Your air conditioner can last a long time, but if you are not taking proper care of it and performing proper maintenance of the system, it will break down prematurely — long before its actual lifetime is over. If you have a problem with your air conditioner, you should consult a professional HVAC technician to repair the system to get it working properly. You need to pay attention to potential issues in order to prevent a complete breakdown of your system. Read on for a few signs to watch out for that may indicate a problem with your air conditioner.

Starting Or Stopping Rough

If you can hear your air conditioner starting up or turning off after the cycle and it sounds rough, it may be indicative of a problem. The rough starting and stopping may indicate an issue with the motor. It could be a sign that the start capacitor is going out on the motor. If you hear this sound, you need to check the unit to see if it's clean and free of debris. Lubricate the moving parts that need to be lubricated and monitor the unit through a cycle to see if you can find any other issues.

Cycling Too Often

If your system is cycling too often, it may be a sign that your system is too large for your home and the over-cycling means that it's getting to temperature too quickly. When it gets to temperature too quickly and then turns off, it will turn on again quickly when the temperature very quickly heats up in your home. Over-cycling will eventually wear out your system and you'll end up with a breakdown quickly.

Not Cooling

If your home doesn't feel cool, it's definitely a sign of a problem. If you notice that the fan is running, but it isn't cooling your home, it could be a sign that your system is running out of refrigerant and isn't going to be able to cool your home very soon. You need a professional HVAC technician to add refrigerant to your air conditioner and to replace the refrigerant lines, as you more than likely had a leak in your system.

If you have a potential issue with your system, don't ignore the signs — have your system repaired right away to prevent a much bigger issue with your system. For more information on air conditioning, contact a professional near you.