One of the most frustrating parts of being a homeowner is that… well… sometimes something in your home is going to need a repair. And repairs can be expensive! This is especially true when it comes to your air conditioner. Your HVAC systems already use up about half of all your home’s energy, so needing repairs is like adding salt to a wound right?
It actually doesn’t need to be as dramatic as all that, though. The fact of the matter is, if you know the signs of a small, wear-and-tear issue in your air conditioner, you can generally get it fixed by one of our technicians relatively quickly and affordably. Things get expensive when you ignore repair needs for to long.
One of the most common signs of a wear-and-tear issue that needs addressing is unusual noises coming from your air conditioner. In this case, “unusual” means anything that’s outside of the normal sounds you hear from it as it operates from day-to-day. Read on to learn more!
Screeching
This sound can be pretty alarming. Fortunately, you’d probably know right away that something is amiss, and give us a call. The good news is, this is actually a sign of nothing more than wear and tear, though of course it still needs to be addressed.
You see, your air conditioner has a set number of motor bearings that make it possible for your blower and fan motors to operate. Those motor bearings are lubricated, and over the years that lubrication can wear down.
When that happens, friction is created, thereby creating the screeching sound you hear. Like we said, you’ll want to have this repaired right away–neglecting it could lead to one of the motors burning out, which nobody wants!
Rattling
The good news here is that rattling might be as simple as a loose cabinet door that needs to be screwed back on tightly. But you should never just assume. Go ahead and investigate where you safely can (we do not advise that you ever try to repair anything internally on your own) and if you can’t see the cause of the rattle, then you probably need to give us a call, especially if it’s a rattle you’ve never heard before.
It could indicate a component that’s loose or becoming loose, which can have a sort of “domino effect” on the rest of the system, leading to an eventual breakdown.
Hissing or Bubbling
Depending on where in your system it’s located, a refrigerant leak can lead to the sound of hissing or bubbling. You see, refrigerant is not a fuel (this is a common misconception). Upon manufacturing, your air conditioner is supplied with enough refrigerant, in a closed-loop system, to last its entire lifespan. Your system can only lose refrigerant if there is a leak.
And a refrigerant leak means that you won’t get the chilled air you deserve coming through your vents. It also means your air conditioner’s compressor can get damaged. As the most expensive component of your air conditioner, this is bad news! You definitely want to give us a call if you notice a hissing or bubbling sound, in addition to any other strange symptoms coming from your HVAC unit.
For professional and reliable AC repair in Los Alamos, NM, contact Roadrunner Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing today.
