Once your air conditioning system has seen better days, certain issues will start to show up. Some of these problems may occur only once while others may be recurring. It's important to keep an eye out for these issues so you can know if it's time to seek repairs.

In certain cases, repairing of the AC may not be enough to get the best results out of it. Replacement is usually the best solution in such situations.

Low Levels of Refrigerant

The refrigerant is a chemical used to cool the air that passes through your AC system. When refrigerant levels get low, the most likely scenario is that you have a leak somewhere within the AC system. There is only one way to handle refrigerant leaks, and that is to ask for professional air conditioning services.

You'll need someone who is properly trained to check for the leak, fix it, confirm that the repairs worked, and add the right amount of refrigerant to the system. It's important to have just the right amount of refrigerant for the system to perform efficiently.

Broken Fan

The fan that is located on the outside of your AC system is very important. This fan helps to carry heat from your AC to the outside. If the fan has stopped working or is not working as well as it should, there won't be proper transfer of heat from your AC system. This can make the compressor overheat. At best this means the safety overload will be tripped. However, the heat may also cause internal damage to the compressor.

AC Not Providing Adequate Cooling

There are several reasons why an old AC system may not be cooling your house properly. This could be caused by a malfunctioning thermostat. Try lowering the thermostat to see if this will fix the problem. The thermostat sensor may also have been knocked out of position, and this can cause the AC system to cycle erratically.

It's also possible that the mechanical components have undergone excessive wear and need replacements. These components may not be moving as fast as they should, or they might be overheating. Replacing some of these components may help.

If it's taking your AC longer to cool your house and you feel its age is a major factor, you should consider replacing it all together. It may be costing you a lot more in repairs and energy bills. Contact a company like Doctor Fix-It for more information.