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Summer is an extremely stressful time for air conditioners. The more you rely on your AC to keep your home cool during the daylight hours, the more wear and tear it’s going to accumulate. That means you’re going to have a higher chance for your system to develop issues. While you may not be able to completely prevent your air conditioner from developing problems, you can keep the system in better condition by knowing when to call for repairs. One of the most common warning signs that your air conditioner is having issues is to listen for any strange noises coming from the system.

Short Cycling

We’re going to get the worst one out of the way first. Short cycling is when your air conditioner turns itself on and off every few minutes. This can be caused by a number of different issues, including a malfunctioning thermostat or compressor. Short cycling seriously cuts down on your air conditioner’s ability to cool the home, since it can’t complete a full cooling cycle. However, it also accelerates the amount of wear and tear the system suffers.

Prolonged short cycling causes the air conditioner’s various parts to wear down and break much faster, increasing the cost of repairs. This can also seriously shorten the overall lifespan of the air conditioner, if it isn’t addressed in a timely manner. Make sure that you shut your air conditioner off and call for repairs if you notice it doing this.

Hissing

Hissing noises often mean that you have air bubbles forming in your refrigerant line, which means that you have a leak. Refrigerant leaks are less of an emergency than short cycling, but they still shouldn’t be ignored. As the refrigerant level in the air conditioner drops, the system’s ability to cool the home will drop as well. Eventually, the refrigerant level in the system will drop so low that it will be unable to keep operating. If you hear this noise coming from the air conditioner, especially if it is accompanied by fluid dripping from the system, contact a professional.

Grinding

A grinding sound tends to indicate a problem with your air handler motor, which is responsible for circulating air throughout the house. The air handler motor contains oiled bearings, designed to decrease the strain on the system while it’s operating. The bearings work well, but they do wear down over time. As the bearings wear out, the friction on the air handler motor increases until it starts to make a loud grinding sound. If you hear this sound, you should call for repairs before the air handler motor burns out. It’s far cheaper to have bearings replaced than to have the entire air handler motor replaced, not to mention the added inconvenience of not being able to use your air conditioner until it’s fixed.

PRK Services, Inc. offers comprehensive air conditioner repair services in Lantana, TX. If you need to have your air conditioner repaired, we can help you out. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our expert technicians.