Unusual AC noises indicate there may be something amiss with your unit, each noise telling its own tale: clicking sounds suggest capacitor issues while buzzing noises suggest fan motor problems.
Tripped circuit breakers can lead to short-cycling and an increase in your electricity bill, so it is vital that they are addressed immediately by professionals.
If you’re looking for a top-notch HVAC company, you should consider contacting one of the professionals at River Valley.
1. Thermostat issues
Your thermostat is at the core of your AC system, commanding it to switch between heating and cooling modes based on your desired temperature. Unfortunately, numerous issues can impede its functionality; dirty filters, blocked vents or low refrigerant may all wreak havoc with its performance, leaving your home feeling too warm or too cool.
If your air conditioning keeps tripping the circuit breaker, this could be indicative of poor wiring or capacitor performance, needing professional diagnosis and repairs in order to avoid costly electrical failures.
Unusual sounds from your unit such as squealing or grinding could signal mechanical problems. Squealing sounds often indicate worn belts while grinding noises could signal compressor issues.
2. Compressor issues
Sounds from your AC unit may indicate an internal issue; whether they be rattling, grinding or buzzing noises – any unusual sounds could indicate damage to its compressor, clutch switch or air filter.
Refrigerant levels in an AC are another common problem. If it leaks out, your system cannot properly cool the air, leading to higher energy costs. If this seems like something your system might need help with, have it professionally checked for leaks before adding more refrigerant.
Short cycling refers to when your air conditioner turns on and off frequently. This could be caused by dirty filters or condenser units becoming blocked with debris, as well as having an incorrectly sized AC unit installed in your home.
3. Low refrigerant
Air conditioner compressor units use refrigerant (freon) to absorb the heat that builds up indoors and then release it through the evaporator coils to produce cold air conditioning. However, when an AC system runs low on refrigerant levels it may no longer meet your desired thermostat temperature setting.
Reduced refrigerant levels could indicate that there is an leakage problem within your AC system, necessitating professional servicing from an accredited maintenance company.
Some signs of a refrigerant leak include warm or lukewarm air coming out of your vents, higher energy bills than normal and ice buildup on any part of the outdoor air conditioning unit. Pulsating sounds may also occur when switching on or off due to changes in pressure in the refrigerant supply line.
4. Thermostat calibration issues
If your thermostat isn’t reaching the temperature you set it for, this could be because it hasn’t been calibrated correctly. Recalibrating is often enough enough to rectify such problems – annual recalibration or whenever your home experiences significant temperature shifts should fix this.
Another possible reason your thermostat may not be functioning is that its batteries or fuse are dead. If changing batteries and flipping the circuit breaker doesn’t help, calling in an HVAC professional to determine whether replacing or fixing is necessary, as well as making sure any loose wires don’t affect AC performance and lead to corrosion and other issues.
5. Loose electrical wires
Over time, the electrical wires that supply current to various components of an air conditioner may become loose due to wear-and-tear or rodent chewing away at its power cords. If this occurs, your AC may start running more often and using more electricity than expected – potentially leading to an unexpectedly higher electric bill and possibly leading to malfunction of your cooling unit.
If you detect an unusual burning smell, it is wise to turn off your air conditioning system immediately and inspect its wiring for frayed or loose wires that could potentially spark fires and pose significant health and safety threats. Frayed or loose wiring could create fire hazards which need to be immediately addressed immediately in order to remain safe.
Check for this issue by first turning off power to your receptacle or switch and then removing its cover, to see if any wires have become loose. If they are, tighten them using screw terminals.
