As the air conditioner in your home gets older, it's more prone to need repairs. If you have an air conditioning professional check and maintain your AC at least once a year, worn out parts can be replaced before they break down. Whether you have annual service or not, you'll want to stay alert to problems with your AC that could signal the need to call a repair professional. Timely repairs could prevent costly damage. Here are things to watch for.

1. Your Power Bill Is Suddenly Much Higher

If your power bill is a lot higher than normal, and you can't figure out why, your air conditioner might be to blame. A high electricity bill is often the first sign your air conditioner is no longer running efficiently. If your AC has to run longer to keep your home comfortable, then your power bill will increase. Your AC might run longer if it's dirty inside and dust insulates the coils. A low level of refrigerant could also be to blame. Both of these situations need quick repairs or your AC may stop cooling your home.

2. There's Water Leaking On The Floor

It's normal for your AC to produce water, but it's not normal for the water to spill on the floor. As the AC cools the air in your home, condensation forms on the unit. Normally, the condensation collects in a pan and drains out of your house through a hose. If the hose gets clogged, then the condensation can't drain. Water then spills on the floor or backs up in the AC. This can damage your air handler and cause water damage to your floor. An air conditioning repair service can clear out the line and get your AC draining properly again.

Another time water can leak on the floor is when the AC becomes coated in ice and the ice melts. However, when this happens, your AC can't cool the air and you'll have noticed something is wrong. You'll need to turn off your AC and let the ice melt so repairs can be done which might involve cleaning the coils or patching a hole and filling the refrigerant.

3. Your House Is Too Warm With The AC Running

If your air conditioner is kicking on and off and blowing air but your home feels too warm or too humid, that's a sign your AC can't cool as well as it's supposed to. This leads to your AC running longer than it should and that causes excess wear and tear on the unit. A possible cause is that it is so hot and humid outdoors that your AC is struggling to keep up. However, if the outdoor conditions are what you normally experience and your AC has kept you cool in the past, then call a repair service to find out what's wrong. There could be a problem with the thermostat or the AC could be dirty. The problem might even be a clogged filter, so you'll want to check the filter and change it if needed before you call the repair service.

For more information, contact a residential air conditioning service today.