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Air Conditioners always seem to die at the worst possible time in Arlington, TX, especially when the heat really pours in your home. When our AC goes out we scramble to call for air conditioning service, and often the AC services are overbooked, resulting in waits of up to days. You never want to get caught without a working AC during the summer months in Arlington, TX. You can get a jump on knowing when to call for an AC service by learning the signs that your AC unit is in trouble in your home. All air conditioners will give you signs that it is time to call for AC service from your local Arlington, TX AC service. Knowing the warning signs that your AC unit needs servicing can help you to prevent the need for more expensive repairs down the line, as the longer you wait for air conditioning service the worse the problem can become. If you wait too long you could even end up needing an expensive AC replacement and no one wants to face those costs.

Did you know that if you do an AC tune-up every spring that you could save yourself a lot of AC troubles? This is because your AC technician not only cleans out your AC and changes the filters, they will also notice any parts that are failing. Just as your car or pick-up truck needs maintenance, so does your AC unit. At a minimum, you should be changing the filters every couple of months, especially if you have pets in your home. Cleaning and servicing your AC unit should be on your to-do list every year. We recommend our customers do this every spring as a thorough cleaning and servicing gets your air conditioner prepped for the long summer ahead when your AC unit will be working the hardest. Also, your AC sits unused during the winter months so come springtime in Arlington, TX it can use an AC tune-up from a qualified air conditioning service. Remember that preventative maintenance is always cheaper than a full-blown repair job!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s discuss the top 5 signs that you’re in need of air conditioning service for your home.

AC Unit Is Blowing Nothing but Warm Air

This is our number one warning sign that something is very wrong with your air conditioner and that you’re in dire need of air conditioning service for your home. There can be many reasons why your AC is blowing warm air. One possible cause of your AC blowing warm air would be the possibility that you’re low on refrigerant. This is often due to a leak in your system. In this situation, your AC will just continue to blow warm air until you get an air conditioning service to refill your refrigerant. You not only want your air conditioning service to refill your refrigerant but also find and seal any leaks so you’re not in the same situation all over again. If you hear hissing noises from air conditioner components you likely are dealing with a refrigerant leak. Now earlier we mentioned the importance of AC tune-ups and this next possible cause of your AC blowing warm air will further explain things. If your evaporator coils become dirty your AC unit can fail to cool off your home. This is because if the coils become caked up with dirt and debris it cannot properly blow cool air. Your evaporator coils extract heat from your home to begin the cooling process. If your evaporator coils have become frozen this could cause warm air to flow throughout your home. Frozen coils prevent the necessary heat transfer from occurring. Another reason you could be having your AC unit blow nothing but hot air is if your air filter has not been changed. This is because air cannot properly flow through your AC system when the filters are dirty.

Thermostat Is No Longer Working

You have to think of your AC unit’s thermostat as the command and control unit of your system. If this vital part malfunctions it is time to replace it. Some thermostats can be repaired but it is usually cheaper in the end to just buy a new one and have it professionally installed by your local Arlington, TX air conditioning service. Your thermostat’s main job is to tell the air conditioner when to cycle on and off, cooling your home and maintaining a set temperature. When this vital piece of your system starts to fail your home could possibly not be cooled properly. If your room temperature does not match what is on the thermostat you could be dealing with a thermostat issue. If your thermostat’s inner components become dirty this can cause the whole unit to fail. Our company checks thermostats when we perform an AC tune-up, which you should do every year. While most people these days have an electric or digital thermostat, some people still use mechanical thermostats. If you have a mechanical thermostat and it is not functioning a likely cause would be a frozen anticipator. Another problem we often find in homes we are called to is where the thermostat was set up in a bad place inside of the home, such as near a drafty window. This can cause the thermostat to not function as it should. If you have a faulty thermostat you could be seeing your AC unit run non-stop or even short cycling. Short cycling is when the unit starts the cooling process then suddenly shuts down before the entire cooling process has been completed. If you suspect a faulty thermostat in your home, call your local air conditioning service for repairs or replacement of the faulty thermostat.

