Your air conditioner should last you between 10 and 15 years.
Depending on your circumstances, your air conditioner may never have needed any repairs before. In other words, you might not know what warning signs. And if you don’t know what to look for, they can be easy to miss.
That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide to help you learn when you need to call an air conditioning repair professional.
It's Blowing Warm Air
If your air conditioner starts blowing warm air instead of cold air, the first thing you should do is check your thermostat. You might have forgotten to flip it to the cooling mode—it seems obvious, but it’s easy to overlook.
That might fix the problem.
However, if your thermostat is in the right mode and still blows warm air, there’s something not working right inside your system. You should call a professional air conditioning repair technician to find and fix the issue.
The Airflow is Weak
There are a few reasons your air conditioner might have poor airflow. And it might be something you can fix on your own.
For example, a dirty or clogged air filter might be restricting the airflow. Turn off the air conditioner, take out the filter, and give it a thorough cleaning. This will allow the air to flow freely again.
If that doesn’t work, there might be something more serious going on. Your air conditioner might have a broken motor or a clog in the ductwork. These are repairs you shouldn’t try to DIY your way through.
Something is Leaking
You should never find any moisture or water on or around your air conditioning unit. If you find even a small puddle of water, you have a leak somewhere.
Don’t ignore a leak. It might seem slow, but it can waste a lot of water and money very fast.
Turn off your air conditioner right away if you notice a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant can be extremely dangerous to you and your family. Make sure you call a professional air conditioner expert as soon as possible to clean up and repair the leak.
High Humidity Indoors
Your air conditioner should regulate the humidity levels inside your home. If the air inside your home feels sticky, your air conditioner needs repairs.
Don’t spend extra money on dehumidifiers. Instead, have a professional air conditioning expert take a look at your unit.
Too Many Cooling Cycles
It’s normal for your air conditioner to go through several cooling cycles in one day. It’s not normal for your air conditioner to go through another cooling cycle every few minutes.
The cooling cycles should be regulated.
And the outside temperature has nothing to do with it. Your air conditioner should go through the same, regulated cooling cycles even if it’s 100 degrees outside.
If you notice your air conditioner booting up more often than normal, it’s time for some repairs.
It's Making Weird Sounds
Hearing your air conditioner as it runs is normal, but the sound should never be loud, scary, or distracting. If your air conditioner ever starts making unusual sounds, you should pay attention to what you hear.
Here’s a quick list of air conditioner sounds and what they mean:
Banging
A banging sound usually means there’s something loose inside the unit. These lose parts are moving around and hitting other components, creating the sound. If you don’t fix the problem, it will get worse and worse over time.
Clicking
You might hear a clicking noise every time you turn on your air conditioner. This is normal. But if you start to hear the clicking more often or constantly, one of the electrical components isn’t working right.
There are a lot of electrical components in your air conditioner, and the problem could become serious if you don’t take care of it right away.
Rattling
Rattling could also mean there are loose parts inside your air conditioner. However, it’s usually a sure sign your air conditioner is getting old and beginning to deteriorate.
Tightening a few loose screws might fix the problem, but if it doesn’t, you may have to get a new system.
Squealing
If you start to hear squealing coming from your ductwork, the motors and blower wheel are going bad. This problem can make your whole unit shut down if you don’t take care of it.
Screaming
Screaming or whistling sounds indicate a serious problem. Turn off your air conditioner and call a professional right away.
These sounds usually mean there’s a refrigerant leak, which can harm your air conditioner and your family. It might also mean there’s a very high internal pressure inside your compressor. This can also be incredibly dangerous.
Make sure you get the right help as soon as possible.
Something Smells Bad
You should never smell a bad scent coming from your air conditioner. If you do, you need to call a professional air conditioner expert.
There are a few different smells you should be aware of.
A musty smell means there’s mold growing inside your air conditioner or ductwork. If you leave the mold where it is, it can lead to serious health conditions.
A burning smell means there’s an electrical problem inside your unit. Ignoring this smell could lead to serious issues, including fires in the worst cases.
A rotten egg smell means there’s gas leaking from your air conditioner. Again, this can be incredibly dangerous. Get out of the house and call for help right away.
How to Find the Best Air Conditioning Repair?
