Is Your AC Acting Up? 3 Signs It Needs Repair

Hot, humid Ohio summers can leave you and your family sweltering without a reliable AC. Addressing early signs of issues is key to keeping your equipment running smoothly. While small issues may seem livable, they can quickly lead to high electricity bills, poor indoor air quality, and major malfunctions.

AC units make it fairly obvious when something is wrong, from weak airflow to strange noises or sounds and short-cycling. Rick’s Heating & Cooling explains how to identify these signs that your AC needs repairs and what causes these problems.

Weak or Warm Airflow

If you notice that warm air is blowing out of the vents in your home, there is a problem with your AC unit. There are a few reasons why this might occur.

• The thermostat is set incorrectly
• The air filter is clogged and restricting airflow
• The refrigerant is low due to a leak

Check that your thermostat is set correctly and replace your air filter every 30 to 90 days. If you need assistance finding a refrigerant leak, contact a professional HVAC contractor.

Strange Noises or Unusual Smells

Strange noises or unusual smells are signs that something is wrong with your AC unit. Some potential causes of noises and smells can include:

Strange Noises

• Banging, clanging, or rattling: broken or loose components or debris inside the unit
• Buzzing: Loose parts vibrating, electrical issues, debris in the fan blades, or sometimes refrigerant leaks
• Clicking: A faulty thermostat, electrical issues, a failing capacitor, or obstructions in the fan
• Grinding: A worn-out motor bearing in the fan or compressor — this constitutes an HVAC emergency
• Hissing or whistling: Refrigerant leak or air leaks in the ductwork
• Screaming or squealing: High pressure within the compressor — also an HVAC emergency
• Gurgling or bubbling: Air trapped inside the refrigerant lines or a blocked condensate drain line

Unusual Smells

• Musty or moldy: Mold inside the unit or a dirty air filter
• Burning smell: Failing fan motor, dust or debris burning off heating elements, or electrical issues (HVAC emergency)
• Sweet or chemical smell: Refrigerant leak (call your local HVAC contractor right away)
• Rotten egg or sulfur smell: Natural gas leak if your system has a gas furnace sharing ductwork. Call your gas company or 911 immediately.
• Smell of dirty socks or stinky feet: Bacteria, mold, or other microbial growth on the evaporator coil or in the condensate drain
• Exhaust fumes: A leak in the heat exchanger (HVAC emergency)

Frequent Cycling or High Energy Bill

Frequent or short-cycling is when your AC unit turns on and off frequently. This causes excessive wear and tear on your unit, inefficient cooling, increased energy consumption, a shortened unit lifespan, and higher energy bills.

Some causes of short-cycling include airflow issues and electrical faults. Sometimes, refrigerant leaks and incorrect system sizing can also be the cause.

To troubleshoot short-cycling, check that your vents are not obstructed and that your air filter is clean. If both are clear and clean, call your local HVAC contractor.

When Should You Replace Your AC?

There’s a fairly easy way to determine if you should repair or replace your AC unit. In the HVAC world, the formula to decide if you should repair or replace is:

Years of AC age multiplied by cost of repairs

If the total amount of this formula exceeds $5,000, consider replacing your unit. This means you need to keep track of your AC unit’s age. This is not the end-all and be-all, however. If your system is less than 5 years old and still functioning well, a replacement may not be necessary for some time.

Why Choose Rick’s for AC Repair?

If you need AC repair services in Cincinnati, OH, contact Rick’s Heating & Cooling for expert repair services. We provide 24/7 AC emergency services for the issues we mentioned above, and we also ensure 100% customer satisfaction. For over three decades, we’ve provided comprehensive and dependable AC services to our neighbors in the Greater Cincinnati Area.

Schedule your AC repair services today by contacting Rick’s Heating & Cooling!