Summer is here, and if present indications are anything to go by, it’s going to be a doozy. Homeowners are told to get their HVAC systems checked up before winter and before spring. This is to ensure proper function, no leaks in the ducts, and reasonable power bills.

While homeowners might be able to hose off the fins on the outside unit and change the filters, there are aspects of HVAC that should be left to the pros. The wiring, for example, or the motors are sometimes beyond homeowners’ experience to repair, so a professional is needed. That goes for emergency HVAC problems as well.

If this summer is going to be a doozy, then homeowners need to be sure their air conditioning is up to snuff. Here are the things for which you need to look and listen.

Strange Noises

Some AC sounds are normal such as the movement of air through the ducts or a gentle hum. Others, however, are the signs of a problem:

  • When humming isn’t a good thing, it could be due to debris in the outside unit, loose parts, or circuit failure. Turn off the unit and call the pros.
  • When the sound is a rattle, it could be as simple as a twig in the outside unit. If the rattle is coming from the air handler or somewhere else in the system, turn off the unit and call in your HVAC professional. If you can’t see the cause of the rattle, then only a professional can get to it.
  • Whistles and screaming are signs of a refrigerant leak or internal pressure. These are dangerous, so call in your AC expert immediately.
  • It’s normal to hear clicking when you turn off your AC unit. When it isn’t normal is when you hear the clicking while the unit is running. This is the sign of a failing capacitor. This can ruin your whole unit, so call in the experts after turning off your unit.
  • A hissing sound means one of two things. One is that the ducts are leaking. The hiss you hear is the air trapped behind the walls. The second is that your air filter isn’t fitted well into the intake. The air is hissing around the filter because it isn’t going through it as it should. Get the right size filter, and make sure it fits snugly into the intake.

Odors

Homes today are built so tightly that there might be little to no ventilation. Moisture buildup in the AC unit, therefore, means mold and mildew or that “musty” smell. Burning smells could be a problem with the wiring. This impacts the indoor air quality as well as being bad for the system:

  • Electrical burning smells indicate a problem with the wiring or the motor. Don’t attempt to locate the problem yourself, as it could result in serious injury. Turn off the unit, and call in the HVAC experts immediately.
  • Smelling rotten eggs means a natural gas leak. While normally natural gas has no smell, the odor is often added to the commodity to warn homeowners of a problem. Get the windows open, turn off the unit, and get out of the house before you call the gas company or your HVAC company or both.
  • While mold and mildew don’t harm the AC unit, they do cause respiratory problems in the family. When you smell it, call your AC professional. He’ll clean the ducts and prevent the moisture from escaping into the vents to cause more mold and mildew.

Vibrations

When a machine has moving parts, vibration is a given. However, when the vibrations shake the windows or the walls, this could indicate something loose. Your AC service technician will check the ducts and their mountings, the fans and motors, as well as any clogs or fuel problems affecting the unit. This last item could be as dangerous as a fire hazard. Turn off the unit and call for emergency ac repair  ASAP.

High Electricity Bill

Since an HVAC unit is mechanical, it needs to be maintained in order to function at peak performance. Any emergency ac repair aside, regular maintenance, timely changing of air filters, and ensuring the size of the unit is compatible with the square footage of the house are vital to a reasonable energy bill.

Leaky ducts, lack of or not enough insulation, low refrigerant, and improperly installed thermostats are all reasons for a higher power bill. Call your AC professional if you notice higher than normal or spikes in your power bill.

Leakage

An air conditioning unit is a closed-loop system. However, they can develop leaks through age and either faulty or no maintenance. If you notice puddles around the AC unit, then
(a) your family’s health could be at stake, and

(b) the unit needs serious work done on it. Not only can water damage show up on walls and floors, but mold and mildew can form. 

Call in your HVAC professional pronto & ask for emergency ac repair services.

Hot Air

When your AC unit isn’t blowing cool air or is blowing hot air, the refrigerant could be low, or your unit is on its last legs and requires replacement. Call in your AC professional for maintenance service or repair. If he tells you the unit is so far gone that any work on it now would be a waste of money, then it’s time for a new unit.

Random Flow

The HVAC unit is going full blast, but one room is hot as an oven and another is more like a deep freeze. A breath of cool air might puff into another room, while a different room is only just cool-ish.

Blocked vents and changing filters homeowners can do themselves, as well as clearing obstructions around the condenser unit either outdoors or in a mechanical room or basement. It will take a professional to fix dirty coils or faulty or improperly installed thermostats,

Moisture

We’ve discussed how moisture can impact your home and health, but we haven’t touched on humidity. Humidity is a problem in all seasons but winter. It impacts our health and comfort. It can also cause problems with your AC and ducts.

The moisture passing across the coil drips into a condensate pan. This is pumped from the pan down the waste system in the plumbing. However, blockages can occur due to bacteria or the line could become unconnected. That results in standing water in the condensate pan.

Aside from mold, mildew, and water damages to the home, this standing water leads to humidity in your home. If you notice standing water, call your HVAC professional immediately to seek emergency ac repair services. Homeowners shouldn’t try to fix the problem themselves. Only a professional is knowledgeable and licensed to fix these problems, and they’ll do it right the first time.

To Summarize

units usually last about ten to fifteen years. The latest technology sees them with a lifespan of longer than that. Most of the signs that your AC needs to be repaired occur when the unit has not ever or has had little maintenance, an emergency happens, or age happens. In any case, when these signs occur, it’s time to call in the pros.

The object of having a functioning HVAC system is to beat the New Jersey heat. We will help in repairs, conducting a multi-step maintenance program, and catch problems while they’re still small enough to fix without costing homeowners both arms and a leg.

That’s the real reason New Jersey homeowners call on us. We are highly educated, licensed, and will work with your schedule and budget to make sure your AC unit is working at peak performance with no problems. Call us today. We’re standing by and ready to help you with emergency ac repair services.

 

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