How to Know if Your AC is Working Properly

When it comes to our household appliances, we always want to make sure that they last with us for as long as possible, and in order to do that, it’s crucial to understand the basics of how they work. Having an air conditioner (or a few!) in your home is a must, especially if you live in a warmer climate. And just like any other appliance, things are bound to go wrong and you always want to keep the maintenance up to ensure that you’re doing the right thing. This is why we’re going to go through a couple of steps to help you better understand your AC and to make sure that it is working properly. 

Check the Air Filters

You must make it a point to regularly check your AC’s air filters. You might think that just because you’re in an indoor space and because you clean the house regularly, that the filters shouldn’t get dirty too quickly. However, depending on the kind of climate that you live in and also because there is always dust in the air, this isn’t true. If the air filters have too much dirt on them, then it will certainly affect the AC’s performance as well as hinder the rest of its functions. Generally, people have their filters changed every three months, and you must check and clean them once a month so that the build-up isn’t detrimental to both the air that you are breathing and also the AC itself.

Listen for Strange Sounds or Leaking

The longer you have an air conditioner, the more likely it is that you might hear little sounds here and there. Usually, this is nothing to be concerned about. However, you must understand when it’s time to take action. When you find that there are loud noises and water is leaking from the AC, it’s time to call the professional in. The Indiana based professionals of https://www.allegiancehvac.com/new-albany-air-conditioner-repair/ put great emphasis on the fact that you need to have your AC checked if you find that there are strange sounds, leaking, or odors coming from it. If you choose to ignore these signs, it may become a hazard and pose a danger to your home because of leaking fumes. 

Your Power Bills are Higher than Usual

Always pay close attention to your power bills, especially in seasons where you use the air conditioner more. You need to be able to assess how much energy your AC is taking up, and how to be able to tell the difference between whether it’s taking up the usual, or if there might be something wrong and it’s using up more energy than it should be. There’s a possibility that there may be something wrong with your AC’s functions if it’s not cooling as it should but is exerting more energy and building up the bills. This might mean that you need to get a part changed or have it replaced. 

Check the Outdoor AC Unit

It is very easy to forget about the outdoor unit, but it’s important that you check on it now and then to make sure that your AC is working properly. Just like the indoor unit can accumulate dust and dirt, it only makes sense that the outdoor unit will collect much more. Even though the outdoor unit is built to withstand this much more than the indoor one, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t need to be cleaned. Have it cleaned out at least once a year, and try to hose it down every couple of months so that the build-up isn’t excessive and doesn’t create bigger problems for the overall unit functions. 

Understand the AC Cycles

It’s important that you understand how your AC cycles work so that you can recognize when it’s not working properly as opposed to when it is. The normal cycles are set in a certain way and at specific intervals to keep the temperatures set at the coolness you picked. However, if the intervals between the time it turns on and off are much shorter than usual, then you know there’s something that isn’t right, and it’s time to get it checked.

You may initially be intimidated about the mechanics of your AC and not know where to start when it comes to maintaining its performance, but as you can see from the points mentioned here, it’s really not that complicated. There are certain things that you need to check on regularly, and also make sure that you have the professionals come in and have a look at it every once in a while as well. This way, you can guarantee your AC will live much longer and perform the way it should.