Avoid a broken air conditioner: 8 signs to watch out for
For a perfectly air-conditioned summer!
- Reduced cooling. Decreased cooling can have several causes and require a service call. It may, for example, indicate that a thorough cleaning is required, or that your air conditioner is running low on refrigerant.
- Suspicious noises. Clattering, a struggling engine or a strange purring sound – it’s best to listen out for any suspicious noises emanating from your machine. The ventilation ducts could be blocked by animals or residues, causing the appliance’s motor to work harder.
- Invasive spider webs. If your outdoor heat pump is covered in cobwebs, it’s time to perform some maintenance on your long-neglected unit. We recommend that you perform exterior maintenance on your appliances every fall.
- Smell. If your appliance has not been properly maintained, microbial activity can develop. It’s important to wash filters and drainpipes, and to carry out thorough maintenance on the unit. Basic annual maintenance is required, and it’s a good idea to have a thorough, rigorous service performed by expert refrigeration engineers every two or three years.
- Age of your device. The average lifespan of an air-conditioning unit is between 10 and 15 years, but this varies greatly depending on the maintenance you carry out, the use you make of it and the unit’s level of quality. Check the age of your device and the specifications issued by the manufacturers to get an idea of what to expect. If you have any doubts about the condition of your air conditioner, a service call can also shed a lot of light on its condition.
- Higher electricity bill. There can be many reasons for rising energy costs. An aging air conditioner in poor condition is one of them. An air conditioner running out of refrigerant gas will have difficulty cooling the space, will have to work harder and will therefore consume more energy.
- Lights flashing. Just as in the car, flashing warning lights can indicate improper operation. Ignoring them should not be an option.
- Fussy on/off function. As a general rule, this problem is often linked to low batteries in your remote control. However, sometimes the air conditioner struggles to start up or shut down, which may be a sign of a more serious problem.
Before summer arrives, don’t hesitate to have your appliance serviced and checked by experts. So you can enter the summer season with peace of mind and in comfort!
During the interview, Zéro-C-Climat’s experts can give you the lowdown on the condition of your appliances, advise you and help you evaluate the various options if you want to opt for a less energy-intensive, more environmentally-friendly solution.
Subsidies offered by the various levels of government can also open up an interesting avenue to ensure a perfectly air-conditioned summer, stress-free and within your budget in the event of sudden breakdowns or outdated units you wish to replace.