On the year’s hottest day and your air conditioner is putting out warm air? You are hearing odd sounds from the outdoor unit? Your home will not get cool no matter what and the energy bill is on the rise?
You would be hard pressed to find a homeowner in Upstate South Carolina who has not been in that position. We at Dipple Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical have put our clients at ease here since 1979. Put us on the phone at (864) 319-3682 and we can discuss your system with you.
The kind of heat and humidity one gets in the Upstate over the course of a summer means your AC is working overtime for months. A unit under that duress will make a big issue of a small one in short order. Being aware of the signs is the way to stave off a breakdown in the middle of a heat wave.
Why the Summer Months Are Tough on an AC
By design an air conditioner is to expel the heat from your house. Yet when it is in the 90s for days on end the system must run harder and longer to compensate. Toss in some of the Upstate humidity and you have all the makings of wear and tear.
But there are telltale warning signs to most of the trouble an AC will have in the summer. The earlier you put them to rights, the more likely you are to have an inexpensive fix.
What We See Most Often
Once the mercury goes up, certain problems present themselves time and again. In our experience these are the ones you will come across:
- Refrigerant leaks that rob the system of its ability to cool
- Evaporator coils that have frozen up due to poor airflow or low refrigerant
- A blower put under strain by a clogged or soiled filter
- Compressor or fan motor that will not start because of a bad capacitor
- Condensate line clogging and backing up
- Breakers being tripped by faulty contactors or electrical connections
- Short cycling or a system that will not shut down as a result of a temperamental thermostat
Basic maintenance will head some of these off; for the rest you want a technician to make sure they are done right.
Vents Blowing Warm
Homeowners find this particularly exasperating. The thermostat is set down but the air is still warm to the touch. It is a sign of a struggling compressor, a coil in need of cleaning or something amiss with the refrigerant.
You cannot just top off refrigerant as you would oil in your car. A low level is indicative of a leak that calls for a licensed pro to locate and seal.
Water at the Indoor Unit
Should you see water on the floor near the indoor unit, the condensate drain line has probably clogged. The moisture your AC pulls from the air has to be drained and if the line is obstructed it will back up and do damage to your equipment, walls or floors. In a climate as humid as ours a clogged drain is par for the course. Deal with it before the mess becomes a costly repair.
Unusual Noises and Odors
An air conditioner ought to be quiet. Squealing, grinding or banging is an indication of a mechanical failure. A buzz may be electrical. Musty smells are a sure bet for mold or mildew in the system.
It is a mistake to put off dealing with any of it. Too often we have homeowners let it go until the unit gives out altogether, and that is invariably more expensive than an early intervention.
Preventing a Breakdown
There is no better way to forestall trouble than to have regular maintenance done ahead of the heat. Be sure to replace filters every month or two and clear the debris and leaves from around the outside of the unit. Have a technician give the system a tune up to look over the moving parts, the electrical and the refrigerant. It is a small amount of upkeep that will see you through the worst of it.
Let the Professionals Handle It
Do not wait to see if your AC mends itself and suffer through a South Carolina summer. We have been of service to the Upstate for some time now, since 1979 in fact. Dipple Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical is fully insured and licensed. Our work is backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee and we are on hand 24/7. With an A+ from the BBB and 4.9 stars in over 3,000 Google reviews, those in the neighbourhood know we do things properly.
(864) 319-3682. Call and we will have your home comfortable and cool for the duration of the summer.
