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4 Signs It’s Time To Call An Emergency Heating And AC Repair Service | Dallas, TX

4 Signs It’s Time To Call An Emergency Heating And AC Repair Service | Dallas, TX

Living in Texas means that your HVAC system is essential during most of the year. Summers get very hot, and it’s not uncommon for the temperature outside to reach 95 degrees or higher, and you need air conditioning to keep your home cool and comfortable. Winter days are relatively mild, with temperatures in the high 50s and low 60s, and you’ll need your heating system to keep your house warm. At night the temperature drops significantly, and your home can get dangerously cold if the furnace isn’t working properly.

Some HVAC issues can wait until you have time to schedule an appointment with an HVAC tech; however, some issues must be addressed immediately and require a call to an emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX.

HVAC issues that affect your home’s temperature or those that can put your home or family at risk are considered emergencies and must be repaired by an emergency heating and AC repair service immediately.

#1 The Air Conditioner Produces Warm Air

When the temperature outside reaches 90 degrees or higher, your air conditioner is essential in keeping your house cool and eliminating the humidity in the air. If the unit produces warm air, the temperature inside can reach 120 degrees, and you may need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX. The last thing you want is for you or a family member to suffer from a heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

The last thing you want is to waste time and money on an unnecessary service call, so it’s best to check a few things before calling a professional. First, make sure the thermostat is set correctly. It must be set to the cooling mode, and the temperature inside must be warmer than the setting on the thermostat for the unit to produce cold air. In addition, the fan must be set to auto. If you have it set to the on position, the fan will continue running between cycles, and you’ll feel warm air coming from the vents. If the thermostat isn’t set correctly, adjusting it will solve the problem.

Next, check the air filter. If you haven’t replaced the filter in a while, the dirt and grime on the filter will prevent air from moving through the unit, causing it to overheat and produce warm air, and replacing it now will solve the problem.

If the thermostat is set correctly and the air filter is clean, it’s time to call an emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX. A few issues can prevent the unit from producing cold air, and an HVAC tech can diagnose the problem. The potential causes include:

  • Faulty compressor: The indoor unit cannot produce cold air on its own and works with the outdoor compressor to keep your house cool. If there isn’t power going to the compressor or it isn’t working right, the unit won’t produce cold air.
    An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to find the problem and repair the compressor to restore the cold air.
  • Frozen evaporator coils: The evaporator coils are essential to your air conditioner because they extract the heat and humidity in the air to begin the cooling process. When the coils freeze, they can’t do their job, and a few issues can cause the coils to freeze, including:
    • Dirty evaporator coils
    • Clogged air filter
    • Poor airflow in the unit
    • You ran the AC when it was too cold outside.
  • An HVAC tech can thaw the coils to allow the system to begin the cooling process, and they’ll also figure out why the coils froze so you can prevent it from happening again.
  • Refrigerant leak: Your air conditioner relies on refrigerant to produce cold air, and if the supply is depleted due to a leak, you’ll feel warm air coming from the vents. Refrigerant leaks occur when acid eats away at the metal, creating tiny holes that allow the refrigerant to leak.
    An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to fix the leak and refill the refrigerant, but only if the unit was installed after 2010. If the unit was installed before 2010, the leak can be fixed, but the tech won’t have the necessary refrigerant to refill the unit. Older models use R-22 refrigerant, which the EPA deemed toxic and harmful to the ozone layer, and it was banned in the United States on January 1, 2020. Without the correct refrigerant to refill the unit, the only option is to replace your air conditioner.

Your house will become dangerously hot if the air conditioner cannot produce cold air, and it’s best to have the problem addressed immediately.

#2 The Furnace Produces Cold Air

If your furnace isn’t producing warm air, it will get just as cold inside as it is outside, and dressing in layers won’t help much. The best thing you can do for your family is to call an emergency heating and AC repair service, but you should check a couple of things first to avoid an unnecessary service call.

First, make sure the thermostat is set to the heating mode, it’s colder inside than the thermostat setting, and the fan is set to auto. Next, check the air filter to ensure it isn’t covered in dirt and grime that will cause the unit to overheat. If everything checks out on your end, it’s time to call an HVAC professional. A few issues can prevent the unit from producing warm air, and you’ll need a professional to determine which issue is affecting the unit so it can be resolved.

  • Faulty pilot: The pilot creates a small blue flame that ignites the fuel being pumped into the main burner. When the furnace kicks on, the fuel is released through a valve and comes into contact with the pilot light, where it’s ignited and produces heat.
    If the pilot isn’t working, the heating process won’t begin, and you’ll feel cold air coming from the vents.
    An emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX can send a tech to fix the pilot to allow the heating process to start.
  • Dirty flame detector: If you have a newer furnace, it likely doesn’t have a pilot and has a flame detector that ensures each heating cycle is completed. If the flame detector is covered in dirt and grime, the unit will lose heat quickly and will produce warm air.
    An HVAC tech can clean the component to get the unit up and running again, and they can sanitize it to prevent the problem from happening again.
  • Clogged condensate hose: Modern furnaces have condensate drain lines that remove moisture from the unit. When the line gets clogged, the burners will deactivate, and you’ll feel cool air coming from the vents.
    An emergency heating and AC repair service can send a tech to unclog the line and restore the heat in your house.

