If your air conditioner stops working or starts making strange noises, it is obvious that it is in need of repair. However, there are many other, less obvious signs, that your air conditioner may not be working properly. Unfortunately, these signs may be missed by homeowners who do not know much about their air conditioning units. Missing these signs can lead to your air conditioner having a shorter life than expected or just stop working altogether. Here are a few of the less obvious signs that your air conditioner may need repair.

Your Air Conditioner Runs for a Prolonged Period of Time

One of the tell-tale signs that an air conditioner is in need of repair is running for an extended period of time. When your air conditioner keeps running, it is not cooling the air as efficiently as it should. This may be because of a broken fan blade, a belt that isn't turning gears, or low levels of refrigerant. If your unit runs and doesn't stop, you need to contact an air conditioning repair service to look at and fix your unit.

Your Home Is Not Cooling Evenly

Another sign that your air conditioner may be in need of repair is if it is not evenly cooling your home. When this occurs, one room in your home may feel cooler or warmer than another. Unfortunately, this is not always an air conditioning problem. It may also be indicative of a problem with the ductwork in your home. If the cooled air is leaking out through a hole or crack in the ductwork, your home may also cool inefficiently. Regardless, if one room or part of your home is obviously cooler or warmer than another, you need a professional to take a look at your entire cooling system to find the problem.

Ice is Building Up on Your Unit

The last sign that your air conditioning unit may be in need of repair is frost or ice building up on the unit. This may be present on the fans, on the grates or on the hoses leading into and out of the unit. Ice building up on the unit may be due to a refrigerant leak, a lack of air flow, or cooled air not moving through the unit like it should. If you notice frost or ice on your unit, you should turn it off and not use your unit until it has been repaired to prevent further damage.

If your notice any of the above signs, your air conditioner may be trying to tell you that something is not right. Contact an air conditioner repair company like Elite Heating, Cooling and Plumbing to help fix the problem before it turns into a bigger issue.