An air conditioning repair technician can help you figure out why your air conditioner is running longer and driving up your power bill. You want to stay nice and cool in the summer, but having outrageous power bills is hard to live with. If your bills are higher and nothing has changed in your home or with your billing rates, then consider calling an AC service for help. Here are three reasons an air conditioner drives up a power bill.

1. Refrigerant Is Leaking

If your AC system has a refrigerant leak, your air conditioner has to run longer to get the temperature in your home low enough to trigger the thermostat to shut your AC down. This makes your power bill higher. Since a leak will go on until it's repaired, your air conditioner will probably need to run even longer as time goes on, and your bills could keep getting higher each month.

An air conditioning repair technician can measure the pressure in the refrigerant lines to see if the level is low. If it is, they'll need to find and patch the leak. Then they can fill the refrigerant back to the proper level so your AC shuts down more quickly after each cycle and your power bills drop.

2. Thermostat Is Malfunctioning

The air conditioning repair technician may check your thermostat first since it can cause your AC to run longer or kick on more often. If the thermostat isn't sending signals to shut your AC down, then your air conditioner will run a long time even after the desired temperature is reached.

If your home seems colder than usual, be sure to check your thermostat as this situation will drive up your power bill. The repair technician can check the thermostat and wiring with a multimeter to determine if it can be repaired or if the thermostat has to be replaced.

3. Duct Is Leaking

If chilled air is leaking out of a duct that's ripped or that's come loose, there won't be enough cool air to cool off your home. The AC will run longer and use more electricity since it will take longer to reach the thermostat setting. Your home may not even be cool enough to keep you comfortable, even though the AC is running.

When this happens, put your hand in front of a register to feel the air coming out. If hardly any air comes out, it's time to think about a problem with the ducts. The air conditioning repair technician can check the ducts for leaks, fasten loose ducts, and repair the duct that is leaking. When the damaged duct is repaired, you should notice a lot more cool air blowing into your living space.

Contact an air conditioning repair service near you to learn more.