scheduling routine tune-ups once a year. If you have a 2-in-1 heat pump system, it means scheduling a tune-up every 6 months.
Regardless of how good you are at staying on top of maintenance, however, it’s also important that you be aware of the signs that something is wrong with your cooling system. One of these signs is strange and unfamiliar noises. But what noises are we talking about, exactly? Read on!
Hissing or Bubbling
Some homeowners describe this noise as hissing, others as bubbling, but it all leads to the same thing–a refrigerant leak. Upon manufacturing, your air conditioner is supplied with enough refrigerant to ideally last its entire lifespan. Unfortunately, old age or lack of maintenance can lead to damaged refrigerant lines, and subsequent leaks as a result.
Refrigerant leaks are a bigger deal than many homeowners realize, as they deprive cooling systems of the very fluid they need to actually cool your home. As the refrigerant levels in your air conditioner decline, so too does your system’s ability to function. Eventually, this will cause the compressor (the heart of your air conditioner) to fail.
If you hear something like air being let out of a tire, or the last few sips of soda through a straw coming out of your air conditioner, give us a call!
Grinding
Hear something that resembles the sound of metal grinding against metal? That’s probably exactly what you’re listening to, and it’s never a good sign when it comes to your air conditioner, or any other important electrical appliance.
What’s likely happening here is that the lubrication on the bearings of your air handler has likely worn off. This happens over time. The grinding you hear is the friction of the bearings on your air handler motor. When you hear this sound, it’s time to give us a call–otherwise, you could find yourself with an AC that’s overheated and burnt out.
Short-Cycling
Have you ever heard your air conditioner cycle on, only to cycle off quickly without actually completely cooling your home? This is called short-cycling. It’s a process that occurs for one of two reasons.
It could be happening because your air conditioner is too large for your home. If this is the problem though, you will have noticed short-cycling immediately after the system was installed. Call your installer if this is the case!
The second reason is that there is an electrical issue within your system. The thing is, short-cycling is both the symptom of something gone wrong in your air conditioner, and the cause of further problems with your air conditioner. So, give us a call.
See why our customers keep saying “I Love My Design Comfort!” Contact us today for professional air conditioning repair in Park City, UT.
