Common HVAC Issues That Require An Emergency Heating And AC Repair Service | Fort Worth, TX
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As a homeowner, it seems like there is always something or another that you have to deal with. One day it may be that the glass in your screen door breaks, another day it might be peeling paint that is starting to look outrageous. If you are lucky for a while all of your home issues will be small and manageable. By manageable we mean things that won’t affect your daily life or comfort in Fort Worth, TX. Like most things, cosmetic home issues are almost always preferable to functional home issues, but unfortunately one day it may be an emergency heating and AC repair service that you have to deal with.
The problem with emergency heating and AC repair service is that it likely is a true emergency. Unlike a broken screen door that you can deal with when you have some free time, heating and AC repairs cannot be taken lightly. If your AC unit breaks down in the middle of the summer months you have to do something immediately because your home will not be safe to live in until it is cool again. Temperatures are simply too high in the region to live safely in your home without air conditioning, especially if you have young children or seniors living in the home.
However, not every issue with your HVAC unit requires emergency heating and AC repair service. Sometimes it is safe to wait until the weekend is over or the morning comes to call for help. As a Fort Worth, TX homeowner that is not an HVAC technician, knowing when to call and when to wait can be a bit confusing, which is why we have created this useful guide to help you determine what is and what is not an emergency. As always, this is just a short guide. If you still don’t know what to do it is always best to call and ask an on-call technician.
They can offer you some guidance and set up an appointment for the future if it is something that can wait or contact the on-call HVAC technician if you need help right away. Most of the time the emergency technician does not want to get out of bed at 2 am or come to your house during the holiday season as well, so you can trust that their advice is coming from the right place. If they deemed it requires an emergency heating and AC repair service, it probably is. Here is a list of a few times you should make the call.
What Is the Difference Between Regular and Emergency Heating and AC Repair Service?
If you have never had to call for AC repair, you may be wondering what the difference is between regular and emergency heating and AC repair service in Fort Worth, TX. Major HVAC companies should prove both as different situations can occur with your HVAC system and each requires its level of attention.
Several major differences define emergency heating and AC repair service. The first is immediate service. While everyone wants to have their problems fixed right away, HVAC technicians cannot drop the job they are currently working on and show up at your home just because they called. Like any other tradesmen, they have a schedule and make time for each repair.
Of course, in an emergency, you need attention right away, which is why major companies always keep an emergency service team on-call that is not working during the hours they are on-call. This way if an emergency arises they have a team available to cover it. This is also why emergency heating and AC repair service tends to cost a bit more because the company is paying people to work and to be on-call as part of their salary.
Along those same lines, an emergency heating and AC repair service offers service around the clock, because emergencies do not usually occur during 8-5. While they can, for some reason it seems that when something goes wrong it is always in the middle of the night. It is some type of HVAC law of physics. Most companies can offer all-hour services by rotating which HVAC techs work on the emergency reserve team so that someone is always available to help you.
Finally, the same way that technicians cannot predict when your HVAC system is going to break down, we acknowledge that sometimes systems break down over the holidays. There are a lot of HVAC systems in Fort Worth, TX which increases the probability that one of them will break down over Christmas or Thanksgiving. If that HVAC system belongs to you, you will want an emergency heating and AC repair service that can show up and save your holidays. Those are just a few of the many things you pay for when you call and receive emergency services.
Common Signs You Need Emergency Heating and AC Repair Service
There are a lot of signs that you need emergency heating and AC repair service, some more obvious like your HVAC system completely shutting down, and some a bit less dramatic like odd noises coming from your outdoor unit. However, even if the sign is not as dramatic it still needs to be paid attention to, because failure to act can result in your HVAC system shutting down completely in what could have been an avoidable situation. Here are just a few signs that it is time for emergency heating and AC repair service.
Electrical Issues
If you have any reason to suspect that your HVAC system is having an electrical issue, you need to call for help right away. Electrical issues can cause a house fire if left unaddressed, and at the very least can blow out your HVAC system. Neither of these scenarios is desirable. Signs that you might be experiencing electrical issues include electrical humming or buzzing near the indoor or outdoor units of your HVAC system or flickering lights every time your system kicks off. The flickering lights in particular indicate that your system is overloaded and you need to address it before it causes much larger issues.
