As you get ready for the summer weather that’s on its way, you’ll want to make sure your residential air conditioning system is prepared to handle the heat. The best way to do this is to arrange for a system tune-up and inspection with our qualified professionals. We offer superb service for air conditioning and heating in Highland Park, IL, and that includes routine maintenance for both. Our MAX Comfort Plan will help your air conditioner avoid the majority of possible repair problems and prevent breakdowns by 95%.
However, maintenance can’t stop all problems. As your air conditioner starts to operate for the season, there are a few tricks you can use to catch an early developing malfunction. That way you can have it fixed before the serious heat arrives.
Do a “test” run for the AC if it hasn’t turned on yet
If you haven’t run your air conditioning system so far this year, we recommend you turn it on for about an hour to give it a short check. Make sure the blower motor comes on and the compressor starts up. Change the thermostat up and down to ensure that the system is registering the correct indoor temperatures. Go to each room vent and make sure air is coming from the registers. Check on the outdoor cabinet and listen for any strange noises.
Listen for odd sounds
Strange sounds in general from an air conditioner are bad signs. There are many different noises that indicate problems. One of the most common is grinding and shrieking, which often points toward a motor that’s wearing down or burning out. Clicking sounds might be failing capacitors, while a hissing sound is probably a refrigerant leaking. A loose or bent fan can create clanging and banging sounds. Whatever noise is disrupting standard operation, shut down the AC and have a professional check on it.
See if all the rooms are receiving even cooling
If you notice that some rooms are hotter than others when this wasn’t the case before, there might be trouble in the air conditioner, the zone control system (if the house has one), the thermostat, or the ductwork. It’s hard to figure out just what the problem is on your own, so have an HVAC technician take a look at it.
Watch for short-cycling
Short-cycling is a common trouble air conditioners run into. It means the AC’s compressor isn’t completing a full cooling cycle but shutting down early and then re-starting. You can tell a system is short-cycling if it turns on and off multiple times over an hour, usually every fifteen minutes or so. There are many reasons for this to happen: leaking refrigerant, leaky air ducts, problems with the compressor, or a miscalibrated thermostat. No matter the problem, it needs to be fixed soon because short-cycling puts immense pressure on the compressor and other AC components.
It’s always best to have air conditioning repairs done sooner rather than later. The repair will be less expensive and won’t put a strain on the rest of the system that might shorten its service life or trigger other repairs. Leave the job to HVAC professionals and the AC will be repaired fast and right.
ServiceMax offers air conditioning service throughout Chicagoland. We’re open 24/7—All Day, Every Day!