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5 Warning Signs Your AC Gives Before a Breakdown

If you listen to your air conditioner, you’ll pick up on red flags that indicate there’s an oncoming storm of problems that’s about to hit. Some are less subtle than others, but each leads to their own problems. Over time, you’ll get better at identifying these warning signs so you can call for repairs before a major breakdown.

When you get AC repair in Rancho Cordova, CA, tell these warning signs to your technician so they can pinpoint the largest problem first and work their way out from there.

1. It’s Taking Longer to Cool Your Home

Does it sound like your AC is running for longer? If so, it might be having a hard time cooling your home. This can happen when the outdoor heat hits a peak, or if it’s extra humid, but your AC should be able to hold up fairly well.

You’ll know if it’s related to the current temperature, because it’ll become efficient again once those conditions are over. If you aren’t sure whether or not it’s taking longer to cool your home, but something feels off, you should err on the side of caution and call anyway.

2. Really Bad Odors Coming From Vents

Your vents aren’t supposed to smell like that. Ever. You could be smelling burning wire casing (the plastic on the outside of the wire), or you may get a mold-like odor if your condensate line is backed up and mildew is growing in the tube.

You know what your air conditioner is supposed to smell like. Or rather, what it’s not supposed to smell like. This deserves a repair call as soon as you notice it.

3. Soaring Energy Bills

Your energy bills aren’t supposed to spike up all of a sudden. That indicates that there’s a problem somewhere in your air conditioner, and it’s time to call for repairs. While your energy bills can go up due to your AC’s natural wear and tear, that’s s slow linear progression; not a sudden violent spike.

4. Short Cycling

You’re never supposed to experience short cycling. That’s when your AC turns on, starts to cool your home, and shuts down before it hits the temperature goal on your thermostat. It runs a shorter-than-normal cycle, and this one is a big red flag. Call for repair immediately.

5. Weird Sounds

Your air conditioner is intended to be quiet. You can hear when air passes through the vents, sure, but we’re talking about metallic screeching noises, loud banging, or otherwise abrupt sounds that aren’t standard during operation. These could mean a volley of things, so it’s best to have a technician take a look for you.

Listen to the Signs

You never want to be blindsided when something like this happens. Keep these warning signs in the back of your mind, and maybe once a month, try to identify them so you can always be ready before disaster strikes.

Contact Sierra Pacific Home & Comfort, Inc. today to schedule your AC repair service as soon as possible. You can always trust The GUys in the Big Red Trucks.

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