Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians helps homeowners identify the early waning signs of air conditioning failure

The leading Tacoma home services experts urge regular maintenance to avoid mid-summer breakdowns

TACOMA, Wash., July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With a hotter-than-usual summer in the Pacific Northwest in full swing, the cooling experts at Harts Plumbers, Electricians and HVAC Technicians, a top-rated Western Washington home services provider founded in 2013, say that homeowners should learn to recognize inefficiencies that signal when an air conditioning unit will fail.

"There is a reason that your air conditioning unit always dies on the hottest day of the year, and that is because it has to work twice as hard to keep your home cool," said Richard Hart, co-owner of Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians. "If your unit has anything wrong with it, the chances that it can fail are greater when worn components have an increased workload aggravated by high temperatures."

Hart said homeowners should look for the following indicators that their AC unit may be underperforming or runs the risk of failing during the next heat wave.

1. Weak or warm airflow. If the air coming from the vents is weak or warm, this could be caused by clogged air filters or other dirty components. Hart said homeowners should regularly change their air filters.
2. Higher utility bills. While bills will rise during periods of extreme heat or cold, if homeowners are experiencing higher energy bills without an increase in usage over the same time last year, the AC unit may be underperforming. While dirty air filters could again be the culprit, this could also be a result of clogged coils or an aging system.
3. Unusual noises. AC units should make whirring noises, but if homeowners hear noises that sound like grinding, banging or squealing, chances are the system is operating with worn components that could fail on particularly hot days.

Hart said that ideally homeowners should have an air conditioning inspection in the spring so that the unit can be repaired or tweaked before the truly hot weather arrives.

"But there's really no bad time to have an AC unit inspection," he said. "If you suspect your air conditioning system is underperforming, call in a professional right away. They can perform a routine inspection to find and repair any potential issues. Don't get caught in 100-degree weather with an AC unit that can't handle the heat."

Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians provides residential plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling services throughout the greater Seattle, Tacoma, Tukwila, Olympia and now Silverdale areas. To learn more about the home services company and the services it offers, call them at (253) 470-8766 or visit www.hartsservices.com.

To learn more about how to identify a failing AC unit and the importance of summer maintenance, please read Hart's blog post at https://hartsservices.com/blog/summer-hvac-inspection-washington/.

About Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians

Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians was founded in Tacoma in 2013 by co-owners Richard Hart and Dan Hartsough. Home of the Forever Warranty, Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians offers residential plumbing, HVAC and electrical solutions and has a 4.9/5 rating on Google. Guided by its motto, We Care More, the company is committed to incorporating a caring attitude into every aspect of the business. Harts Plumbers, Electricians & HVAC Technicians earned the Silver Award for Electrical Service in the 2023 Best of the PNW and was named to the Inc. 5000 in 2024. For more information, call (253) 470-8766 or visit www.hartsservices.com.

SOURCE Harts Plumbers, Electricians and HVAC Technicians