Is Your AC Ready for West Michigan Summer?

Every year it's the same story. May rolls around, West Michigan gets its first stretch of 80-degree days, and our phone starts ringing with homeowners who just discovered their AC isn't working. Some of these are real breakdowns. But a lot of them are problems that were already there in October — they just didn't show up until someone flipped the thermostat to cooling and nothing happened.

You don't want to find out your AC is dead on the first 90-degree day in June, when every HVAC tech from Hudsonville to Kentwood is booked solid. The time to catch problems is right now, in spring, while the weather is still mild and scheduling is easy.

Here are seven warning signs your air conditioner might not be ready for summer — and some quick tests you can run yourself before picking up the phone.

1. Weak or Uneven Airflow

Turn your AC on and walk around your house. Put your hand over the supply registers in each room. You should feel steady, cool air coming out. If some rooms have strong flow and others have barely a whisper, something is restricting airflow.

The most common cause is a dirty filter — check that first. If the filter is clean and you're still getting weak airflow, you could be dealing with a failing blower motor, blocked or disconnected ductwork, or a frozen evaporator coil. Any of those need a tech to diagnose.

Uneven airflow between rooms is also worth paying attention to. It might mean your ductwork has issues, or dampers are closed that shouldn't be. Either way, poor airflow makes your system work harder and your house less comfortable when it's 88 degrees and humid in July.

2. Strange Noises

Your AC should hum quietly when it runs. That's about it. New sounds — especially ones that weren't there last fall — are almost always telling you something.

Grinding or screeching from the outdoor unit usually means a fan motor bearing is going bad. Banging or clanking could be a loose or broken part inside the compressor. Buzzing often points to an electrical issue, like a contactor that's pitted or a capacitor that's failing. Clicking when the system tries to start but doesn't could mean the compressor is struggling — that's a call-us-now situation.

Don't ignore a new noise and hope it goes away. It won't. Small mechanical problems always get worse, and catching a worn bearing early is a lot cheaper than replacing a burned-out motor in July.

3. Short Cycling

Short cycling means the system turns on, runs for just a few minutes, shuts off, and then restarts shortly after. It keeps doing this loop without ever running long enough to actually cool the house.

This can be caused by a dirty filter, low refrigerant, an oversized system, a failing compressor, or a bad thermostat. It's hard on the equipment because the startup is the highest-stress moment for your compressor — you don't want it starting and stopping dozens of extra times per day.

If you notice your system cycling on and off every five to ten minutes, that's a sign something needs attention before summer hits in full.

4. Warm Air From the Vents

This is the obvious one. You set the thermostat to 72, the system runs, and what comes out of the vents is room temperature or barely cool. A few things to check yourself:

• Is the thermostat set to COOL (not HEAT or FAN)? You'd be surprised how often this is the answer.
• Is the outdoor unit actually running? Go outside and look. If the fan isn't spinning, check your breaker panel for a tripped breaker.
• Is the outdoor unit buried in leaves or debris? After a West Michigan winter, the condenser can be packed with leaves, dirt, cottonwood seeds, and whatever else blew against it. Clear at least two feet of space on all sides.

If the thermostat is set correctly, the outdoor unit is running, and you're still getting warm air, you likely have a refrigerant issue, a compressor problem, or a failed component. Time to call for AC repair.

5. High Humidity Inside

Your air conditioner doesn't just cool the air. It also removes moisture. If your house feels cool enough but still sticky and clammy, your AC isn't dehumidifying properly.

This often happens when a system is oversized — it cools the air temperature down quickly and shuts off before it's run long enough to pull the humidity out. It can also mean low refrigerant or a dirty evaporator coil.

In West Michigan, where summer dewpoints regularly climb into the mid-60s and higher, humidity control matters. A system that can't keep indoor humidity below about 55% is going to make your home uncomfortable no matter what the thermostat reads.

6. Strange Smells

Turn the system on and pay attention to what you smell at the vents.

Musty or moldy smells mean moisture and microbial growth somewhere in the system — usually on the evaporator coil or in the ductwork. A brief musty whiff on the first startup of the season can be normal, but if it lingers more than a day, you've got a problem worth addressing.

Burning or electrical smells mean something is overheating. Shut the system off and call us. Don't run it and hope the smell goes away.

Rotten egg or sulfur isn't your AC — that's a gas leak. Leave the house and call your gas company immediately.

7. The Age Factor

If your air conditioner is 12 to 15 years old, it's in the zone where problems start stacking up. A system that worked fine last summer might not make it through this one. Components wear out, refrigerant leaks develop slowly, and efficiency drops year over year.

This doesn't mean you need to panic and replace it today. But if your system is in that age range and you're seeing any of the other signs on this list, it's worth having an honest conversation about whether repair or replacement makes more financial sense. We'd rather have that talk in May than during a breakdown in August.

Quick Tests You Can Run This Weekend

Here's a 15-minute checkup any homeowner can do:

1. Swap in a fresh filter. Whatever's in there now has been sitting since fall. Start the season clean.
2. Clear the outdoor unit. Remove leaves, sticks, grass clippings, and anything leaning against it. Hose off the coil gently (from the inside out if you can).
3. Set the thermostat to cool and turn it down a few degrees below room temperature.
4. Wait 15 minutes, then check supply vents around the house. You should feel cool air with decent flow.
5. Go listen to the outdoor unit. Smooth hum? Good. Grinding, banging, or buzzing? That's your cue to call.
6. Check your condensate drain line. It's the PVC pipe coming off your indoor unit. Pour a cup of water down the cleanout to make sure it drains freely. A clogged drain line will cause water damage when the system runs all summer.

If everything checks out, you're in good shape. If something seems off, schedule a tune-up now while there's still availability. Our spring calendar fills up fast once the first heat wave hits, and we'd rather catch a small problem now than replace a compressor in July.