5 Signs You Need to Repair Your HVAC System
Your home’s HVAC system is critical to your comfort. It’s the unit that helps get heat and cool air to all the rooms. Without it, there’s no circulation. The AC unit and heater can run, but nothing would move.
This is why regular maintenance is important. It helps prevent a malfunction during the hottest and coldest days of the year. Yet, even with normal upkeep, something can happen due to the unit’s age or part failure. That’s why there are over 500,000 HVAC service representatives employed across the U.S.
For a better understanding of these issues, here are 5 signs you need to repair your HVAC system.
1. Little Or No Airflow
The HVAC fan could run normally. Plus, you can feel the heat or cold come through the unit’s ventilation areas. However, little is sent to vents on the upper floors.
The most common problem is dirty ductwork. It doesn’t matter how much the unit’s air filter is replaced, dust and debris still accumulate over time. As a result, it blocks sufficient air from pushing through.
If the ducts are clean, then the problem might reside with the evaporator coil. Excessive dirt on this part cuts the efficiency of the HVAC unit. If it’s beyond cleaning by normal means, it needs to be maintenance by a service representative.
2. Blower Fan Runs Continuously
There’s an issue if you haven’t set the HVAC’s fan to automatically run after hot air is pushed through. It’s especially true if it doesn’t stop even if you shut the unit down.
This is connected to a stuck relay. When things get too hot, a signal is sent to the blower fan to cool things down. If the command to shut down isn’t received, the blower fan continues to run regardless of the thermostat position.
3. Frozen Mechanics
You might have to call a Salt Lake County HVAC Company or local repair service located wherever you live if you start to notice the lack of cold air in the house on a warm day. Though it seems like the AC unit’s fan is running, all you feel is lukewarm air from the vents.
Here, the situation might be connected to frozen HVAC coils. The culprit can be a dirty air filter. Not only does it keep the air free of dirt and allergens but the filter also helps circulate it through the house.
The dirtier a filter becomes the less cold air gets through, As a result, it finds its way to the HVAC coils and freezes them. Though you can replace the air filter — something you must do on a regular basis — a service representative needs to come out and fix the coils.
4. Thermostat Failure
When an HVAC stops heating or cooling a house, the first thing residents do is check all of the components. They confirm they’re all working, then they check to see if the air filter is clean. If all of these pieces check out, they might give up.
Yet, there’s an additional component to examine — the thermostat. When this fails, the HVAC unit might not start or stop. It doesn’t matter if the temperature is raised or lowered or to kick things off.
Dead batteries could be the culprit if the thermostat has a secondary power backup. If those are okay, it might be a short in the unit’s wiring or complete failure due to age. At that point, service is required to replace the thermostat.
5. AC Motor Failure
Dust, debris, and pollen are common items to accumulate on the sheathing of an AC unit. Like an air filter, this shield allows air to flow to keep components cool. Especially the motor.
If this shield isn’t regularly cleaned, then the motor needs to work overtime. Eventually, it can burn out or have a problem starting. Here, a service representative needs to come out and replace the motor. If possible, they’ll connect a booster to the mechanism to help start it when called.
These are a few of the issues where HVAC repair representatives might need to come out and repair the units. Some of these can be prevented by regular cleaning and replacement of air filters. Others go beyond standard maintenance. In those situations, contact your local HVAC repair office.
