Troubleshooting HVAC Issues in Your Home
When your HVAC system is out of warranty and every repair and tune-up is an out-of-pocket expense, it’s natural to want to look for ways to cut down on your service calls. While not every issue you encounter is one that you’ll be able to fix on your own, having at least some idea of what’s causing it can make you feel more comfortable calling for service.
Is anything actually wrong?
Unfortunately, not every service call that homeowners place to HVAC companies is something that the company can necessarily fix. For instance, there are limits to how far below the outside temperature your air conditioner can actually cool your home. If the temperature is already in the triple digits and the humidity makes it feel like 120 degrees in the shade, keeping your home in 60s may not be a reasonable expectation for the compressor you own.
You may also find that your air conditioning can pull more watts than usual when it’s at the peak of summer heat. In some instances, this can throw a breaker, shutting off the system and making your home a muggy place. Before you place a service call for non-working AC, always check to ensure the breaker isn’t thrown.
Does the thermostat work?
It may surprise you to learn that many HVAC issues stem from a thermostat that’s simply not telling the system to heat or cool to the appropriate temperature. If your thermostat is a model that uses batteries in addition to the electricity, changing the batteries could correct the problem and get your system working again. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace the thermostat altogether in order to correct your HVAC issue.
Does the HVAC run too long or not long enough?
While most people don’t give much thought to it, the placement of your thermostat and the return vent can make or break the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Since the thermostat bases the temperature on the air around it, having it in the path of an open window with direct sunlight can significantly raise the temperature of the air near the thermostat. When this happens, it will keep the AC running until the air near it is cool, even if that means freezing every other room of the house.
Are the air filters clean?
If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned or replaced the air filters to your HVAC system, that could be the reason your system is no longer efficiently cooling. Clogged filters have the ability to impede airflow into the equipment, forcing your system to work harder to create less conditioned air. While changing the filter could provide an immediate difference, a system that’s been clogged for quite a while could have accumulated debris in the ducts or the equipment that must be removed to improve performance.
If your HVAC system is still acting up after you’ve run through the above, it’s time to call in a professional for service. Remember, just because it’s a problem you can’t fix yourself doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a costly issue. In many cases, your technician will be able to quickly and affordably get your system back up and running.