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7 Signs Your AC Is Near a Breakdown

Catching a heating or cooling issue as fast as possible is your absolute best method of keeping costs down, comfort high, and stress to a minimum. Want to find out the warning signs you should be keep an eye and ear on? Follow along with the specialists at Schneller Knochelmann Plumbing, Heating & Air while we detail the imminent signs of a breakdown.

7 Warning Signs that Your AC Needs Help

Typically a problem can be repaired if it’s not recurring, but the important point is that you should seek professional services quickly to avoid paying for bigger issues down the line. Watch out for these:

  1. Your home isn’t cool enough. Does your system usually handle your cooling needs with no problems, but now it struggles to keep things in any even slightly respectable temp range? If so, your system is probably on its way out. Depending on the root cause this problem can be repairable, so acting fast is very important!
  2. The system is making loud noises. The typical AC sound is that steady, droning, and often welcome sound that tells you things are all fine and well. But when it starts to be accompanied by buzzing, squealing, banging, or grinding, you’ve got a problem on your hands. One that might mean you need AC replacement if you don’t get help in a hurry.
  3. Your air quality is terrible. Poor air quality in the home can come from a wide array of possible sources, but one of the most common is actually a cooling (or heating) system that is somewhat down in the dumps. Routine HVAC maintenance can go a long way in mitigating this, but if it’s really rough it may be time to replace the system.
  4. There are hot spots in your home. Frequent hot spots will often mean the system is beginning to wear out and lose strength. Before you make a service call be sure to check that all of your vents are open and unobstructed. But if that’s not the problem, you’ll definitely want a pro to come check things out.
  5. The unit is kind of old. 10 years. That’s about what you can expect from a central air conditioning system. Fifteen maybe, and possibly twenty if you have a high-end heat pump or geothermal system. Past this point you’ll lose comfort power, efficiency, and effectiveness until the system calls it quits for good.
  6. Your bills are on the rise. Find yourself paying in 10, 20% more on your energy bills this year? Damaged or worn out cooling systems drawn on extra power because they take longer and have to work harder to meet your needs, which is both a sign of a lingering issue and a considerable financial drain.
  7. The thermostat is inaccurate. Machines don’t mean to lie, but that doesn’t mean they’re always right, either! Electrical calibrations going off is one of the earliest warning signs you can get. The problem could be repairable, but just as often you’ll need to start consulting an expert about total AC replacement for your Cincinnati home.

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