Do You Need a New AC Unit This Summer? – The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling.
Do You Need a New AC Unit This Summer?
This is perhaps one of the worst things to happen to you in the middle of the summer – your trusty and frankly, necessary air conditioner seems to be on its last legs and you need to replace it. You need to consider so many factors when it comes to a new air conditioner; not only the cost but also the discomfort of not having a functioning AC unit in your home.
In states like Arizona, living without a functional AC unit is virtually impossible, which is why we reached out to AC repair experts at Hughes Air from Chandler, AZ to share their guide on the simple identification of a faulty AC. Do you need to replace or just repair your AC? Read on and find out.
Can You Smell the Unit?
Having the air in your house smell bad can really throw you off. If the air starts smelling off when you start your air conditioner, that should be a clear signal that something is wrong. What exactly is the matter depends on several factors.
For instance, if you start smelling smoke and the electrical smell, you need to act quickly. Turn off the unit as soon as possible and consult an HVAC technician to come and inspect the potential problem. That does mean that you will be out of AC for the time being, but you may be avoiding a more serious problem down the line.
Musty and moldy smells are also relatively common, but they don’t typically require you to replace the whole AC. More likely, the problem is in your ducts or in your air filter – remember to clean or replace those as often as the manufacturer recommends.
Does Your Device Work Longer?
If you’ve had your AC unit for a while, you should be familiar with how long it typically works. Things like how often it turns on and overall, how much electricity it uses – just from your monthly electricity bill in the months when you use the AC heavily.
So, if you start to notice certain things being off, like your AC turning on more often than usual, or it running for a long time just to achieve the same temperature, that should be a clear sign that something is wrong.
If you catch it in time, you can have an HVAC technician take a look at it and potentially offer a repair solution. However, if left untreated, this condition will cause one or more elements of the system to fail. Depending on the age of your system, repairing it may not be the best course of action. If your system is older than 10 years, chances are that replacement is a more viable option.
Strange Noises
Finally, if you notice strange noises either accompanying the above problem or even occurring on their own, this is a cause for concern. Any behavior out of the normal for your AC should tell you something is wrong.
If you hear hissing near the indoor or outdoor unit, the most likely cause is the leak in the coolant system –something that is easy to repair and can be done by any technician. However, if you hear buzzing, it’s more likely to be an electrical problem or a part malfunctioning. Turning off the device and calling an HVAC expert is the best course of action there.
Finally, if you hear banging or similar loud noises, the issue might be with the compressor or the motor – once again requiring a professional’s help.
Whether you will be seeking to repair or replace your unit will largely depend on the age and state of your AC device, as well as the severity of the problem you have. However, always keep in mind that you shouldn’t ignore the AC issues.