Top 5 HVAC Emergencies: How To Identify & Prevent Them In Your Home
A comfortable home means your HVAC system is in excellent working condition. However, like all machines, parts of your system tend to wear out over time. As a result, this wear and tear lead to unwanted HVAC emergencies. When these occur, the comfort within your home is disrupted. You might end up without heat in the middle of a cold winter evening. Likewise, you may go without cold air in the scorching heat of the summer months. Regardless an HVAC emergency is not a desirable situation.
Top Five HVAC Emergencies: Identify & Prevent Them In Your Home
Contents
This article lists the top five HVAC emergencies that many homes experience. This way, you know how to identify and prevent them from escalating. In some cases, you can even prevent them from occurring at all. This will help in keeping your unit in tiptop shape for a long time.
Electrical Issue
The most common electrical HVAC problem is a blown fuse. To determine if this is the case, check the breaker. Another frequent issue is contactors. This is the compact device used to switch the electrical current in your system on and off. A worn-out contactor will prevent your system from completing a complete electrical cycle. Whereas, a contactor that is sticking will cause the system to run without stopping.
Signs to look out for:
- Unit is not switching on
- The system is running continuously
- Burning smell from your system
Refrigerant Leak
The refrigerant is a mixture that is vital in the cooling process of your air conditioner. It passes through refrigerant lines that connect the compressor from the outside unit to the indoor air handler. The refrigerant line tends to wear out as time passes. This can result in holes and gaps where the coolant can leak through. When the refrigerant level is reduced, this disrupts your HVAC system’s ability to produce cold air.
Signs to look out for:
- HVAC unit overrunning
- The air from the vents isn’t as cold as it should be
- Frozen refrigerant lines
- A hissing sound is heard from the refrigerant lines
- A sudden increase in the electric bill
Problems With A Clogged Drain Line
The accumulated water from the evaporator coil is drained off via the drain line and into the drain pan. As time passes, algae and muck can form in the drain line and block it. The water isn’t properly drained and can back up into your system. Unfortunately, this can lead to water damage not only to your system but to your house as well.
Signs to look out for:
- Water leakage from the indoor air handler
- Mold or rust near or on the unit
- Unusually damp indoor air atmosphere
Negative Air Pressure
When your HVAC system is returning less air than it pulled out from your home, it means that there is negative air pressure. The air might also be pulled outside through the basement, attic, windows, doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures, and other crawl spaces within your home. However, leaky ductwork is seen as the most common cause of negative air pressure inside your home.
Signs to look out for:
- Uneven room temperatures
- Doors suddenly opening or closing on their own
- Whistling noises
- Random air drafts around your home
Gas Leak
A heating system that runs on natural gas puts your home at risk for a gas leak. It is the most dangerous of all heating problems. Leakage happens when disconnection and cracks occur in the gas line. This should always be addressed immediately and properly as gas leaks can lead to an explosion.
Signs to look out for:
- The smell of gas or rotting eggs
- Hissing or whistling sound
- Preventing HVAC Problems
As homeowners, it is vital to conduct regular sight checks on your HVAC system to ensure that it is in excellent working condition. Ensure that the ducts, fans, coil, air filters, and other parts are clean. It would help if you also looked into signs of blockages in the drain line and possible water damage.
The best preventative measure you can do, however, is to have your heating and cooling system maintained by a professional HVAC technician. It is recommended that tune-ups be conducted at least once a year. This way, all issues are addressed as soon as possible. In some cases, you can even prevent the problem from happening at all.
Call McAllister Energy For Your Home HVAC Requirements
McAllister Energy prioritizes your home’s energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and comfort. We do this by providing you with high-quality heating and cooling services in the area. Our licensed and NATE certified technicians offer HVAC maintenance, installations, repairs, and replacements, among other HVAC services. We guarantee that we have the right tools, experience, and skills to do the job correctly and on time every time.
Rest assured that with McAllister Energy on the job, you will receive the most competitive heating and cooling service costs in the area. When you want to replace your old HVAC system, we will help you from start to finish, from choosing the best-suited one to testing the system in your home. All these we can do while making sure that we do not stray away from your set budget. Schedule an appointment with us today to receive a free, in-home estimate.
You can click here to contact us now or call us at (856) 665-4545 to find out more!