Everyday Questions About Heating And AC Repair | Azle, TX
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As a new homeowner you have to learn how to do a lot of things, and most of the time you don’t have time to learn any basics before dealing with problems. Between a full suite of kitchen appliances, a water heater, flooring, locks, painting, roofing, landscaping, trees, and more you can feel pretty overwhelmed pretty quickly as a new homeowner in Azle, TX. This doesn’t even include the fact that now you have to take control of weekly tasks like mowing, weeding, and pest control. Therefore, it is only normal if you are caught off-guard when you suddenly need heating and AC repair.
It is easy to feel like you are running in so many directions that you don’t have time to check on things, but when your AC stops working the only thing you will suddenly be thinking about is heating and AC repair. After calling a local HVAC company in Azle, TX, this is a good time to stop and learn a bit about your HVAC machine and the most common questions homeowners have about it. Learning a few basics can help you feel more prepared the next time you need a repair, and also help you delay the time until the next time you need heating and AC repair.
Learning about the major appliances in your home is worth your time, especially given how much your HVAC system costs. The smartest homeowners make sure to protect their investment and also keep their energy bills low, and keeping up with your HVAC system are two ways to make sure that that happens. Here are a few of the most common HVAC questions and their answers. Of course, whenever you have a timely HVAC question, contact your local heating and AC repair for an authoritative answer. We are always here to help from emergency services to general inquiries.
Why Does My Furnace Keep Running?
Have you noticed that your furnace never turns off? If the temperatures are frigid this can occur as the furnace has to fight harder to keep up with the cold temperatures outside, but if you live in Azle, TX this is a very unlikely scenario. What is more likely is that something is wrong with your thermostat and it is not reading the temperature in your home correctly. A furnace should never run non-stop because not only is it terribly energy consuming, but it means that it is not effectively maintaining the temperature in your home.
The one thing you might do is attempt to restart your thermostat and also check to see if the air blowing out of your vents is actually warm. If it is not then there may be something wrong with your heat pump. If restarting your thermostat does not help then it is time to contact your local heating and AC repair company for further help. This is not something you want to wait around with, because the costs of continually paying for a furnace that doesn’t turn off will rise quickly and you will be shocked when you open up your bill.
What Is Rapid Cycling?
Rapid cycling is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the HVAC world, and you may have even heard a heating and A repair technician mention it while working on your system. Wondering what that means? Rapid cycling is when your HVAC system continually turns on and off. This can happen to both your furnace and your AC system, and regardless of which one is rapid cycling, it is a big problem.
Throughout the day you will probably notice your HVAC system turns on and runs for a while and then turns off. In theory your HVAC system only runs until the temperature you set your thermostat to is reached. If you spend a lot of time at home, or even if you don’t, you should be familiar with how often this occurs. In fact, it is probably something that happens in the background that you hardly notice anymore.
However, if you notice that your HVAC system is now cycling constantly then you have an issue that requires heating and AC repair. Rapid cycling means that your furnace or AC is unable to maintain the temperature in your home, which indicates that something is wrong with your HVAC system. It could be that a part is bad or needs to be replaced, or it could also indicate that something is wrong with your thermostat and it is mis-reading the temperature in your home.
At any rate, prompt heating and AC repair is important because rapid cycling will increase the wear and tear on your HVAC system and drive up your energy bill. More cycles mean more stress on our HVAC system and that is the one thing you want to avoid if you are trying to stretch out its lifespan. The longer this happens, the higher the chance that you are going to have to deal with additional expenses.
In addition, the most expensive part of heating or cooling a home is when the cycle first kicks on. Your HVAC machine consumes the most energy during its first few seconds of turning on. It stands to reason therefore that the more your machine powers up throughout the day the more energy it will consume, which means the more money you will spend. WIth that in mind, it is a lot cheaper to just call and pay for heating and AC repair to fix the problem once and for all.
Will a Smart Thermostat Really Work?
