6 Signs Your AC System Is Nearing a Breakdown in Sarasota, FL
In the sweltering summers of Sarasota, FL, you rely on your air conditioner to keep you comfortable. No time is convenient for a breakdown, but luckily, your AC system usually indicates when it’s nearing a failure. Here are six important signs that your AC system is nearing a breakdown:
Decreased Performance
Perhaps the thing that should most obviously attract your suspicion about an imminent breakdown is if your air conditioner doesn’t seem to perform as well. Many issues might cause this problem, but things like low refrigerant levels, dirty coils, broken fans and a faulty blower motor are all likely possibilities that you should consider. When you call professional HVAC service technicians to examine and fix your air conditioner, they’ll be able to find an exact answer to that crucial question.
Strange Sounds
Your ears are among the best tools you could ask for to detect problems with your AC system. Often, when your system has problems, it;ll emit strange and unusual sounds to alert you to that fact. When everything is working normally, your AC system will make little more than a slight hum, but things can be very different when the threat of a breakdown looms.
Certain problems can sometimes generate signature noises. For example, when your AC system is low on refrigerant, you may hear a bubbling or gurgling sound, indicating trapped air bubbles in the refrigerant lines. An HVAC service technician can refill your system with refrigerant and prevent future leaks as part of a maintenance appointment, but you should never attempt to do this on your own because refrigerant is toxic.
Banging noises might mean that your system’s compressor is faulty, and if you hear buzzing, your system may have loose or unbalanced fan blades. Rattling noises can mean that you have debris in your condenser or that your electrical contactor has malfunctioned. Shrieking or squealing frequently points to a broken fan motor.
Alarming Smells
You should also use your nose to help you sniff out potential AC problems. Leaking refrigerant will give off a sweet or ether-like smell. Overheating system components and fried electrical equipment connected to your air conditioner may each give off a burning odor.
Spiking Utility Bills
Breakdowns will virtually always seriously compromise your AC system’s efficiency. Sudden drops in efficiency can often be warnings of future breakdowns. Declining efficiency means that your system will use much more energy than it needed to use before but achieve relatively lackluster results with that energy.
As a result, your electricity bills may skyrocket. If your electricity bills shoot up without warning, we strongly recommend scheduling a maintenance appointment so a service technician can take a look at your system.
Age of Your AC System
Remember that once an AC system gets too old, it’ll be at a high risk of breaking down, even if nothing else appears wrong with it. A central air conditioning system can function reliably for about 15 years. Maintenance and repairs may extend this lifespan, but eventually, these steps will start to provide diminishing returns.
Vibrating Outside Unit
If your outside unit starts to shake when you turn it on, it could mean that the components are worn out and can no longer function properly. The system is straining to get all the pieces moving as they should. It might only be one inexpensive part that is causing the problem, or it could signal the need for a major overhaul or replacement.
If you’re observant enough to pick up on these signs, you should count yourself lucky because it means you can avoid a complete AC breakdown during the next heatwave. You still have time to have us assess the condition of your system and discuss options with you so you can either fix or replace it. All you need to do is call Custom Air & Plumbing and request our air conditioning services today.
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