If you live in Austin, you know what it’s like to depend on your central air in one of the nation’s hottest cities. When the A/C goes out, you can’t escape the sweltering heat, and you’re more than willing to pay extra to get an emergency service call to your house.
You don’t need to wait on your A/C to fail before you call for a repair. Pay attention to the signs, and you can get ahead of breakdowns, saving yourself a ton of money and discomfort. Get the air conditioning repair Austin homes need by looking for these seven signs that it’s time to call a technician.
1) Warm Air Blowing
If your A/C has been running for a while and it’s still not cooling your home, check your vents. Warm air coming from the vents isn’t usually a simple fix, and there can be several potential causes, including:
- Refrigerant leak
- Non-functioning outdoor fan
- Failed compressor
- Frozen evaporator coils
Repairs can range from inexpensive coil cleanings to expensive compressor replacements. In most cases, warm air coming from your vents means that a component has failed and needs an air conditioning repair service.
2) Weak Airflow
Yet another sign to look for if your house won’t cool down, weak airflow is often a symptom of A/C issues. However, the first place to check for problems is your filter.
Poor airflow could be a sign of a clogged filter. Swapping it out can quickly improve system performance if you haven’t changed it in a while.
You might have leaks in your ductwork, a faulty blower, or frozen evaporator coils if you continue to have airflow issues after putting in a fresh filter. You’ll need to call an air conditioning repair company to check your ductwork and air handler.
3) Slow To Start
After setting your thermostat to cool, your A/C shouldn’t take more than a few seconds to turn on. Over time, you may notice that seconds turn into minutes, and it takes a long time to get the air to start flowing.
Your compressor could be having issues if your A/C is slow to start. A failing capacitor may be taking a while to build up the needed energy to kickstart the motor. It could also mean that the compressor motor is starting to break down or that your system is ready for a replacement.
A hard-starting compressor can cause severe system damage if left unattended. When your A/C takes longer to turn on, call A/C repair services to look at your compressor.
4) Water Leaks
Leaks around your A/C are a two-fold problem, indicating an A/C issue and potentially causing damage to your home. Whatever the cause of the leak, you’ll want to fix it immediately to prevent mold, mildew, rot, and pests.
Water leaks often start at the condensate drain coming from the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil dehumidifies the air coming in from the house. The collected water drains in a pan and then a PVC pipe leading out of the house.
Water leaks happen when drain lines break or clog, spilling excess water.
Frozen evaporator coils may also be the culprit. When the frozen water melts, it can overflow. And a frozen evaporator coil might be a sign of an even worse problem.
Evaporator coils can freeze for several reasons, one of which is a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant is highly toxic, and if your frozen coil is accompanied by a bubbling or hissing sound, you’ll need to call an air conditioning repair company immediately.
5) Strange Noises From The System
Under most circumstances, a strange noise coming from your system while it’s on should be cause for concern. Unexpected clicking, knocking, rattling, scraping, hissing, and squealing are clear indications of urgent issues, such as:
- Arcing electronics
- Loose fans
- Worn belts
- Failing compressor
- Broken refrigerant lines
Whenever you hear strange noises, it’s crucial to call an air conditioning repair service as soon as possible. A broken part can cause further failure down the line if you let it run, and your repair bill will be much higher when you finally get a technician out to you.
6) High Indoor Humidity
A functioning A/C works to cool the home and dehumidify the air, so if you find it’s getting a little too muggy indoors, you might have an issue. It could be something simple, like an incorrect setting on the thermostat. Or it could be an urgent issue, such as a leaking refrigerant line or a dirty evaporator.
Humidity is uncomfortable, but the pressing concern is mold and mildew. Having an A/C repair technician address the issue will improve the indoor air quality and reduce the risk of health hazards in the home.
7) High Utility Bills
Running your A/C for long summer days will undoubtedly bump up the utility bills. But even if it seems to be working like normal, there are times when your usage and your costs don’t line up. Higher energy bills are classic signs that your A/C needs a replacement or major repair.
High bills indicate that your motors are drawing more power to turn on and stay on. You might notice your system is cycling on and off more often than normal, or it could be having issues releasing cold air. There are dozens of ways a system can fail and raise your electric bills, and you’ll need a repair technician to locate the source of the problem.
Air Conditioning Repair Austin Residents Deserve
Air conditioning units are complex machines, and it can be difficult to pinpoint the problem if yours is failing. It can often be a minor fix, like changing a filter, but in many cases, it takes a professional to solve the issue for good. Save yourself the time, money, and aggravation of a failed A/C, and contact your local repair tech at the first sign of trouble.
Are you ready to Google “air conditioning repair Austin”? Save yourself some time, and reach out to our team at Schneider Mechanical for help with any HVAC repair needs. Call us today to learn how we can help you and your family keep your cool this summer.