Low Air Flow From Vents

If you are dealing with low airflow from your system you are dealing with a serious issue. While similar to having a warm air problem it differs in some key areas. This is actually one of the most common AC problems we see on service calls but you will need air conditioning service for your home if you are suffering from this problem. You may be experiencing hot and cold spots throughout your home if you are dealing with this issue. Another sign you are dealing with this problem is if you have a pressure imbalance, such as doors closing by themselves, and no you don’t have a ghost if this is happening to you. You may have also heard strange whistling noises throughout the home. Failure to act fast on this issue however could lead to expensive compressor failure and the need for expensive repairs from your local air conditioning service. If you address the problem right away, chances are you will mitigate the damage before it becomes systemic. There are many causes of poor AC airflow. One of the number one causes is an obstructed or blocked condenser unit, especially if debris has become sucked in or lodged inside of the unit. This is part of why an annual AC tune-up is so important, as these blockages are always cleared during a tune-up. If you have not changed the various air filters in your system for some time, or if you have pets that shed a lot of hair, your filters may be blocked and clogged, resulting in poor airflow. If you have blocked or leaky ducts you can be experiencing this problem as well. Your local air conditioning service can better advise you on the root cause of your home’s poor airflow. Another cause we often run into for poor airflow is when the blower fan is breaking down. Your blower fan is responsible for pushing air throughout your home and if it is breaking down or malfunctioning your home’s airflow will suffer accordingly. If your AC unit’s condenser coils have become dirty this can result in poor airflow throughout your home. These coils are cleaned yearly during an annual tune-up of your system, so if you haven’t had a tune-up in some years, it may be time to call your air conditioning service to book an appointment for your yearly tune-up.

Strange Noises From Inside The AC Unit

All air conditioners will make some noise. It’s when you start to hear abnormal or loud noises emanating from inside of the unit that you have never heard before that you need to worry and look for an air conditioning service. When summertime hits in Arlington, TX, the last thing you want is for your AC to break down. Strange loud noises coming from your AC unit nearly always indicate a problem that needs attention. If you wait to deal with the noises you could face an AC breakdown, which I am sure you do not want. Not only are loud strange noises coming from the AC unit not relaxing, it spells the need for repairs or dire attention to your AC unit. One example would be if you’re hearing a high-pitched squealing noise coming from inside of the unit, which might indicate a belt has slipped or one of the bearings on your fan motor has become faulty. Newer AC units tend not to use a belt system, so if your unit is newer and you are hearing this noise it may be a faulty ball bearing. If you are hearing a buzzing sound this is an issue of concern and one needing immediate air conditioning service as it tends to mean your AC unit is malfunctioning. Buzzing sounds could be a faulty compressor, busted isolation feet, or loose parts, none of this is any good for your AC system. If you are hearing a loud banging or clanking sound you are likely dealing with a loose or broken part inside of your AC system and will need air conditioning service to correct the problem. Banging or clanging noises can indicate a problem with many parts including connecting rods, piston pins or your crankshaft. It can also mean your indoor blower has become unbalanced. Your compressor may even have become loose, and if this is ignored too long it could mean you need to replace the entire compressor so your best bet when hearing any strange noises coming from your AC unit is to call for air conditioning service for your home.

Strange Odors When AC Is Operating

Your AC should never make your home smell bad when it is cycling on. If when cooling your home you notice a foul smell coming from your vents you likely have an AC problem that needs attention from an air conditioning service. If the smell is a musty odor this indicates that there is either a bacterial or mold growth build-up inside of your air conditioner. This not only smells bad, but it is also a health hazard that needs to be addressed for you and your family’s safety. This build-up of mold can be either in the drain, the evaporator coil, the drip pan, or the drain line of your unit. If your evaporator coil has frozen over you can also have this smell flow through your home. You could also have a blockage in your condensate line. Lastly, if your AC unit is not the right size for your home you could have this issue. Only your local air conditioning service can help you identify and repair any issues that led to the smell inside of your home.

If you have any of these troubling air conditioning warning signs please do not delay in calling Minuteman Heating & Air. We have the experience needed to identify any issue affecting your AC unit and make quick, efficient repairs to your unit. Call us and see why we are Arlington, TX’s most trusted AC repair company. We take pride in our work and treat each customer just like we would our own family. You do not want to wait if you are experiencing these AC problems as the problem can get worse over time and end up costing you more money in the long run.