4 HVAC Problems That Require A Call To An Emergency Heating And AC Repair Service | Fort Worth, TX
Summers in Fort Worth, TX, are very hot, and August is the hottest month, with temperatures reaching over 95 degrees on many days. Winter days are pretty mild, with temperatures in the 50s and low 60s, but the temperature drops at night to the 30s and low 40s.
When it’s cold or hot outside, you rely on your HVAC system to keep your home comfortable. A complete HVAC system breakdown is a nightmare for most homeowners because it can cost up to $12,000 to replace the system. In addition, issues that don’t cause a complete breakdown but affect the way the unit performs can also be upsetting. Any HVAC issue will seem like an emergency to you when the unit isn’t functioning correctly, but not every problem is considered an emergency. Some can wait until you can get an appointment with an HVAC service. However, some HVAC issues can affect the safety of your home and family, and these issues require a call to an emergency heating and AC repair service.
If you aren’t sure if your HVAC system’s issue is an emergency, read on. The problems listed below shouldn’t be ignored, and the safest thing to do is to call an emergency service as quickly as possible.
#1 Your Home Is Very Humid
The Fort Worth climate is subtropical, meaning that summers are hot and humid. The air conditioner in your home is designed to remove the humidity from the air so your home isn’t hot, sticky, and uncomfortable. If your home is very humid, it’s best to call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
A few issues can prevent your air conditioner from dehumidifying your home, and an emergency heating and AC repair company can send a tech to find the cause.
- The fan on the thermostat is set to “ON” rather than “AUTO.”
- The evaporator coils are dirty.
- There’s a refrigerant leak.
- The air ducts are damaged and leaking air.
The size of the unit can also be a factor. If your existing unit is too large for the size of your home, it will cycle too frequently and won’t have a chance to dehumidify your home before the next cycle starts.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to inspect the air conditioner and its components to find out why your home is so humid to resolve the problem.
#2 Strange Smells
When the heat or air conditioner runs, the air will be odorless and shouldn’t emit a smell. If you smell something strange in your home when the heat or air conditioner runs, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service as quickly as possible.
Foul odors indicate problems that can put your home and family at significant risk and should be repaired immediately. The odor in the house will help the tech figure out what’s going on.
- Rotten eggs: If your home smells like rotten eggs when the heat is on, you have a gas leak which can result in a deadly explosion. You should turn off the heat as soon as you notice the smell, get everyone out of the house and call 911. The fire department will cut the gas to your home to prevent an explosion and open the windows to air out the house. When it’s safe to go back inside, you’ll need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service. The gas cannot be restored, and you can’t use the heat until the leak has been repaired by a professional. When the necessary repair has been made, the tech will inform the gas company so the service can be restored.
A gas leak isn’t something you can ignore, and calling an emergency heating and AC repair service is essential in preventing a disaster. - Mold: The most common cause of a moldy smell in your home is mold in the air ducts. The air ducts are dark, and when it gets humid in the house, moisture will form in the ducts, causing mold growth. The foul smell in your home is the least of your problems because when the heat or air condition runs, mold spores will circulate in the air and require a call to an emergency heating and air conditioning repair service.
Mold exposure causes various health issues, such as allergy symptoms, eye irritation, chronic headaches, and skin rashes. In addition, mold exposure can cause breathing and respiratory problems. If you or a member of your family has a chronic lung or respiratory condition, mold exposure can worsen the disease and symptoms.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to inspect the air ducts for mold. It can be easily eradicated with an antimicrobial fogger if they find any, and the treatment can prevent future mold growth. If the tech cannot find any mold in the air ducts, they’ll check the air conditioner. If you neglect to maintain the air conditioner every year, mold can grow inside the unit, which can be challenging to eliminate. If they can, you should consider installing a UV lamp in the unit to prevent another mold infestation. If they cannot eradicate every spore, you’ll need to replace the unit to ensure the air in your home is safe. - Burning: Burning smells indicate a wiring issue somewhere in the house. If you only smell something burning when the heat or air conditioner runs, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
Electrical and wiring issues can start an electrical fire that can quickly destroy your home, and if you can’t get everyone out of the house, the fire can be deadly.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to your home to find the affected wire and make the repair quickly, ensuring the safety of your home and your family.
Any foul smells when the air conditioner or heat run are a significant cause for concern, and for the sake of your home and family, it’s best to call an emergency heating and AC repair service as soon as you detect the smell.
#3 The Furnace Isn’t Heating Your Home
If winter days and nights in Fort Worth, TX were mild and the furnace was blowing cool air, it wouldn’t be an urgent issue; however, because the nighttime temperatures drop considerably, almost reaching the freezing point, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair company if the furnace produces cool air. Your home will stay warm for a little while if it is well insulated, but it won’t be long before your home gets dangerously cold.
