Summer is the most stressful time of year for air conditioning systems. More demand on the air conditioner means more wear and tear, which means a higher chance for problems to develop. As you rely on your air conditioner to keep cool over the next several months, you need to keep an eye out for any signs that the system is in need of repairs. One of the easiest ways to tell that your air conditioner is experiencing issues is the presence of unusual noises. Call for repairs if your air conditioner is making noises like those listed below.
Grinding
The air conditioner moves air throughout your home using a part called the air handler, which is just a large motor with a fan attached to it. The air handler generates a lot of friction while it’s working, which it counters using a group of oiled bearings installed in the motor. These bearings don’t last forever, though. As they wear down over time, the friction on the motor will increase. In extreme cases, this will often generate a loud grinding sound while the air conditioner is on. If you hear that sound coming from your air conditioner, call for repairs as soon as possible. The air handler motor will overheat and burn out if the bearings are not replaced.
Hissing
A hissing sound coming from your air conditioner could mean that you have air bubbles forming in your refrigerant line. If that’s the case, you have a leak. Refrigerant leaks are a serious threat to the health of your air conditioner, as they deprive the system of the fluid that it needs to keep functioning properly. As the refrigerant level drops over time, the air conditioner will gradually begin to lose output capacity. If the refrigerant leak isn’t fixed in time, and the lost refrigerant replaced, the air conditioner will eventually break down. Make sure you have a professional examine your air conditioner if it’s making this noise, especially if you notice fluid dripping from the system.
Short Cycling
Short cycling is when your air conditioner turns itself on and off every few minutes. While it may seem like a harmless quirk, it’s actually a serious threat to the health of the air conditioner. Short cycling cuts down on the air conditioner’s output capacity by a significant amount, as it prevents the system from completing a full cooling cycle. That’s the least of the issues the behavior causes, though.
Short cycling causes the air conditioner to wear down much faster than it normally does, which becomes more problematic the longer the problem is allowed to persist. Prolonged short cycling can cause the air conditioner to break down much more often, and shorten its effective lifespan by a number of years. If your air conditioner is short cycling, turn it off and call for repairs immediately. The faster a technician can reach your system and repair it, the better off it will be.
Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling offers air conditioning repair services throughout Doylestown, PA. Contact us today for an appointment.