Your home’s air conditioner is an essential appliance. And one that you value more each day as the heat of summer drags on. But when you begin to notice that your home is no longer as cool and comfortable as it once was, you worry about the significant expense of replacing your AC unit.
Hopefully, you have been regularly maintaining your air conditioner. And your service professional has been keeping you well informed about its condition and impending demise. Most professionals will be sincere and notify customers when there are only a few years of life left in their air conditioner so that they can begin to think about and budget for the replacement of the unit.
If you have not kept a close eye on your air conditioner, then there are a few unusual signs that you should know about to determine when your AC is in need of replacement. While you might not want to think about this expense, it is essential to plan for, because no one wants to spend a hot summer without the comfort of climate control.
1
If you have noticed that your AC is running a lot, you need to pay extra attention to it cycling on and off. When the unit is wearing out or needs repair, it does not produce cold air efficiently or effectively. So the temperature in your home will remain higher than usual. This results in your home never getting cool enough to reach the shut-off temperature you have set on your thermostat. You will discover that the AC is never shutting off as you listen for the cycling. This is not a good sign and means that you need to call us immediately to schedule an appointment with a Action Air & Plumbing service professional before your air conditioning stop functioning.
2
Have you heard odd sounds coming from your AC ductwork? Do you notice that there is not very much, or any, cold air coming from the ducts even when the AC is running? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you could have critters living in your ductwork. Smaller animals will search the exterior of your home and your air conditioner to locate a way to escape the summer heat. And when they find a way into the cool ducts, they set up residency. Not only is this worrisome, but it is a sign that your old ductwork and air conditioner need to be inspected and most likely replaced because there is damage somewhere that is allowing wildlife to get into your HVAC system.
3
A well maintained and functional air conditioner will not make any noticeable or loud sound when it is turning on and off. You might notice the sound of the fan if your home is very quiet, but you should never hear banging sounds or loud noise coming from your AC unit. If you do, there is something very wrong, and you need to immediately call us or be prepared to withstand the heat when your AC completely fails.
4
With regular care and maintenance, your air conditioner should not require any significant repairs. The current systems are designed to operate for decades, with just minimal attention and expenses. Your system is past its prime and should be replaced if you have paid for two or more major repairs in the last ten years. You might be shocked to learn that your older unit operated very inefficiently as compared to new models. Even though you will be investing in a new AC unit, you will be saving each month on your utility bill while enjoying a cool and comfortable home.
5
Your AC unit should never be piping any type of smell of odor into your home. If you have begun to notice an odd smell when the unit is running, call 806-583-3558 immediately to schedule an emergency service call. Older air conditioners will run almost continuously when they are about to fail. The reason is that they are not producing enough cool air to trigger the thermostat to turn off the AC. The constant running will cause the unit to overheat. Consider that odd smell a warning that your air conditioner could be on the verge of starting a fire in your home. Call the pros from Action Air Plumbing and Septic to check out and avoid any further damage to the unit and your home.
Your AC unit does an essential job of keeping your home comfortable in the hot summer weather. But it will not last forever. You need to recognize the signs of the impending failure of your unit to protect your home and to avoid a few very uncomfortable days waiting for a replacement.
