It’s always a good idea to have your air conditioner professionally inspected and maintained before the hot summer months arrive. Once you turn your AC on, you don’t want it to fail and leave you without cool air on a hot and humid day. Contacting Chapman Heating and Cooling now for AC maintenance in Louisville means we can get you scheduled for service before the start of the season.
When Does Your AC Need Maintenance?
Let’s focus on a preventative strategy first. Before you see any signs of changes in your AC system, it’s wise to have a professional inspection and an AC tune up completed once per year. Make it a part of your spring routine, and schedule in advance with our team in the months leading up to the high-use season.
This annual air conditioner tune up is one of the best ways to reduce unexpected costs and frustrating breakdowns in the middle of the season. It’s recommended by virtually every air conditioner manufacturer, required to maintain your warranty protection, and the best overall strategy for minimizing AC problems before summer.
If you haven’t done so yet, call Chapman Heating and Cooling to schedule AC maintenance in Louisville now. We’ll be there, get it done, and you’ll be all set for cooling season.
Signs Your AC Needs Service
Whether or not you have a tune up completed, it’s also wise to consider how well your air conditioner is working throughout the season and to make sure to give us a call as soon as you start to see any of the most common signs of failure, breakdowns, or reductions in efficiency. If you see any of these signs your AC needs service, do not wait to contact us for AC maintenance in Louisville.
Weak Airflow
Place your hand by the vent blowing out cool air when the AC is on and running. It should feel like a constant stream of pretty cool air. If you can’t feel it or you can barely feel it, that’s likely a warning sign that your AC filter needs replacement or there’s a bigger problem occurring. By doing this routinely, you’ll be able to notice problems as soon as they start to occur.
AC Not Cooling Properly
If your AC is running but your home still feels warm or unevenly cooled, it’s a clear sign something isn’t working as it should. You might notice certain rooms never quite reach the set temperature, or the system seems to run constantly without delivering relief. This could point to issues like low refrigerant, a dirty air filter, or worn components that are struggling to keep up. The good news is that these problems are often easy to address when caught early.
High Humidity
Sticky and uncomfortable air is never something you want to deal with during the summer months. In Kentucky, it can happen seemingly overnight. If you are sweating more frequently or you feel it’s harder to breathe, those are indications that the AC isn’t working properly. That’s because, as your AC works, it pulls in air from your home, strips out the moisture from the air, and then feeds it back into the home. As humidity increases, so does the risk of allergy and asthma sufferers experiencing more frequent symptoms.
Strange Noises
An air conditioner may communicate problems to you by the way it sounds. You may hear:
- Squealing that indicates a belt may be broken
- A loud, operational sound that seems to be more noticeable now than it was in the past
- Grinding sounds, which often indicate there’s metal-on-metal rubbing against each other, and that is a big concern
- Rattling sounds that seem like there’s something loose somewhere in the system
- Fan problems, including a fan that sounds louder than usual
As soon as you notice these signs, contact us for AC maintenance in Louisville. Our team will inspect what is happening and offer recommendations or repair solutions. When you see these AC problems before summer, especially when you first turn on your system, call us for service right away.
Rising Energy Bills
It’s true that energy costs are on the way up, but when you notice a sudden increase in them, especially one month to the next without correlating higher peak temperatures, that’s an indication that something isn’t right.
One of the most common causes is your filtration system. Your AC is not cooling properly and your energy costs are increasing typically because air cannot easily pass through the filters. They may be clogged with dirt and debris, and that makes it far more challenging for the system to operate. If you have otherwise unexpected increases in your electrical costs, especially when your neighbors are not experiencing the same thing, call us for repair.
Frequent Cycling
Take a few minutes to listen to your AC working. Most of the time, the thermostat should kick the system on, it should run for a short amount of time, usually a few minutes, until it reaches the desired temperature, and then kick off. However, as your system runs down, you may notice it frequently cycling.
This process involves the thermostat trying to kick-start the AC on, but it fails to actually come on or does so only for a few minutes before shutting down. This is taxing for the system, and it may be due to a faulty thermostat, clogged filters, electrical issues, or a need for maintenance and tuning.
Unusual Odors
Another of the signs your AC needs service is the way it smells. You really shouldn’t notice a scent change when you turn the system on. However, some odors may mean there’s a concern present. This includes:
- Mold and mildew growth are likely to cause a musky scent that’s subtle and worsens.
- Electrical burning scents are very strong and tend to be an emergency – call the fire department if you see smoke or a strong odor develops.
- Sweet smells could indicate a refrigerant leak, and that’s never a good thing.
It is essential to take care of these AC problems before summer starts, so that your system can handle the demands of the summer.
Schedule an Air Conditioner Tune Up Now
At Chapman Heating and Cooling, we encourage you to give us a call now to schedule AC maintenance in Louisville. It only takes a few minutes to do, and our team will get your system working at its most efficient level possible. Best of all, with these service appointments now, you don’t have to worry about the long wait that breakdowns typically cause in the middle of high heat. Contact us now for immediate help.