Problems That Require A Call To A Heating And AC Repair Company | Fort Worth, TX
You rely on your heating and cooling system to keep your home comfortable. When it gets hot during the summer months, you rely on your air conditioner to keep your home cool and eliminate the humidity. You rely on your furnace to keep your home warm and toasty during the cold summer months. If something goes wrong with either part of the HVAC system, it will be impossible to remain comfortable in your home.
When something goes wrong in their homes, some people will attempt a DIY repair to avoid paying a professional to handle the job, but you should never attempt an HVAC repair on your own. Your HVAC system is complex, and you should never work with electricity, gas, or oil-fueled appliances without the necessary training. One simple mistake can result in a disaster, so hiring a professional is best.
If your HVAC system experiences any of the following problems, it’s best to call a heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX.
#1 The Furnace Produces Cool Air
When you turn the furnace on, you expect to feel warm air coming from the vents throughout your house. If you feel cool air, you may need to call a heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX. Before making the call, you should check a few things to avoid an unnecessary service call for something you could handle yourself.
First, check the thermostat setting. It must be set to the heating mode, the fan should be set to auto, and it must be cooler in the house than the setting on the thermostat for the furnace to produce warm air.
Next, check the air filter. If you haven’t been replacing the filter according to schedule, the dirt and grime on the filter will prevent adequate airflow, causing the furnace to shut down.
Finally, check the fuel source. If the furnace runs on oil or propane, ensure there’s enough fuel in the tank. If you have a gas-fueled furnace, ensure your bills have been paid, and there isn’t an outage.
If everything checks out on your end, it’s time to call a heating and AC repair company.
When the temperature drops below freezing at night, your home can get dangerously cold, putting your family at risk, so it’s best to make the call immediately.
A few issues can prevent the furnace from producing warm air, including:
- Damaged pilot light: The pilot light ignites the burners to ensure the furnace produces heat. If there’s something wrong with the pilot light, the unit won’t produce warm air and should be fixed immediately by an HVAC professional.
- Dirty flame detector: Some furnaces don’t have pilot lights and have flame detectors. If the flame detector is covered with dirt and grime, the furnace will lose heat quickly and produce warm air. A heating and AC repair company can send a tech to clean the flame detector and sanitize it to prevent it from happening again.
- Clogged condensate line: Many furnaces have a condensate line designed to remove moisture from the unit. If there’s a block in the line, the burners will deactivate, causing the furnace to produce cool air.
An HVAC tech can figure out which issue is causing the problem so they can fix it, restoring the heat in your house.
#2 The Air Conditioner Produces Warm Air
Your air conditioner is designed to produce warm air and eliminate humidity to keep your home comfortable during the summer. If you feel warm air coming from the vents, you may need to call a heating and AC repair company. Before making the call, check a few things to avoid an unnecessary service call.
First, check the air filter. If it’s been a while since you replaced it, it could be covered in dirt and grime. A dirty air filter will prevent necessary airflow in the unit, causing it to overheat and shut down.
Next, check the thermostat. It must be set to the cooling mode, the fan has to be set to auto, and it must be warmer in the house than the setting on the thermostat.
If everything checks out on your end, you should call an HVAC tech immediately. Without a functioning air conditioner, your house can reach 120 degrees on a 90-degree day, putting your family at risk for heat-related conditions, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
A few issues can prevent the air conditioner from producing cold air, and you’ll need a heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX, to figure out which one is causing the trouble.
The potential problems include:
- Refrigerant leak: Refrigerant is essential for your air conditioner to produce cold air. Over time, acid can eat away at the metal cup that holds the refrigerant, creating tiny pinholes that allow the refrigerant to leak.
If the air conditioner was installed after 2010, a heating and AC repair company can send a tech to fix the leak and refill the refrigerant, and the cold air will be restored. If you installed your AC before 2010, you’d need to replace it with a newer model. Units built before 2010 use R-22 refrigerant, which is toxic and depletes the ozone layer. R-22 was banned in the United States on January 1, 2020, due to its harmful effects. The HVAC tech won’t bother fixing the leak because they won’t have R-22 to refill the unit. The only way to restore the cold air in your home is to replace the unit. - Frozen evaporator coils: The evaporator coils are essential in keeping your home cool and comfortable. They extract the heat and humidity from the air to begin the cooling process. If the coils are frozen, they can’t do their job, and you’ll feel warm air coming from the vents. A few issues can cause the coils to freeze, including:
- Dirty evaporator coils
- Poor airflow in the unit
- Dirty air filter
- Refrigerant problems
- Clogged drainpipe
- The AC ran when it was too cold outside.
