5 Signs You Should Call A Heating And AC Repair Company | Fort Worth, TX
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Your Fort Worth, TX home’s HVAC system is essential to your comfort most of the year. During the cold winter months, your furnace is essential in keeping your home warm. When the hot summer months approach, you rely on your air conditioner to keep your home cool and comfortable. If either part of your HVAC system isn’t working correctly, your home’s comfort will be significantly affected; therefore, you should call a heating and AC repair company to find the cause of the problem so the necessary repair can be made.
DIY heating and AC repair is a bad idea. If you haven’t been professionally trained to repair HVAC systems, a DIY repair could end up doing more damage and can put your health and safety at risk.
If your HVAC system is experiencing any of the following issues, it is best to call a heating and AC repair company right away.
#1 Your Air Conditioner Is Producing Warm Air
When you turn on the air conditioner, you expect it to cool your home down and to keep it cool. If the unit produces warm air, it won’t be effective in keeping your home cool, and you should call a heating and AC repair company.
A few issues can prevent the unit from producing cold air, and you will need to hire a professional to determine which of the problems is causing your air conditioning problems.
- Faulty thermostat: The thermostat is your HVAC system’s brain, and it tells the unit to produce warm or cool air and the desired temperature. If the thermostat isn’t working correctly, the unit may not produce cold air. Before calling a professional, make sure the unit is set to the cooling mode, the fan is set to “auto,” and the temperature in the house is warmer than the setting on the thermostat. If the thermostat is set correctly, you should have a heating and AC repair company test the thermostat.
- Dirty or clogged air filters: A clogged or dirty air filter can prevent air from moving through the system, which puts added strain on the air conditioner, causing it to produce warm air.
- Frozen evaporator coils: The evaporator coils play an integral part in cooling your home. The coils extract the heat from the house to start the cooling process. It isn’t uncommon for condensation to form during the cooling process, and if condensation forms on the coils, they can freeze and cannot do their job, resulting in warm air coming from the vents.
- Low refrigerant: Your air conditioner needs an adequate amount of refrigerant to cool down your home. If the unit is low on refrigerant, it won’t produce cold air.
- Refrigerant leak: A refrigerant leak often empties all the refrigerant from the unit, making it impossible for the unit to produce cold air.
- No power to the outdoor unit: The indoor and outdoor air conditioning units work together to produce cold air. If there is no power going to the outdoor unit, your air conditioner will produce warm air.
It is best to call a heating and AC repair company when the problem starts. The longer you wait, the longer it will be until your home is cool and comfortable. In addition, allowing these problems to persist can result in further damage with a more expensive repair bill.
#2 Your Heater Is Producing Cold Air
When you turn on the heat in your Fort Worth, TX home, you expect to feel warm air coming from the vents. If the heater produces cold air, you should call a heating and AC repair company.
A few issues can cause this problem, including:
- Faulty thermostat: If the thermostat isn’t working correctly, the heater won’t get the right signals and can’t produce warm air. If your thermostat is set to the heating mode, the fan is set to “auto,” and it is cooler in the house than the setting on the thermostat, you will need to have a heating and AC repair company test the thermostat to ensure it is working correctly.
- The furnace hasn’t heated up: When you turn on the heat, the furnace needs time to fire up. If you haven’t used the heat in a few days or it is the first time you turn it on during the heating season, give the furnace a few minutes to heat up before worrying that it is broken.
- Dirty air filter: If the air filter is dirty, it can block airflow over the furnace’s heat exchanger, causing the system to overheat, causing the high limit switch to overheat, and the unit will shut down and start blowing cold air.
- The pilot light is out: Most newer furnaces don’t have pilot lights; therefore, the pilot light can’t be the problem if your furnace is relatively new. However, if you have an older unit with a pilot light and it goes out, the furnace cannot heat up and will produce cold air.
- Mechanical failure: The furnace in your home has many moving parts. If any of the components fail, it can cause the unit to produce cold air.
- The furnace has reached the end of its lifespan: With proper maintenance, your furnace can last 15 to 20 years. If your furnace is close to the end of its lifespan, it won’t function efficiently and should be replaced.
#3 Restricted Airflow
When you turn on the heat or air conditioner in your Fort Worth, TX home, you should feel a powerful rush of warm or cool air coming from the vents. If the airflow is poor, you should call a heating and AC repair company.
It is best not to wait too long before making the call. Inadequate airflow will cause your heater or air conditioner to work harder, causing your energy bills to increase. In addition, the excess work can put added strain on your HVAC system, which can reduce the system’s lifespan.
