Early Warning Signs Of AC Trouble
Modern residential air conditioning systems are fairly robust, and a well-designed system can keep up with most of the worst temperatures your region can throw at it. Issues with your system may cause it to fall behind on the hottest days, but what about when temperatures start cooling down? When the heat is less intense, your system may keep you cool, even if there's trouble brewing behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, just because a problem is subtle doesn't mean you can ignore it. Seemingly minor issues with your air conditioner can still cause unnecessary strain on your system, causing critical components such as your compressor to wear out much sooner. Fortunately, you can avoid many of these problems by recognizing when something may be wrong with your AC system.
What Are the Warning Signs?
Knowing that something may be wrong means understanding how your system should behave. When working correctly, an air conditioning system should run a few times per hour, reaching your thermostat setpoint with each cycle. As the temperature in your home slowly rises due to internal and external cooling loads, the system will kick back on for another cycle.
Your air conditioner must run for a reasonable time since the system relies on its runtime to remove humidity from the air. If the air conditioner only runs briefly, it won't have time to dehumidify your home adequately. If your home becomes more sticky and uncomfortable despite relatively low indoor temperatures, your system may be short cycling.
Paying attention to these cycles is one of the best ways to spot early trouble with your air conditioner. Does it run for much too long, blowing air for hours at a time? Unless you have a variable-stage unit, this behavior isn't normal and likely indicates a problem. Likewise, there may be an issue with your air conditioner if it turns on for a few minutes before turning off again.
Another easy-to-miss symptom is unusual smells from your vents. Strange odors usually indicate the presence of mold or mildew, which is a strong indicator that there may be excess humidity in your ductwork. Even if your system seems to be cooling well, an unpleasant smell means trouble is right around the corner.
What Should You Do?
No one likes to spend money unnecessarily, but addressing air conditioning issues when you spot them will save you from more expensive repairs. You don't need to call an HVAC technician the first time you notice your AC turn off too quickly, but pay attention to its behavior. Is it consistently short cycling? If so, contacting a technician is a good idea, even if your system can still hit your thermostat setpoint.
Don't assume that unusual behavior or problems will go away on their own. In many cases, you may be spotting the early symptoms of problems such as refrigerant leaks, airflow restrictions, or even electrical issues. Calling a professional to have a look will allow you to fix these issues before they cause damage to a much more expensive part of your air conditioning system.
Contact a residential AC contractor for more information.