4 HVAC Issues That Require An Emergency Heating And AC Repair Service | North Richland Hills, TX
The HVAC system in your North Richland Hills, TX home is responsible for keeping your home at a comfortable temperature. Many issues can affect how your HVAC system functions; therefore, you may think that every issue is an emergency because many can affect your home’s temperature and comfort. Although any heating or air conditioning problem can be a nuisance, every issue doesn’t require a call to an emergency heating and AC repair service, and some problems can wait until you can find an HVAC company with an available appointment. However, some issues can’t wait, and you will need to schedule an appointment for emergency service. Emergency issues can cause several serious problems in your home.
- Some issues can affect the temperature in your home.
- Certain problems can affect your family’s health
- Some issues could potentially destroy your home.
If your heater or air conditioner experiences any of the following issues, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service right away.
#1 Foul Odors When the HVAC System Runs
If the heater or air conditioner in your North Richland Hills, TX home is functioning correctly, it should produce cold or warm odorless air. If you smell something strange when the system runs, you should schedule an appointment for a heating and AC repair service right away.
Although strange odors won’t affect the temperature in your home, they do indicate problems that can put your home and family at risk. The odor you smell can give you an idea of what is causing the problem.
- Burning: A burning smell indicates an electrical problem with the heater or air conditioner, and the odor is caused when the plastic covering on the wires burns and melts. This serious problem requires an immediate call to an emergency heating and AC repair service.
You can try to ignore the problem and use an air freshener to mask the smell; however, doing so can put your home and family at risk. If ignored, electrical and wiring problems could spark an electrical fire, and the fire can quickly damage or destroy your home. It is best to turn the HVAC system off immediately and call a professional.
A North Richland Hills, TX emergency heating and AC repair service will send a tech to inspect the HVAC system to find the affected wires, so they can repair the problem before a disaster occurs.
- Rotten eggs: If you smell sulfur or rotten eggs when the heat is on, you should immediately get your family out of the house and call 911. This smell indicates a gas leak that can cause an explosion, and you will need the fire department to cut the gas going to your home. They will also air out the house, so it is safe to go back inside. The gas cannot be restored until you have an emergency heating and AC repair service to repair the leak. When the necessary repair is made, your gas service can be restored, and it will be safe to turn on the heat.
- Mildew or mold: A mildew or moldy smell often indicates mold in the air ducts. The air ducts in your home are hidden; therefore, they are always dark. If your home is humid, condensation can form in the ducts, creating the perfect environment for mold growth. When your heater or air conditioner runs, mold spores will circulate in the air, which can be hazardous to your family’s health. According to the CDC, mold exposure can cause allergy symptoms, respiratory issues, headaches, and can irritate the eyes, nose, ears, and throat. In addition, mold exposure can weaken your immune system, making it challenging for the body to fight off disease and infection. If a member of your family has asthma or a mold allergy, exposure can cause frequent asthma attacks. If someone in your home has a chronic lung or respiratory disease, mold exposure will worsen their condition and symptoms.
Mold exposure is very dangerous and requires a call to a heating and AC repair service. An HVAC tech can check the ducts for the presence of mold, and if they find any, it can be eradicated using an antimicrobial fogger.
If the tech doesn’t see any mold in the air ducts, it could be in the air conditioner. Eliminating mold from the unit can be challenging, and if the tech can eradicate the mold, you will need to replace your air conditioner.
All strange smells in the house when the HVAC system runs can be very dangerous; therefore, you should turn off the HVAC system right away and call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
#2 The Pilot Light Isn’t Burning Blue
If the furnace in your North Richland Hills, TX home was installed before 2010, it has a pilot light, and the pilot needs to be lit for the furnace to produce warm air. The pilot light should be blue, and there may be touches of red and yellow, which isn’t a cause for concern. However, if the flame is entirely red, green, or yellow, you should immediately call an appointment for emergency heating and AC repair service.
When rust, oil, dirt, grime, or excess air get into the system, it will burn with the gas, creating a toxic chemical that should be repaired right away. If the pilot light is yellow, you should turn the furnace off immediately, get everyone out of the house and open all the windows. A yellow pilot light indicates a carbon monoxide leak, which can be deadly. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas, and breathing in too much can be lethal. According to the CDC, around 50,000 people visit the emergency room every year for carbon monoxide poisoning, and at least 430 people die every year.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can repair the issue, so the pilot burns blue, keeping your family safe.
#3 The Furnace Is Producing Cold Air
If your furnace fails to produce warm air, you should call a heating and AC repair service. When the temperature drops below freezing and your heat doesn’t work, your home can be dangerously cold, putting your family at risk.
A few issues can cause the furnace to produce cold air. Before you make the call, you should check the thermostat settings. Setting the thermostat incorrectly is a common reason for this problem. To avoid an unnecessary service call; you should check the following:
- Mode: The thermostat needs to be set to the heating mode for your furnace to produce warm air.
