Every summer, the same story plays out across India: temperatures cross 40°C, lakhs of ACs get switched on together, and service providers get booked out for days. The families who suffer most are the ones whose AC gave warnings for weeks — warnings nobody acted on.
Here are the nine signs your AC is asking for help, roughly in order of how often we see them.
1. Airflow feels weaker than last year
If you have to keep lowering the temperature to feel the same cooling, the problem is usually a choked filter or dirty indoor coil. Dust builds up in Indian homes fast, and a blocked coil can cut cooling capacity by 30% or more.
2. The AC runs longer to reach the same temperature
A healthy 1.5-ton split AC should noticeably cool a standard bedroom in 10–15 minutes. If it now takes 30, your compressor is working overtime — and your electricity bill is quietly recording it.
3. Your power bill jumped without a lifestyle change
A struggling AC is one of the most common causes of a sudden 20–30% jump in summer electricity bills. Servicing usually pays for itself within a month or two of peak usage.
4. There's a musty or burning smell
A musty smell means mould or bacteria on the evaporator coil — the air you breathe passes over it. A burning smell is more serious: switch the unit off and call a professional the same day.
5. Water is dripping from the indoor unit
A blocked drain line is the usual culprit. It's a quick fix during a service, but ignored, it damages walls and can short internal electronics.
6. Ice forming on the copper pipes
Ice on the pipes or outdoor unit usually points to low refrigerant (gas) or poor airflow. Running an AC with low gas can eventually kill the compressor — the most expensive part of the machine.