- A heating and AC repair company can send a tech to thaw the coils to restore the cold air. They will also figure out what caused the coils to freeze, so it doesn’t happen again.
#3 Restricted Airflow
When the HVAC system runs, you should feel a powerful rush of cool or warm air from the vents. If there’s minimal airflow, it’s best to call a heating and AC repair company immediately.
Restricted airflow can cause expensive issues, such as high energy bills. Without adequate airflow, the system must work overtime to keep your home comfortable, and the extra work will cause your electric bills to increase. Also, the extra work will strain the HVAC system, reducing its maximum lifespan, and you’ll need to replace it sooner than necessary.
A few issues can restrict the airflow, and you’ll need a heating and AC repair company to figure out which one is the problem. The potential causes include:
- Clogged air ducts: Clogged air ducts are the most common cause of restricted airflow. The dirt, dust, and debris in your home can accumulate in the air ducts, and up to five pounds can accumulate in just one year. When too much debris builds up, it can prevent adequate airflow. Clogged ducts can do more than affect your home’s temperature and bank account and can also put your family’s health at risk. When the HVAC system runs, the debris in the ducts will circulate in the air, causing allergy symptoms.
An HVAC tech can clean the debris from the ducts, restoring adequate airflow. They’ll also recommend having the ducts cleaned every three to five years to prevent them from clogging again. - Damaged air ducts: The air ducts are hidden behind the walls, above the ceiling, or under the floor, depending on your home’s layout. Because the ducts are hidden, you won’t see any visible damage. Damage in the ducts can restrict airflow because the heated or cool air will escape from the damaged area before reaching the vents. A heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX, will send a tech to check the ducts for cracks, breaks, or failed sealant and make the necessary repair to restore adequate airflow.
- Broken blower: The heated or cool air cannot quickly get through the ducts to the vents and has a blower to force the air. If the blower isn’t working, you’ll feel minimal airflow from the vents and need to call a heating and AC repair company.
They will send a tech to your home to inspect the blower and determine if it can be fixed or if a replacement is the best option.
Restricted airflow and the issues that cause it can affect your family’s comfort and cost money; therefore, it’s best to have the problem resolved as quickly as possible.
#4 Foul Odors
Your HVAC system is designed to produce clean, odorless warm, or cold air. If you smell something strange in your house when the unit runs, it’s best to call a heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX, immediately. Foul odors should never be ignored because the cause of the smell can put your home and family at risk, and the odor can give you an idea of the cause and how to proceed before the HVAC tech arrives.
- Rotten eggs: A rotten egg smell indicates a gas leak, which is very serious and can cause an explosion. As soon as you detect the smell, turn off the heat, get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible, and call 911. The fire department will cut the gas to your home and air it out so it’s safe to go back inside. Next, call a heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX. The gas service cannot be restored until the leak is fixed, so you can’t turn on the heat.
An HVAC tech will fix the leak, the gas can be restored, and you can turn on the heat, ensuring your house stays warm and toasty. - Burning: A burning smell when the HVAC runs indicates a wiring issue, and you’re smelling the burning wire insulation. This is serious because wiring issues can start an electrical fire that can destroy your home in minutes.
It’s best to turn off the unit immediately and call a heating and AC repair company in Fort Worth, TX. They’ll send tech to repair the wiring, so it will be safe to use the HVAC system. - Mold: A moldy smell when the HVAC system runs indicates mold in the air ducts, which can put your family’s health at risk. When the HVAC system runs, mold spores will circulate in the air, putting your family at risk for health conditions related to mold exposure.
A heating and AC repair company will send a tech to inspect the ducts for mold, which can be eradicated with an antimicrobial fogger, ensuring the air is safe for your family to breathe.
Ignoring foul odors can be hazardous to your home and family, so it’s best to call a heating and AC repair company as quickly as possible.
Call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth Today
If your HVAC system is acting up and you need to call a heating and AC repair company, look no further than One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth. We’re a full-service HVAC company, providing service to customers in the area since 1988, and many of our customers have been working with us for over 30 years.
Our techs are highly trained, licensed, and NATE-certified. They also have the knowledge and skill to handle the most challenging jobs in the HVAC industry. They also receive ongoing training to ensure they can install, maintain and repair the latest HVAC models.
If you have a problem that can’t wait or starts on a weekend or holiday, don’t panic. We’ll get tech to your home as quickly as possible to resolve the problem.
To schedule an appointment with our heating and AC repair company, give us a call today.