- Fan: The fan should be set to “auto.” If it is set to “on,” it will continue blowing when the furnace cycles, and you will feel cold air coming from the vents.
- Temperature: The temperature on the thermostat needs to be colder than the temperature in the house for the furnace to produce warm air.
If the thermostat is set correctly, make sure there is oil or propane in the tank. If your furnace runs on natural gas, check your bank records to ensure your bill has been paid and your service hasn’t been terminated. In addition, check with a neighbor or the gas company to ensure there isn’t a widespread outage.
If everything checks out, it’s time to call an emergency heating and AC repair service. Several issues can cause the furnace to produce cold air, and you will need an HVAC professional to find the cause.
- The pilot light is out: If your furnace in your North Richland Hills, TX home was installed before 2010, it has a pilot light. The furnace won’t produce warm air if the pilot light goes out. An emergency heating and AC repair service can figure out what caused the pilot to go out to be fixed, and they can light the pilot.
- Dirty flame detector: If your furnace was installed after 2010, it doesn’t have a pilot light. Instead, it has a flame detector to ensure the heating process is completed successfully. If the flame detector is dirty, the unit will produce cold air. An emergency heating and AC service can clean and sanitize the flame detector, restoring the heat to your home.
- Clogged condensate lines: Newer furnaces have condensate drain lines that help remove moisture in the unit. If there is a clog in the line, the burners will turn off, and the furnace will produce cold air. You will need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service to remove the clog, restoring the heat.
- Damaged air ducts: If the air ducts in your home are damaged, the cold air from outside will leak into the air ducts, cooling down the air, and you will feel cold air coming from the vents. An emergency heating and AC repair service can check the ducts for damaged, keeping your home warm.
- Faulty limit switch: The limit switch is a safety feature designed to prevent damage to the furnace’s internal components and prevent overheating. If the limit switch fails, the furnace will shut down for safety purposes, and you will feel cold air coming from the vents. An emergency heating and AC repair service can replace the switch so the furnace will produce warm air.
If your furnace isn’t heating your home, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service right away. When the temperature in your home drops drastically, your family will be at risk for hypothermia; therefore, the problem needs to be repaired immediately.
#4 The Air Conditioner Is Producing Warm Air
You rely greatly on the air conditioner in your North Richland Hills, TX home to keep your home comfortable. When the temperature outside is 90+ degrees, your family is at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke if your air conditioner isn’t producing cold air. These conditions are serious; therefore, it is best to call an emergency heating and AC repair service right away.
Before making the call, check the thermostat to ensure it is set correctly. The unit needs to be set to the cooling mode, the fan should be set to “auto,” and it needs to be warmer in the house than the thermostat setting for the unit to produce cold air.
If everything checks out, you will need an HVAC tech to find the cause of the problem because several issues can prevent the air conditioner from producing cold air.
- Dirty air filter: If you have neglected to change the air filter, it can become clogged, and the air won’t move through the unit the way it should. This can cause the unit to overheat, preventing it from producing cold air.
- Frozen evaporator coils: The evaporator coils are essential in keeping your home cool. They extract the heat from your home, which begins the cooling process. When moisture forms on the coils, they will freeze and cannot do their job. An emergency heating and AC repair service can thaw the coils and determine where the moisture is coming from to prevent them from freezing again.
- Refrigerant leak: Your air conditioner relies on refrigerant to produce cold air. If the unit is leaking refrigerant, the AC cannot produce cold air. If your air conditioner was installed in 2015 or later, the HVAC tech can repair the leak and refill the refrigerant.
If your unit was installed before 2015, the tech could fix the leak, but they can’t refill the refrigerant. The EPA determined that R-22 is toxic and causes ozone depletion, and on January 1, 2020, the U.S. government banned its production. The tech won’t have R-22 to refill the unit, and it will need to be replaced.
- Failed compressor: The air conditioner can’t produce warm air if the compressor fails. An emergency heating and AC repair service can inspect the compressor to determine if it can be repaired or if a replacement is necessary.
- The unit has reached its maximum lifespan: When your air conditioner reaches its maximum lifespan, it can no longer produce cold air and needs to be replaced.
If your air conditioner fails to produce cold air, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service right away. Not only will your home be hot and uncomfortable, but it can also put your family’s health at risk.
Why Choose One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth?
If your HVAC system has an issue that requires emergency heating and AC repair service, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We are a full-service HVAC company and have been serving customers in the area since 1988.
Our North Richland Hills, TX techs are professionally trained, skilled, and NATE certified. In addition, they receive ongoing training to ensure they can install, maintain and repair the latest HVAC models. They also must pass a background check drug test and register with the state of Texas before they are hired.
To schedule an appointment for emergency heating and AC repair service or any other service we provide, give us a call today.