While the summer months can be beautiful, they can also be terribly uncomfortable. As temperatures soar, having a reliable air conditioning system is crucial to staying cool in your home. To ensure that your air conditioner (AC) is prepared for the summer heat, it’s a good idea to perform a tune-up on it. Here are some signs that you should have your AC serviced:

Your AC is old.

Age is a good indicator of whether your air conditioner needs maintenance. If you’ve had your AC for more than 10 years, it’s probably a good idea to get it checked out. This can help protect the unit from damage that can lead to early failure and repairs that could run into thousands of dollars. An HVAC professional will be able to tell whether or not your system needs tuning up by looking at how much dust is built up inside and determining if there are any leaks in the duct work (which indicates overheating). In addition, there may be other signs that indicate that your cooling system is working harder than it should be:

• You notice hot spots on certain areas of your home
• You hear strange noises coming from the unit while it’s running
• The temperature in one room varies significantly from another room

Your AC is noisy.

The first thing to look for is if your air conditioner is noisy. If it is, it could be due to a dirty blower wheel. A dirty blower wheel will cause the fan motor to work harder and make more noise than usual.

There are several ways you can clean your AC’s blower wheel:

• Cleaning by hand with soap and water;
• Using compressed air in a can; or
• Taking apart the unit and removing dust with a vacuum or other device designed for cleaning electronics

Your AC isn’t keeping you cool.

If you are experiencing a problem with your air conditioner and it’s not keeping you cool, it’s time to have it looked at by a professional technician.

If your AC isn’t keeping you cool, here are some things to consider:

• Is something blocking the vents? Are they in good working order? Are there any gaps or holes in them that could let warm air inside?
• Is there an issue with the compressor? The pressure switch or blower motor maybe malfunctioning.

You suspect your AC is leaking coolant.

If you suspect your AC unit is leaking coolant, you should be concerned. The coolant is a mixture of water and anti-corrosive chemicals that keep the system working properly. If too much of it leaks out, serious damage can occur to your unit and even cause mold and mildew as well as other health issues. In addition, leaking coolant can cause fires and damage our environment when not disposed of correctly.

To learn more about our heating and cooling services, please contact True North Heating & Air, your local HVAC contractors in Mora MN, today.