Spooky Signs of a Broken Air Conditioner
This time of year, around Halloween, it’s easy to confuse creepy sounds and chills with something inexplicable. In reality, the source of these things could just be an air conditioner that is having trouble. After a long summer of keeping the home cool, air conditioners can start to fail in spooky ways.
Instead of sweating it out, some steps can be taken. Scheduling routine maintenance is a good start to help prevent issues with the system, but when certain signs start appearing, it’s time to call a professional for repairs. Here are some of the most common signs that an air conditioner is faulty.
Louds Sounds While Running
The first spooky sign indicating the air conditioner has started to go bad is the noise it produces. During Halloween, it’s common to hear screeching and wailing as normal sound effects of the season, but when those sounds come from the air conditioner, the fear is real.
Air conditioners are complicated machinery with plenty of components. When one of the components isn’t working properly, loud noises will often occur when the unit runs. Pay attention to these sounds and call for professional assistance when hearing:
- Screeching: This probably indicates a belt is loose.
- Grinding: Usually associated with mechanical problems like a dry bearing, failed bearing, or misalignment rubbing against another part in the system.
- Rattling: Something is loose. In the best-case scenario, it will just be a cover plate.
Faulty Thermostat
When people are scared, they often talk about chills running down their spine. When the thermostat is broken, that can be one effect. Another can be stifling heat. An air conditioner is only as good as its thermostat since it is the entire system's control center. If the thermostat is failing, then discomfort may be unavoidable.
Not only can faulty thermostats cause discomfort, but they can also contribute to high utility bills. When thermostats misread the indoor temperature, the system may run longer than it should and rack up massive charges. It may also cause the system to short cycle, which also causes higher energy usage. A good way for homeowners to check if the thermostat is accurately reading temperature is to hang a thermometer near their thermostat and compare readings. When it reads inaccurately, a thermostat repair or replacement is necessary.
Uneven Cooling in Different Rooms
Ghost hunting shows frequently talk about temperature changes in the room when investigating a haunting. But uneven cooling in rooms probably isn’t the sign of the paranormal that some people think. It’s a sign that AC maintenance or repair is needed.
When air filters are clogged, or something with the air conditioning is faulty, like a leaking air duct, airflow is hindered. This leads to a lack of circulation of cooled air around the home. The resulting hot and cold spots can notify homeowners that something is off. If uneven cooling persists after filters are changed, call a professional HVAC technician for further investigation, not a ghost hunter.
About LenAire, Inc.
LenAire, Inc. is a locally owned and operated business serving Bossier City, LA residents, and the surrounding areas for over 30 years. They offer free second opinions, cutting-edge technology, and easy financing. Call them today for air conditioning repair in Bossier City, LA.