Furnace issues can cause your home to get very cold very fast, so it’s best to call a professional as soon as the problem starts.

#3 Foul Odors

A foul odor when the heater or air conditioner runs may not seem like a significant cause for concern, but the odor could indicate an issue that can put your home and family at risk. It’s not uncommon to smell dust when you run the air conditioner for the first time during the cooling season and your furnace when you run it during the first time of the heating season, but the smell will dissipate within a few minutes.

If either unit produces any of the following smells, you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX immediately.

  • Mold: A moldy smell often indicates mold in the air ducts. The ducts are hidden behind walls, under the floors, or above the ceiling for aesthetic purposes, and it’s dark inside. When it gets humid in the house, condensation will form in the ducts, creating the perfect environment for mold growth, and the smell is the least of your problems.
    When you run the heat or air conditioner, mold spores will circulate in the air, putting your and your family at risk for mold-related health issues, including:
    • Allergy symptoms
    • Burning eyes, nose and throat
    • Skin rashes
    • Chronic headaches
    • Respiratory issues
    • Weakened immune system
    • Worsens chronic lung or respiratory conditions
  • An emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX will send a tech to your house to inspect the air ducts for mold. If they find mold in the air ducts, it can be eradicated with an antimicrobial fogger, which will also prevent future mold growth. They’ll also recommend having the air ducts professionally cleaned every three to five years to detect the problem early if it happens again.
    If the ducts are clean and you smell mold when the air conditioner runs, it could be in the unit. This often occurs if the air conditioner is maintained regularly, and can be more challenging to eradicate. If the tech cannot eliminate every spore, replacing the unit is the only way to ensure you and your family remain healthy.
  • Rotten eggs: If you smell rotten eggs when the furnace runs, you have a very serious problem on your hands. The odor indicates a gas leak that can cause an explosion, and you must turn off the heat, get everyone out of the house immediately, and call 911. The fire department will cut the gas service to your house and open the windows to air out of the house. When it’s safe to go back inside you cannot turn the heat back on, and should call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
    A tech will fix the gas leak so your gas service can be restored, and you can turn the heat on.
  • Burning: A burning smell indicates a wiring issue that can start an electrical fire that can destroy your house in minutes. The smell is caused by the wire insulation burning, and you should turn the heat off immediately and call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
    The tech can inspect the HVAC system to find the faulty wire so it can be fixed before a disaster occurs.

Foul odors should never be ignored, and must be addressed immediately to keep your home and family safe.

#4 Poor Airflow

You should feel a powerful rush of cold or warm air when the HVAC system runs, and minimal airflow requires a call to an emergency heating and AC repair service. Poor airflow can affect your home’s temperature, and will cause the unit to work harder to keep your home comfortable. This will cause the unit to consume more energy and your electric bills will increase. In addition, the extra work will strain the unit, reducing its lifespan.

A few issues can prevent adequate airflow, and an emergency heating and AC repair service in Dallas, TX, can send a tech to find the cause.

  • Clogged air ducts: The dirt and debris in your home can accumulate in the air ducts, preventing adequate airflow. When the HVAC system runs, the debris will circulate, affecting your home’s air quality.
    An HVAC tech can clean the ducts, eliminate the debris and restore adequate airflow.
  • Damaged air ducts: The air ducts are hidden; therefore, you won’t see visible damage. The heated or cool air will escape from the damaged area, resulting in poor airflow.
    An emergency heating and AC repair service will send a tech to inspect the ducts and repair the damage to restore adequate airflow.
  • Faulty blower: Your HVAC system has a blower designed for force the heated or air-conditioned air from the unit, through the ducts to the vents throughout your home. If the blower isn’t working correctly you’ll feel minimal airflow from the vents, and you should call an emergency heating and AC repair service.
    They will send a tech to repair or replace the blower, restoring adequate airflow.

Poor airflow will affect your home’s temperature, so it’s essential to call an emergency heating and AC repair service immediately.

Call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas

If you have an HVAC issue and need to call an emergency heating and AC repair service, look no further than One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas.

We’re a full-service HVAC company serving customers in the area since 1988. Our techs are professionally trained, NATE certified, and have the knowledge and experience to tackle the toughest jobs in the industry.

To schedule an appointment for HVAC service, ring us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas today.

Photo By Vivek Vishwa at Shutterstock