In addition, sometimes you will actually be able to smell the potential for an electrical issue. If the air coming out of your air vents smells like smoke or electrical burning, often described as a sulphuric smell, you need to turn off your HVAC system and call an emergency heating and AC repair service immediately. One last note to keep in mind, if your HVAC system trips a circuit you can reset it, but if it resets the circuit immediately after then you need help before you attempt to turn it back on again.
You Smell Gas Odors In Your Home
Gas is not something that you should play around with since it always creates the potential for an explosion. If you even suspect that you are smelling gas that is leaking out from your furnace or your AC you need to turn off the gas main, your HVAC system, and then call for emergency help. If you are unsure of how to turn off your main or your HVAC system you should simply leave the house along with any other family members and wait for help to arrive.
Loud Noises from Your HVAC Unit
Whether you are running your furnace during a cooler night in Fort Worth, TX, or running the AC during the summer, you should never hear loud noises coming from any component of your HVAC system. If you do, this is a sign that something is seriously wrong. Usually, noises arise when a part is going bad, damaged, or already broken. That one part can force other parts to work overtime and eventually lead your system to break down completely. The best way to avoid a much more expensive repair is by shutting it off the minute you start to notice loud noises and waiting for an HVAC technician with an emergency heating and AC repair service to clearly inspect it.
Warm Air or Cool Air Blowing Out at the Wrong Time
When it is the middle of winter you don’t want to feel cool air blowing out of your air vents, and in the middle of summer, the last thing you want is to cool down in front of lukewarm air. If the air that is blowing out of your HVAC does match the season this is a big indication that something is wrong with your system. Continuing to allow it to blow will not do anything but drive up your energy bill without providing you any relief. It is also not likely to change on its own so instead of waiting for a magic miracle, it is time to call and get help from HVAC technicians you can trust.
Booking an Annual Service Call to Avoid a Future Emergency
If the idea of booking emergency heating and AC repair service has you nervous, then you might want to consider calling to schedule an annual service call. An annual maintenance visit is the best way to troubleshoot problems before they result in an emergency, and the number one way to extend the lifespan of your HVAC system. Lengthening the lifespan of your HVAC unit so that you get an extra five or more years out of it is something that every homeowner can appreciate, and something worth exploring in more depth. It is also something that every single homeowner can do.
During a basic maintenance visit, an HVAC tech will thoroughly clean out your HVAC unit including your outdoor AC unit. As they clean it they will inspect the components and make sure that everything is working as it should be. They will also be looking for signs of wear or tear or damage that might indicate a component or piece is going to break soon. Identifying issues before they become issues is a great way to avoid an emergency heating and AC repair service down the road.
At the end of the maintenance visit the HVAC technician will give you a list of the things they found wrong or suspect will be problems in the future along with a detailed estimate. Depending on the issues you can book a separate time for them to come back and make the repairs, or if it is a simple fix they can handle even having it taken care of at that moment. While there is no pressure to replace a piece that is not yet broken, doing so can save you from the trauma that comes with an emergency heating and AC repair service in the middle of a thick Texas night. After all, no one wants to wake up to discover that they have no AC in their home.
One final benefit of an annual service call is the fact that most HVAC systems require it in order to keep your warranty valid. This is why an annual service call is a good idea even for homeowners that have a fairly new HVAC system. The last thing you want to do is have something go wrong with your HVAC system and then realize that your warranty has been voided because you didn’t pay for one low-cost maintenance visit during the year. The good news is with proper foresight you will hopefully never find yourself in this position.
Whether you need emergency heating and AC repair service or you are simply curious about booking an annual service call, One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth can help you. We are your local, Fort Worth, TX heating authority and service your neighbors regularly. Our certified and fully licensed HVAC technicians will be happy to take a look at any time of the day. Give us a call and we can set up your first appointment.