A few issues can cause poor airflow, and you will need to call a heating and AC repair company to find the cause.
- Clogged air ducts: Over five pounds of debris can build up in the air ducts in just one year, preventing the air from flowing freely from the vents. In addition, when the heat or air conditioner is on, the debris will circulate in the air, affecting your home’s air quality. An HVAC tech can clean the air ducts, allowing the air to flow freely while ensuring safe air quality in your Fort Worth, TX home.
- Damaged air ducts: The air ducts in your home deliver the heated or cool air from the unit to the vents throughout your home. The air ducts are often hidden behind the walls, above the ceiling, and under the floor; therefore, if the ducts are damaged, you won’t be able to see them.
If there is a crack or break in the air ducts, the heated or cool air will escape through the damaged area before reaching the vents, resulting in low airflow.
- Faulty blower: The blower is designed to force the heated or cool air from the unit to the vents. If the blower isn’t working correctly, the air won’t get the push it needs, resulting in weak airflow.
It is best to call a heating and AC repair company right away, as restricted airflow can affect your home’s air quality and your bank account. A tech can inspect your HVAC system to find the cause of the problem to restore airflow.
#4 Strange Smells
Your HVAC system should produce clean, odorless air. If you smell something strange when the unit runs, it is best to call a heating and AC repair company right away. Strange smells signify issues that can affect your family’s health and safety; therefore, you should make the call right away.
- Mold: If you smell mold when your heater or air conditioner runs, there could be mold in the air ducts. The air ducts in your Fort Worth, TX home are hidden; therefore, they are dark. When your home gets humid, moisture can form in the air ducts, and because light doesn’t shine into the ducts, the moisture will remain and can create mold in the ducts.
When your HVAC system runs, the mold spores in the ducts will circulate in the air, putting your family’s health at risk. Breathing in mold can cause allergy symptoms, respiratory issues, skin rashes and weaken your immune system, making it harder for you to fight disease and infection. If you or a member of your family has a chronic lung or respiratory disease, breathing in mold can worsen the symptoms and condition.
If the heating and AC repair company finds mold in the air ducts, they can use an antimicrobial fogger to eradicate the mold and prevent future growth. If the ducts are mold-free, it could be in the air conditioner, which can be harder to eliminate. If the tech cannot reach the mold, you will need to replace your air conditioner.
- Rotten eggs: A rotten egg smell often signifies a gas leak, which is incredibly dangerous and can result in an explosion. If you smell rotten eggs in your Fort Worth, TX home, turn off the heat and get everyone out of the house immediately. When you are safe outside, call 911. The fire department needs to come to your home to cut the gas going to your home to prevent an explosion.
When the fire department deems the house safe, call a heating and AC repair company. The gas leak needs to be repaired before the gas can be turned back on, allowing you to turn on the heat.
- Burning: If you smell something burning when your heater or air conditioner runs, turn off the unit immediately and call a heating and AC repair company. The burning smell indicates a short in the wiring or an electrical issue. If you ignore the problem, it can spark an electrical fire that can quickly destroy your home, putting your family at significant risk; therefore, you should call a heating and AC repair company right away.
Strange smells indicate serious issues that could put your home and family at risk; therefore, it is best to call a heating and AC repair company right away to find the source of the odor so the necessary repair can be made.
#5 Strange Sounds
It is normal for your HVAC system to cycle frequently throughout the day, and when this happens, you will hear a faint clicking sound. If the HVAC system in your Fort Worth, TX home makes any other sounds, you should call a heating and AC repair company.
Strange sounds often indicated loose or broken parts, uneven or unbalanced parts, and various other issues that could cause further damage to the unit.
A tech from a heating and AC repair company can inspect the system to determine what is causing the sound, so they can fix the problem before it causes more damage with a more costly repair bill.
Why Choose One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth?
If your heating or cooling system isn’t functioning correctly, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We are a full-service HVAC company that has been in business since 1988. We take pride in the excellent service we provide, and many of our customers have been loyal customers for over 20 years.
Our HVAC techs are professionally trained, knowledgeable, and NATE certified. In addition, before they are hired, our techs must pass a background check, drug test, and register with the state of Texas. We do this, so our customers feel safe when they allow our techs into their home because our customers’ safety and comfort is important to us.
If you have an issue with your heater or air conditioner that can’t wait or we aren’t in the office, don’t worry. We provide emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will do our best to get a tech to your home as quickly as possible.
If you need to schedule an appointment for any HVAC service, call our heating and AC repair company today.