How to Handle a Heating and AC Emergency | Fort Worth, TX
For the most part, the problems you have with the HVAC system in your Fort Worth, TX, home aren’t a huge deal. However, some problems are a lot more severe than others, so you never know when you’re going to need emergency repairs. The most important thing you can do in terms of handling HVAC emergencies is know which problems constitute an emergency and what you can do when they occur. If you’re wondering when an HVAC problem is bad enough to warrant a call to an emergency heating and AC professional, here are some of the basics you need to know.
No Heat or Air Conditioning
While it might not seem like a huge deal to some people, a complete lack of heat or air conditioning can be a big problem for some. For most HVAC repair companies, a lack of warm or cool air is the biggest problem when it comes to emergencies.
When it’s 100-plus degrees outside and you’re sitting inside your home all day, you need to have a good cooling system on your side. The unfortunate truth is there are a lot of problems that can cause your air conditioner to blow warm air, and the same is true for your heater with cool air. When you’ve got a problem like this in your Fort Worth, TX, home, it’s a good reason to make an emergency phone call—especially if you have elderly people living in your home.
The good news about problems involving a lack of warm or cool air is that they’re often related to the air filter. Since your heating and AC require proper airflow to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home, having a dirty air filter can cause major problems when it comes to your HVAC system.
Electrical Problems
Some of the biggest problems you can have with the HVAC system in your Fort Worth, TX, home are electrical problems. The biggest issue with having electrical-related HVAC problems is the fact that electrical problems always carry with them some level of fire hazard. Since heating and AC often runs on electricity, a wiring or circuitry problem can be a major issue.
If you smell an electrical burning smell or have any problem with your heating or cooling system that could indicate an electrical problem, you should have a professional look at it right away. Not only is it not safe to inspect electrical components of your HVAC system if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s a bad idea to make electrical repairs if you aren’t qualified to do so.
Frozen Unit/Coils
While it doesn’t normally get incredibly cold in Fort Worth, TX, there’s no predicting what’s going to happen weather wise. If it does get too cold and the air is too moist, one thing you need to watch out for is your outdoor AC unit freezing.
A frozen AC unit isn’t always caused by outdoor temperatures, however. In many cases, an AC unit will freeze because of a problem with the defrost cycle that’s built into the unit. When you’ve got a problem with your unit’s defrost cycle, you need to have a heating and AC specialist take a look at it.
Another possibility in terms of freezing is frozen coils. If you run your AC at too low of a setting or run it when it’s too cold outside, the coils may freeze and cause serious heating and AC problems. This is one of those things you should immediately call a professional for because you can cause a lot of damage by running an AC unit when it’s frozen.
Clogged Condensate Line
To create the cool air that goes to your home, your AC uses refrigerant as well as condenser and evaporator coils. This process creates excess moisture which is collected in the condensate drain pan and sent through the condensate drain line. When this line becomes clogged, your AC unit can leak due to an excess of moisture.
The best thing you can do to make sure you don’t have a problem with clogged condensate drain lines is have a heating and AC maintenance company clean out your condensate drain pan and drain line a couple times each year. Not only can the leaks from condensate drain lines be a real nuisance depending on where they occur, they can also cost you a lot of money in terms of the air conditioner problems they can cause.
Refrigerant Leaks
One thing you should keep an eye out for when it comes to the air conditioner in your is the refrigerant. Every AC unit uses refrigerant to create cold air, and that refrigerant has to run through lines to get where it needs to go. When there’s a problem with one of these lines, you may have a refrigerant leak that leaves you with a broken air conditioner.
If you suspect you may have a refrigerant leak, you should have a heating and AC expert take a look at the spot where you think the leak is occurring. Even if it isn’t a refrigerant leak, there may be another leak that’s causing a problem.
One of the biggest worries when it comes to refrigerant leaks is that it’s not a good idea to be exposed to refrigerant. When you have a heating and AC specialist deal with your refrigerant leak, they can use the proper equipment to limit their exposure to the refrigerant.
The Simple Way
If you want to make sure you’re prepared for HVAC emergencies, you need to know what can go wrong with your heating and cooling systems. Beyond that, you need to have a heating and AC expert you can count on to get the important problems fixed in a hurry. Fortunately for you, One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth, TX, has you covered. Next time you need an HVAC professional to help with an emergency, call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating at (817) 283-6911.