These days home improvement goals seem to be focused around smart technology, so you might be wondering whether or not a smart thermostat is worth the investment. Outside of the cost of the thermostat you will need to call a heating and AC repair company to install it, but in most cases the upfront expenses are worth it.
When used correctly smart thermostats are a great way to reduce your energy consumption and save money. You can control a smart thermostat while not at home which makes it easy to adjust the temperature in your home while you are not there. Lowering or raising the temperature based on the season by five degrees or more while you are not at home can help you save a lot of money on energy bills. Simply turn your thermostat back up about 20 minutes before you get home and you won’t have to be uncomfortable to save money or avoid heating and AC repair costs. You shouldn’t have to sit in the cold to have affordable energy bills, and a smart thermostat is one great way to start.
Sometimes My HVAC System Makes Noise; Should I Worry?
One of the most common reasons that people reach out to a heating and AC repair company is because they notice their HVAC system is making noises. Most people also do one of two things, they decide to wait to see if the noise stops or they ignore the problem altogether since the system is still cooling or heating their Azle, TX. Neither of these are the right decisions.
Your HVAC machine should never make any noises. In fact, any odd noise is an instant indication that something is wrong with your system. Some noises are even more concerning than others. For instance, a whistling sound can indicate a high amount of pressure and even possibly a leak. Any grinding or squealing noises can mean that a component is broken and the pieces are grinding against each other. If you don’t take prompt action, eventually your entire system will shut down and you will need emergency heating and AC repair service. The best thing you can do is avoid that scenario by treating every odd noise as a problem and promptly getting help.
Keep in mind that no matter how long you wait, that odd noise you hear coming from your HVAC machine will not get better, the damage inside your machine will just get worse. Even if it goes away temporarily, it still indicates that something is not functioning inside of your machine and it is a safe bet that you will find out the hard way that you need heating and AC repair.
How Long Will My HVAC System Last?
An HVAC system is the most expensive appliance in your home, so if you just purchased a new home it is only reasonable that you want to know how long you have left on the HVAC system. This is actually very smart, because if you buy a home with an older machine you may want to start budgeting to replace it so that you aren’t caught off guard when it finally does go. Most HVAC systems can last anywhere between 12 to 20 years depending on whether or not they have been serviced annually, the manufacturer, and how well they were installed.
However, it is important to remember that just because your HVAC system can last 20 years does not mean that it should. At some point, you have to decide if you want to keep investing in heating and AC repair or if it would be cheaper, in the long run, to bite the bullet and install a new system. Usually, if you need heating and AC repair more than twice a year it is time to heavily start considering a new unit. Also, you need to keep in mind that within the last 20 years a lot of energy-conserving advancements have been made. Therefore, even though you can keep using your HVAC system, it may cost you a lot more energy costs to do so.
Do I Really Need to Have My HVAC System Serviced Every Year?
As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended that you have your HVAC system serviced every year for a variety of reasons. First of all, most HVAC warranties require annual servicing to keep them valid. Therefore, you really need to book a service call so that if something does happen you are not out the cost of an entirely new machine.
Second, regular servicing is actually the best way to avoid paying for unexpected heating and AC repair. During a service call, the HVAC tech will look carefully at all of the moving components of your HVAC system and if they notice anything is starting to wear or is broken, they will recommend replacement. Proactively staying ahead of heating and AC repairs is the best way to save money because it’s not likely one part will damage multiple parts instead of just one. The longer a broken part is allowed to operate the more likely costly damage is to occur.
Finally, annual servicing is the best way to ensure that your HVAC system makes it to its full lifespan. Systems that are cleaned and maintained regularly are much more likely to make it closer to the 15-20 year mark than systems that are not. So if you don’t want to wake up to discover that your Azle, TX HVAC system has stopped working, it’s a good idea to go ahead and book that heating and AC repair service visit.
Whether you are ready to book a service visit or are concerned about another aspect of HVAC care, One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth is always happy to help. We have been serving your Azle, TX neighbors for years, and as certified and licensed HVAC technicians have built up a reputation of providing excellent heating and AC repair services. Give us a call today and we can take a look at the health of your system.