Are you hearing something that resembles air being let out of a tire, or maybe the last sip of soda being sucked out of a straw—but these sounds are coming from your air conditioning system? The most likely culprit for this noise is a refrigerant leak.
Refrigerant is a fluid that is supplied for the air conditioner upon manufacturing. Ideally, your air conditioner will have enough refrigerant from day one to last its entire lifecycle. Dishonest “professionals” may tell you that refrigerant needs to be recharged (refilled) on a routine basis, but this isn’t the case. The only reasons your refrigerant should ever need to be recharged is in the case that it wasn’t properly charged to begin with, or there is a leak.
The longer you wait to repair this leak, the bigger risk there is of serious AC damage happening, probably to the compressor component, which is essentially the heart of the air conditioner. But how do you know if you even have a refrigerant leak if you don’t hear that hissing? Read on!
The short answer to this is, “no.” But don’t worry, we will elaborate more. HVAC pros, including ourselves, recommend that you have air conditioning maintenance done once a year. This can be an easy suggestion to dismiss. After all, who wants to schedule service for a system you’re not even using yet?
With temperatures still hovering in the 70’s, there’s a very good chance you’re still using your air conditioner. Pretty soon, however, you’ll look at the upcoming weather forecast and be ready to turn your AC off for good in favor of your heater.
Were you aware that there is a singular alternative to owning both an AC system and a heating system? A ductless system is the answer to this, and not many homeowners know all the benefits of such a system, though they are becoming increasingly popular! They’re great systems for keeping your home efficiently warm in the winter, and effectively cool in the winter. So if you’re in the market for a new air conditioner or a new heater, you’d do well to consider going ductless.
As we approach the official end of summer and begin to prepare for cooler temperature and heating system use, you may be wondering if you should bother replacing your aging air conditioner yet. Isn’t it too late to install a new AC? It would be pointless, right? No, and no!
Would we love you to install an AC in your home that would never give you trouble of any kind? Of course. Are we able to do so? No. And that’s why we won’t promise you that. We’re just too honest to make such claims. A bit of advice? If you find another contractor that will make such claims—find yourself another contractor! 
Summer is nearing its final weeks. This means that soon enough we’ll be able to turn off our air conditioners and start enjoying cooler weather again! Except, maybe you shouldn’t rush to just shut off that AC system without giving it a second thought.
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.
Homeowners may often hear us say, or even read on our blog, that it’s best to schedule air conditioning maintenance in the spring, before you need the system the most. This is true! The reason we say it is because it’s the most convenient time for you to have it done. This is the time where HVAC professionals are less busy, and it’s easier for you to get a professional out on your schedule to get a tune-up done.
