If your air conditioning unit is not working well enough and you’re experiencing cooling problems, you would wonder if your HVAC unit is failing and if you should replace it. Well, the best thing to do is to have a technician from HVAC companies inspect your unit and suggest the right course of action. However, if you want to stay alert, here are some signs that your air conditioner needs to be replaced.
Signs Your HVAC Unit Is Dying
The Unit Is Old
The most obvious sign is the age of your HVAC unit. Any appliance will wear over time and at some point, it will be no longer effective. That’s what happens with air conditioning units as well. Although an HVAC system consists of many parts and minor ones are can be easily replaced, most of the vital parts malfunction within 10-15 years.
Components like the evaporator coils and condenser coils corrode allowing holes and cracks to form. This leads to refrigerant leakage. Moreover, compressors can malfunction after a decade as well. Similarly, furnaces have heat exchangers that can crack.
Many of the air conditioner and HVAC problems are reparable. However, some repairs or replacements are costly like replacing a compressor. So, you should consider the age of your HVAC unit. If it’s older than 10 years, it’s better to replace the unit.
Your Heating Or Cooling Bill Is Rising
It’s normal for your cooling bills to rise in the summer as you use your air conditioner constantly throughout the season. The same is true in the winter. However, if the increase is much more than usual, then it may be hinting at a problem and a possible HVAC unit replacement.
Over time, the components of your HVAC unit wear and they don’t perform as they should. This reduces the efficiency of your HVAC unit and that increases your heating or cooling bills.
However, a higher energy bill is not a direct sign of HVAC replacement. Some other air conditioner problems can also cause it like dirty air filters, low refrigerant levels, air duct leakage, clogged air ducts, incorrect thermostat settings or a bad thermostat, and other problems. So, you should also inspect the unit for these problems. If the issue is worn components, an HAVC replacement is in order.
Your HVAC Unit Is Running Constantly
HVAC units turn on when the temperature rises in the cooling mode. As the unit reaches the desired temperature, it turns off after a while. This is typical for HVAC units as it keeps your space cool efficiently. However, if your air conditioner runs constantly without shutting off or when it does, it’s after a long time, then you should not ignore this problem and find its cause.
A malfunctioning thermostat is a common reason for this issue. Inspect the thermostat, and its settings, and also look to calibrate it. Moreover, clogged air filters, dirty ductwork, dust buildup on the condenser and evaporator coils, or low AC refrigerant can also trigger this problem. Apart from that, if you have been experiencing your HVAC running constantly since its installation, the culprit is either poor installation or the wrong HVAC size.
After making sure that the issue is not due to the above problems, you can conclude that the long cycling of your HVAC system is due to worn components, which means you should consider replacing your air conditioning unit.
Poor Airflow
Air conditioning is all about proper airflow. Without it, the HVAC unit won’t be able to sustain the temperature inside the home that it needs to. No air coming out of the vents or weak airflow will directly impact the effectiveness of your AC and like other problems, it doesn’t have a single cause.
Many airflow problems are related to the air ducts, air filters, and vents. Closed or obstructed vents and clogged air filters, and an obstructed blower fan will lead to poor airflow. However, these issues are easy to fix. More complicated issues would be cracks or leaks in the ductwork, bad ductwork or AC installation, a broken fan motor, refrigerant leakages, etc.
An expert is required to check everything and fix it if it’s a minor problem. In case of a major problem causing this issue, an AC replacement would be a better option.
You Are Hearing Unusual Noises
Air conditioners make very little noise when turning on and off and when running. So, anything else you hear that’s not normal is an unusual noise and you should find its source and cause. For instance, take the banging noise. It usually means that any part of the HVAC system is loose or the compressor is malfunctioning.
A compressor is an essential HVAC component and one of the costly ones. It commonly fails when the air conditioner nears or reaches its end of life. So, instead of replacing the compressor, you should replace the HVAC unit.
There are many other types of unusual AC noises and they hint at a problem with a component of the AC. Some can be fixed without spending too much money while some others are a good reminder to replace your AC system.
High Humidity Levels Inside Your Home
When cooling your house in summer, your air conditioner also takes care of the humidity. The humidity levels are high in summer, so your AC removes excess moisture from the air out of the house. But if your indoor humidity levels are the same or near the levels that are outside even when the AC is running, then there is a problem.
In case you recently installed an HVAC system and you’re noticing high humidity levels from day one, then your HVAC system is bigger than what’s required for your home. Consult an expert who can check out your HVAC unit and ensure that the size problem is causing high humidity in your house. One sign of a bigger AC unit is short cycling. It’s when the AC turns on and off frequently because it reaches the desired temperature too quickly due to its larger size and higher cooling capabilities.
AC speed problems, negative air pressure in the house, and wrong thermostat settings could also be the culprit. Lastly, another reason for excess humidity indoors when the AC is running is an old AC that’s on the verge of failing.
You’re Spending A Lot On HVAC Repairs
It’s a good measure to maintain and repair your unit. However, if your air conditioner requires repairs often and you’re spending much money on its repairs every few months, it’s a sign that you should let your existing HVAC unit go and consider buying a modern unit that would be more efficient and effective in keeping your house cool or warm.
Conclusion
Air conditioners are expensive so you would want to keep them working for as long as possible, but running a failing HVAC system will only increase your heating or cooling costs. A replacement will ensure that your home heating or cooling is being done efficiently without frequent problems and breakdowns. Hire AC repair services Vienna VA for an HVAC inspection. This will help you decide whether you should replace your unit or simply repair it.
