Top Warning Signs: How to Tell If Your Air Conditioner Is Broken

In New Jersey, we all know that winters can be harsh, but summer are sometimes worse. With temperatures that often reach over 90-degrees, they are hot and they are humid. If you want to keep comfortable in these extreme temperatures, it’s so important to maintain your HVAC unit. Regular maintenance helps to prevent unexpected breakdowns and replacements. But things happen and you might be wondering how to tell if your air conditioner is broken?

Here’s the best thing to consider: don’t wait for the hot summer day to roll around when it’s 90-degrees out and you’re sweating up a storm inside because your cooling system has malfunctioned. Test it now and look for these warning signs:

Sign #1: It’s Blowing Warm Air and Temperatures Keep Rising

The most obvious sign that your air conditioning is broken is that you’re starting to feel uncomfortable in your home as the vents start pumping out warm air. That’s a big, hot problem. First thing’s first, check your thermostat; there’s a chance the switch was flipped (hey, we have kids, too…we know these things can happen). If that’s not the case, your cooling system may need fixing or even replacing due to a faulty condenser, low refrigerant charge, bad compressor or any other number of problems.

Sign #2: The Air Conditioning Won’t Turn On

If you turn down the thermostat, but the temperature remains the same or even climbs, then you could potentially have a problem with your cooling system. It could mean power isn’t reaching the AC unit or the signal is getting lost from the thermostat to the unit. If you’ve ensured the thermostat is set to cool, you’ve replaced the battery, and checked the circuit breaker but the AC unit still won’t work, give us a call to come and take a look.

Sign #3: Utility Bills Have Risen a Substantial Amount

A spike in your utility bills doesn’t always mean the appliance is operating inefficiently, as energy prices like electric and oil go up based on the market. However, if you’re seeing an abnormally high spike in cost, it’s worth looking into. Has the electric company simply risen their prices? Or are you using more energy than normal to remain comfortable? If you’ve checked with your energy company and the cost is not proportionate to what you’d normally pay, then you most likely need work done on the air conditioner.

Strange Noises and Other Malfunctions

AC units typically make the same whirling noise when they’re running. However, if you hear knocking, hissing or other strange sounds coming from your central cooling system or AC unit, this is another indication that something is wrong. Furthermore, if you see water dripping from the unit or condensation surrounding it, there could also be a problem that needs fixing.

PFO Has Highly Trained Experts That Will Fix Your Cooling Systems

Don’t wait until you have a high utility bill or are uncomfortable in your own home to call the experts at PFO. Our highly trained technicians offer full service capabilities like air conditioning maintenance and tune-ups, and we’ll catch a problem before it even begins. If your AC unit is malfunctioning or you want to prepare for summer by getting a tune-up, give Princeton Fuel a call at 1-800-253-9001 today.