July in Arkansas is not the time to find out your air conditioning system has been struggling. By the time temperatures are consistently in the 90s and your home is not cooling the way it should, you are already behind. The frustrating part is that most AC failures do not happen overnight. They develop over weeks or months, sending signals that are easy to dismiss or explain away until the system stops working entirely.
As a home inspector, I evaluate
HVAC systems in every home I inspect. I am not an HVAC technician and I do not
repair systems, but I do know what a healthy system looks like and what the
early warning signs of a failing one look like. I document both regularly.
Here are the symptoms Arkansas
homeowners most commonly ignore, what each one actually means, and when it is
time to pick up the phone before you are calling for emergency service on a
Saturday in August.
Short Cycling: The System Turns On and Off Too Frequently
A properly functioning air
conditioner runs in cycles, typically 15 to 20 minutes at a stretch, cooling
the space to the set temperature and then shutting off. Short cycling is when
the system kicks on, runs for just a few minutes, shuts off, and then repeats
the process. If your system seems to be running almost constantly in short
bursts rather than long steady cycles, that is short cycling.
Short cycling puts significant
strain on the compressor, which is the most expensive component in the system.
It also means the system never completes a full dehumidification cycle, which
in Arkansas humidity leaves your home feeling clammy even when the temperature
reads correctly.
The causes range from a
refrigerant leak to an oversized system to a failing compressor. An oversized
system is more common than people realize, particularly in homes that have been
renovated or had additions added without reassessing the HVAC load. Any of
these causes warrants a call to an HVAC technician, not a wait-and-see
approach.
Warm Spots or Uneven Cooling Throughout the Home
If one room or one side of your
home is noticeably warmer than the rest, resist the temptation to assume it is
just that room’s exposure to the sun. Uneven cooling is often a symptom of
something more systemic. The most common causes I see are duct leaks, blocked
or undersized supply vents, low refrigerant charge, or a blower motor that is
not moving enough air.
Duct leaks are particularly
common in older Arkansas homes. Flex duct that has been in an attic for 20 or
30 years degrades, develops holes, and in some cases completely separates at
connections. When that happens, conditioned air is dumped into the attic
instead of the living space. You pay to cool your attic while your bedroom
stays warm.
Inspector’s
note: During inspections, I regularly find duct connections in attics that have
come apart entirely. In some cases, the homeowner had been running the system
for years with a significant portion of the conditioned air going nowhere
useful. It is one of the easiest things to miss and one of the most costly to
leave unaddressed.
Ice on the Refrigerant Line or the Air Handler
Ice on an AC system looks like
it should not be a problem. The system is supposed to be cold, after all. But
ice forming on the refrigerant line set (the insulated copper lines running
from your outdoor unit to the air handler) or on the evaporator coil inside the
air handler is a clear sign something is wrong.
Ice typically forms for one of
two reasons: restricted airflow or low refrigerant. Restricted airflow is often
caused by a clogged air filter, a blocked return vent, or a failing blower
motor. Low refrigerant usually means there is a leak somewhere in the system.
In either case, the ice itself is not the problem; it is a symptom of the
underlying issue.
If you see ice on your system,
turn it off and let it thaw completely before running it again. Running a
frozen system can damage the compressor. Check your filter first. If the filter
is clean and ice returns after thawing, call an HVAC technician. Do not keep
cycling the system on and off trying to get it to work.
High Indoor Humidity Even When the AC Is Running
One of the most important jobs
your air conditioning system does in Arkansas is remove humidity from the air.
Cooling and dehumidification happen simultaneously during a normal cooling
cycle. When your home feels sticky and humid even though the thermostat reads
72 degrees, the system is not doing its full job.
Persistent high indoor humidity
is most commonly caused by an oversized system (one that cools too quickly and
shuts off before completing the dehumidification cycle), a refrigerant issue,
or a system that is simply too old and worn to dehumidify effectively. It can
also be caused by building envelope problems: air infiltration through gaps in
the crawl space, attic, or walls that bring humid outdoor air in faster than
the system can remove it.
A simple hygrometer, available
for under $20 at any hardware store, lets you measure your home’s relative
humidity. Indoor humidity should ideally stay between 40% and 60%. Readings
consistently above 65% in a cooled home indicate a problem worth investigating.
Unusual Sounds: What Each One Signals
A healthy AC system runs with a
steady, unremarkable hum. Any new or unusual sound is worth paying attention
to. Here is a quick reference:
•
Banging or clanking: Usually indicates a loose
or broken component inside the air handler or outdoor unit. Turn the system off
and call for service.
•
Squealing or screeching: Often a failing belt or
bearing in the blower motor. Not an emergency, but schedule service soon.
•
Clicking at startup or shutdown: Normal in small
amounts. Repeated clicking when the system tries to start can indicate a
failing relay or capacitor.
•
Hissing or bubbling: A hissing sound can
indicate a refrigerant leak. Bubbling suggests refrigerant is present in liquid
form where it should not be. Both warrant immediate attention.
•
Rattling from vents: Often just a loose vent
cover or debris in the duct. But persistent rattling from multiple vents can
indicate duct issues worth investigating.
The Real Cost of Waiting
HVAC service calls in July and
August in Arkansas are in high demand. Technicians are booked out, response
times are longer, and emergency calls cost more. A system that is showing
warning signs in June can often be addressed with a tune-up or a relatively
minor repair. That same system, if it fails completely in the peak of summer,
may require compressor replacement or full system replacement at a
significantly higher cost and on a much less convenient timeline.
The other cost is energy. A
struggling system works harder to achieve the same result, and that shows up
directly in your electric bill. If your July utility bill is significantly
higher than last year without an obvious explanation, your HVAC system efficiency
is worth looking at.
Most HVAC companies offer
spring and fall tune-up packages that include a refrigerant check, coil
cleaning, drain line flush, and system evaluation. If you did not get a tune-up
before the cooling season, it is not too late. Getting a technician out now,
before a problem becomes a failure, is almost always the right call.
Buying
or Selling a Home in Central Arkansas?
HVAC condition is one of the
most important systems I evaluate during a home inspection. Whether you are a
buyer who wants to know what you are inheriting or a seller who wants to get
ahead of any issues before listing, a thorough inspection gives you the
information you need. Finer Points Home Inspections serves Cabot, Austin,
Jacksonville, Sherwood, North Little Rock, Beebe, Ward, Searcy, and surrounding
Central Arkansas communities.
Call or text: (501) 438-9791
Email: finerpointsinspection@gmail.com
Website: finerpointshomeinspections.com
Finer Points
Home Inspections | Veteran-Owned | License #HI-2611 | ASHI Standards of
Practice