Summer is a great time to go out and get some sun—and then go inside to cool off. But summer’s not so great when you realize that the house is barely cooler than it is outside, and you can’t get comfortable.
To solve the issue of having a warm home, you might decide to call for an AC repair from S&S Mechanical. A few weeks later, you might need another repair due to our extreme heat. A week after that, you feel the temperature in your home start to rise again. You can put off replacing your AC for a while, but the sweltering heat in Southern Utah makes it difficult to ignore how warm everything is and the lack of relief from it. Fans won’t help, because they just blow warm air, and the humidity never lowers.
S&S Mechanical has compiled a list of the top eight reasons we have had to replace an air conditioner in the Washington and Iron Counties.
- The air conditioner uses R-22 (also known as HCFC-22) – Most air conditioners made before 2010 use R-22, sometimes known as Freon, to make the air cold. However, that refrigerant is being made in smaller quantities and in 2020 R22 manufacturing ceased. The phase out of R22 has caused the price to increase higher and higher. You might consider replacing your air conditioning system, because adding R-22 will cost and continue to cost much more in the future.
- Your AC unit is old – The average lifespan of an air conditioning system is about 15 years, depending on the kind you have, and maintenance completed. If you are struggling to remember when you bought the AC unit or don’t know when the previous owners had it installed, it may be time to get an AC replacement.
- There is a whining, banging, or clanking sound – The AC unit should not be making any more noise than the blowing sound you hear from the fan. If you have tried repairing the air conditioner and it is still making noises, you will need to replace it. The noises begin to occur when belts, bearings, fans, motors, and compressors are worn out internally.
- A weird smell is coming from the AC unit – Some have complained that they smell rotten eggs, mold, mildew, or sulfur. None of these is a good sign, and a repair is not going to make that smell go away.
- You’ve called for a lot of repairs recently – We know you want the air conditioning unit to hang on as long as it can, but sometimes a unit is dead, and it just needs to be replaced. The frequent repairs will help for a week or two, but is it worth it to pay someone every couple of weeks to keep it working?
- There is water or oil underneath the air conditioner – Your air conditioner unit should not be creating puddles on the ground. If you notice there is water or oil around the unit, you are at risk of expensive repairs and potential replacement.
- The fan is running, but the air coming out is warm – It defeats the purpose of having an air conditioner if it consistently blows warm air into your home. Blowing warm air could be a sign of an issue with the outside components, coils, or refrigerant. Depending on the age of your air conditioner it would be wise to consider replacement.
- The house is cool, but your energy bills are high compared to the summer before – Unless a summer is exponentially hotter, for weeks and weeks than the summer before, your energy bill should not increase noticeably. There is a good chance that your thermostat is faulty or that the air conditioner is not running efficiently anymore. Your wallet will thank you in the long run for replacing your AC unit.