Before calling a professional, check the thermostat settings. If the thermostat isn’t set correctly, it can affect the furnace’s ability to produce warm air. First, make sure the thermostat is set to the cooling mode, and the fan is always set to auto. Next, check the temperature setting. It has to be cooler in the house than the setting on the thermostat for the furnace to produce warm air.
Next, check the filter. The filter should be changed once a month to once a year, depending on your filter. If the filter is clogged with dirt and soot, air won’t move through the furnace effectively, and it cannot produce cold air.
If the thermostat is set correctly and the filter is clean, it’s time to call an emergency heating and AC repair service. Multiple issues can cause the unit to produce cool air, including:
- The pilot is out: If you have an older furnace, it has a pilot light that needs to stay lit for the furnace to keep your home warm and comfortable. Call an emergency heating and AC repair service if the pilot is out and cannot stay lit. Several issues can prevent the pilot from staying lit, including:
- The thermocouple is dirty or faulty
- The flame is irregular
- Limited gas supply in the furnace’s reservoir
- The pilot tip is corroded
- An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to your home to diagnose and resolve the problem, so the pilot stays lit.
- The flame detector isn’t working: Newer models have a flame detector instead of a pilot light, and it detects when a flame is burning in the unit. If the flame sensor is dirty or defective, it won’t detect a flame and will shut the furnace off, preventing it from keeping your home warm.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can inspect the flame detector to determine if it needs to be cleaned or replaced. - Minimal gas supply: An issue with the gas supply line in your home can prevent an adequate amount of gas from going to the furnace, and it will shut down if it isn’t getting enough gas.
An emergency heating and AC repair company can fix the issue with the line to allow an adequate amount of gas to the furnace. - Clogged condensate lines: Newer furnaces have a condensate line to help remove moisture from the unit. If the lines get clogged, the burners will deactivate the burners, and the furnace will shut down.
An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to remove the clog from the lines, and the furnace will start running again.
If the furnace shuts down, it can get very cold in your home, and you should have the problem resolved as quickly as possible.
#4 The Air Conditioner Isn’t Cooling Your Home
If you turn on the air conditioner in your Fort Worth, TX home and feel warm air from the vents, your home won’t stay cool. When it’s 90+ degrees outside, the indoor temperature can reach 120 degrees without air conditioning, resulting in heat exhaustion or heatstroke, making this an urgent issue that should be fixed immediately.
Before calling an emergency heating and AC repair service, check the thermostat. If it isn’t set correctly, the air conditioner won’t be able to do its job. The thermostat has to be set to the cooling mode, the fan has to be set to auto, and it has to be warmer in the house than the setting on the thermostat.
Next, check the air filter. If you’ve neglected to change the filter and it’s clogged with dirt and debris, the air can’t circulate in the unit the way it should, causing it to overheat and produce warm air.
If everything checks out on your end, it’s time to call a professional. A few issues can prevent the unit from producing warm air, and you’ll need a professional to find the cause.
- Refrigerant leak: Refrigerant leaks occur when acid eats away at the metal, causing tiny holes allowing the refrigerant to leak. An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to fix the leak and refill the refrigerant. If your unit was installed before 2010, a refrigerant leak requires a replacement. Older units use R-22 Freon, which is highly toxic and depletes the ozone layer, and is banned in the U.S. The tech won’t have R-22 to rill the unit, and an AC replacement will be necessary.
- Frozen condenser coils: The condenser coils extract heat from the air to begin the cooling process. The cooling process can’t start if the coils freeze, and the unit will produce warm air. Even if you can thaw the coils yourself, you still need to call an emergency heating and
AC repair service. They can send a tech to your home to figure out why the coils froze so they can fix the problem, so the coils don’t freeze again. - Faulty compressor: The indoor unit and the outdoor compressor work together to keep your home cool. If there’s no power going to the compressor or it isn’t working correctly, you’ll need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service. A tech can inspect the compressor to find the cause of the problem so it can be fixed and your home will be cool and comfortable again.
Call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth
If your HVAC system experiences any issues that require emergency service, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth, We are a full-service HVAC company and provide emergency heating and AC repair service.
We’ve been serving customers in the area since 1988, and many of our customers have been loyal customers for decades.
Our techs are professionally trained and have the knowledge, experience, and skill to handle HVAC installation, repair, maintenance, and repair.
To schedule an appointment for emergency heating and AC repair service or any other HVAC services, give us a call today.