Air conditioning manufacturers have yet to invent an air conditioner with a complete artificial intelligence system that can analyze malfunctions and immediately report them to you with advice on action to take. (“I am leaking refrigerant and need a professional recharge.”) Although we may one day see this sort of technology, for the moment we will have to go with the best warning signs that an AC can give: unusual sounds. Below are 3 sounds you shouldn’t hear from your air conditioner. Call for repairs whenever you notice these sounds and don’t delay!
1. Hissing
No, your air conditioner isn’t showing disapproval of something you’ve done. What it is doing is signaling that high-pressure refrigerant is escaping somewhere inside it. This is a serious condition that will have major consequences for the system unless it is fixed. The refrigerant charge must remain at a fixed level for the AC to work correctly; when the charge drops because of a leak, the air conditioner’s cooling power will also drop. Worse, it can cause icing along with the coils or even severe damage to the compressor, which can cause the system to breakdown completely. Call on professionals to find and seal the leak, then recharge the refrigerant.
2. Clicking on start-up
If your AC has difficulty starting its cooling cycle and makes clicking noises as it comes on, then it is probably “hard-starting.” A number of malfunctions can cause this, but all of them need to have immediate professional attention before they do harm to the compressor or cause one of the motors to burn out.
3. Shrieking
This usually means that the bearings on one of the motors are wearing down. The bearings will need to be replaced—or very soon the whole motor will need replacement. Don’t open the AC cabinet yourself and attempt to find the issue. This work requires trained air conditioning technicians.
It is important that you never dismiss any of these warning signs. An AC that is neglected will usually be an AC that’s broken—or at the very least one that’s draining power unnecessarily.
For fast repairs for air conditioning in Pflugerville, TX, call on Intelligent Air Services any time of the day or night.