It’s easy to take your air conditioning system for granted. However, once summer rolls around, this thing will definitely be pulling its weight in keeping you and your family cool.

Or will it? Sometimes, the A/C unit is damaged, overworked, or just too old to do what you need it to do. And just like that, your pleasant summer turns upside down.

But you don’t have to live with it. It’s always possible to replace the A/C unit and get things back to normal. However, do you know when to replace ac unit?

Don’t worry, this is where the professionals come in. We’ve put together a solid guide to the signs that it’s time to replace your air conditioning unit. Read it quick; there’s still time to save your summer!

BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

Arguably, the most straightforward sign when to replace ac unit is when your bill skyrockets up all of a sudden. By now, you hopefully have a pretty good idea of how different seasons impact your bill. If the bill is much higher than the season would indicate, then this is a pretty big warning sign.

However, we here at One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte understand that the signs won’t always be this obvious. There are other, more subtle signs to be on the lookout for. And discovering these signs in time can be your key to saving a whole lot of time and money!

1. NOT ENOUGH COOL AIR

A good “catch all” sign to watch out for is if the unit is not blowing out enough cool air. There are several varieties of this: the unit may sometimes blow air that is completely warm, for instance, or it may simply be blowing air that is warmer than usual.

Depending on what is wrong with the air conditioner, the problem may not be consistent. This is why many homeowners ignore this sign: they think the problem has gone away or somehow fixed itself, but it’s likely just lying dormant.

Many things could be causing this problem, ranging from clogs in the piping to a mechanical failure of the unit. This is why it’s very important to contact a professional and have them inspect the unit: they may be able to fix something like a clog, but a mechanical failure is a big sign that it’s time to replace the system.

2. LOUD NOISES

The longer you live in your home, the more you get used to weird noises. Things like water in your pipes and the settling of your home can produce noises that are downright spooky, so many people do their best to ignore these sounds.

However, there’s one set of noises that you definitely should not ignore: weird noises from your air conditioner! There are different varieties of noise, including grinding noises, squealing noises, and scraping noises that come from the inside of the unit.

Despite the noises being very different, they most likely have the same possible cause. If you hear these noises, a belt may have slipped out of place inside your air conditioning unit. You can probably do the math on this: a loose belt creates other loose pieces, and these can cause some serious damage inside the unit itself.

If you hear these noises, contact a professional to inspect your unit. They can assess the possible damage and recommend whether you should have the unit repaired or just replaced outright.

3. THE UNIT IS REALLY OLD

Most of what we’ve discussed have been signs that you have to pay attention to with your various senses. These are things that you can hear, feel and even smell. However, there’s one important sign that transcends all these senses: age

If you’re reading this, your big question is usually “repair or replace?” It can seem tempting to simply repair an air conditioning unit instead of replacing it outright. But if the unit is really old, that stops being much of an option.

If your A/C unit is over ten years old and you’re experiencing problems, you’re almost always better off replacing the unit. This will give you an opportunity to buy a new, more energy-efficient unit that may just pay for itself in savings.

Don’t forget to contact a professional about picking the most efficient unit!

4. MOISTURE BUILDING UP

It’s not the end of the world when your A/C unit has some moisture on it. In fact, that’s totally normal. You’ll know when to replace AC unit when you notice a lot of moisture buildup around the unit.

That buildup of liquid may indicate a pretty major problem, such as a refrigerant leak. This is a problem that starts bad and only gets worse: you’ll go from having a unit that is simply not cooling the air well enough to having a unit filled with mold that threatens the health of you and your family.

By the time you have a leaking, mold-filled unit, then take it from us: you’re better off simply replacing the thing!

5. FOUL SMELL

Earlier, we discussed the different senses that you might use to detect a problem with your A/C unit. However, one of the biggest clues comes from the last sense you’d expect to use: your nose! Specifically, you need to be wary of any foul stench emanating from your A/C unit.

Typically, air from the A/C should smell clean. If it doesn’t, that’s a big warning sign for potential damage to the unit. As an example, air smelling burnt or otherwise smoky may be a sign that something is burnt-out or damaged inside the unit.

Don’t wait. Once you smell something funky, call a professional right away!

CONCLUSION

We’ve talked a lot about when to replace AC your unit, and you’ve probably noticed that most of our advice mentions contacting a professional. You might be wondering: why can’t I just handle this on my own?

The truth is that an air conditioning unit is more complex than most of the machinery around your house. If you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, it’s way too easy for an amateur to turn a simple issue into a major problem.

Don’t worry, though: the best in the business lives right down the road! At One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte, we have years of experience as both technicians and neighbors. If you want the service you need at the price you deserve, then you need to give us a call today!