8 Signs It Is Time For Heating And AC Repair | Dallas, TX
Owning a home is a big responsibility. It is certainly something to celebrate and is a great milestone to achieve. The Dallas, TX, housing market is tight, so closing on a home and then moving in is something you should be excited about. Therefore, you should take a few minutes to indulge in decorating your home and working on your landscape- you deserve it. After you get done working on the more enjoyable aspects of being a homeowner, you need to step back and think about the new tasks that you need to worry about as a homeowner.
Unlike when you were a renter, you can’t just call a landlord when you have a problem or suspect you need help with heating and AC repair. Now you have to take care of the problems on your own. This means both noticing that there is an issue with your home and then taking the reins and calling the proper professionals for help with the problem. Suddenly, owning a house might cease to be as much fun, especially when you have to start budgeting for these types of emergencies and dealing with off-the-cuff issues.
The good news is that there are helpful guides that can help new homeowners accumulate into life as a homeowner. Not every single heating and AC repair has to be an emergency, and sometimes it isn’t really that big of a deal. In fact, the more you stay on top of things like heating and AC repair, the less of a problem or emergency it is likely to be. The real secret to being a great homeowner is simply to keep an eye on all of the major systems within your home. Proactive repair is always the best way to keep your home in great shape.
Keep in mind that there are many systems within your home working together to keep you safe and comfortable. While you may notice things like your AC system more than others, you are dependent on your heating and cooling system, plumbing system, electrical system, and the other major appliances in your home. All of these things need to be working together to ensure that you remain comfortable within your home.
Now that you know what areas of your home to watch, the trick is learning how to identify and recognize the signs that something might be wrong. After all, you cannot call for proactive heating and AC repair if you don’t realize that something is going wrong with your HVAC system. This guide aims to help the average Dallas, TX, homeowner learn more about their HVAC system so that they can get help if they need it. In the following, we will take a closer look at the top eight signs it is time for heating and AC repair and how you can get help if you notice one of these signs. We will also talk about the need for regular maintenance, so you can ensure your HVAC system is always operating at its most efficient.
Odd Noises from Your Unit
One of the first indications that you may need to find an HVAC company to come out to your home for heating and AC repair in Dallas, TX is odd noises coming from your HVAC unit. A lot of new homeowners mistakenly think that an odd noise from their AC unit is normal. However, even if a noise always seems to have been there, you need to have it checked out. The truth is that no noise is ever normal for an HVAC unit to make.
The other common mistake is to think that the noise will go away if you just wait long enough. While it is true that noise may start to diminish, this is usually because the broken component is not placing pressure on another piece, and the noise will come back even worse. Alternatively, it may stop when your entire HVAC system just breaks down and quits working. Neither of these is an appealing situation to find yourself in.
Therefore, if you hear any type of noise coming from your AC unit, the best thing you can do is call a heating and AC repair company to come to check it out. Common noises that mean something is malfunctioning within your HVAC unit include whistling, squealing, banging, and mechanical noises. All of these require your attention immediately so that further damage to your HVAC system doesn’t occur.
Warm Air Blowing Out of Vents
Another clear sign that you need to get help from a heating and AC repair company is if you notice that warm or lukewarm air is blowing out of your air vents. While this is okay during the winter months, most residents of Dallas, TX, rely on their AC systems more than their heating systems. Therefore, if it is the middle of summer and the air blowing through your air vents is not properly chilled, you know there is an issue that needs to be investigated.
Of course, the flip side is if you notice that the air is lukewarm or cool during the winter month instead of warm. Regardless of the situation, if the air blowing out of your home air vents does not match the current temperature you want within your home, you need to call for heating and AC repair. A lot of times, this is an indication that your air filter needs to be cleaned or something has happened to your compressor. An HVAC professional can help you get to the bottom of the issue quickly so you can return to enjoying your home.
Air Flow Feels Diminished
Another sign that something has gone array with your HVAC system is diminished air flow. In this situation, the air that is coming out of your HVAC vents will be the right temperature, but it will not be plentiful. Most homeowners have a general idea of how the air coming out of their vents feels. If it seems to have dropped down to a trickle or a gentle breeze, then it may be time to consult a heating and AC repair company.
This is usually caused by something obstructing the airflow in your heating and cooling ducts or near the filter. Sometimes it can be caused by a larger problem, which a heating professional can assess and help you get to the bottom of. Instead of guessing what is wrong, it is more useful to just consult with a heating and AC repair company.
Refrigerant Leak
If you have any reason to suspect you have a refrigerant leak in your Dallas, TX home, you need to call a heating and AC repair company right away. There are several issues with leaking refrigerant outside of the simple fact that your AC will not cool properly without it.
The most pressing issue is the fact that refrigerant is highly toxic. You do not want children or pets to get anywhere near it because it could kill or harm them. With that in mind, it is useful to know that your AC should never produce enough condensation that it would leak. Some people overlook a leak because they think the AC must just have a lot of condensation on it, but this is a scenario that will never happen. If you notice moisture near your AC, you need to call for heating and AC repair promptly.
Utility Bills Are Increasing
No one likes to see their utility bills increase, but sometimes there are valid reasons, such as the price of crude oil increasing once again. However, if there is no good reason for why your utility bill has just jumped up by more than 25% or more, you need to talk to a heating and AC repair company.
One of the major problems with HVAC systems is that they don’t work as efficiently as they age. Aging components, rust, and normal wear and tear can all reduce how effectively an HVAC system works, leading to a breakdown or high utility bills. Instead of balking at a high utility bill, use it as your reminder to call for heating and AC repair so that you can get things back on track.
You Notice Odd Odors
There are certain odors that you should never smell in your home, and some of these odors can attempt to wade out of your air vents. If you notice them coming out of your air vents, you need to call for heating and AC repair immediately.
One of these odors is a stale, musty, or mildew-like smell. This indicates that mold is probably growing inside of your air ducts which can turn into a health issue very quickly. It doesn’t take much moisture for mold to grow, so a child dropping a small amount of liquid near an air vent is all it takes to encourage mold growth.
Another odd odor that is alarming is the smell of natural gas. Often described as rotten eggs, if you smell anything suspicious that makes you wary, you need to turn off your HVAC system right away and call a heating and AC repair company for help. This is not something that you should wait to figure out, as a gas leak can be highly explosive and deadly.
The Thermostat Is Not Reading Correctly
While not quite as alarming, if your thermostat is not reading the temperature of your home correctly, you need to contact a heating and AC repair company to get to the bottom of the issue. This can actually lead to high heating and cooling bills since your HVAC unit continues to cycle even once it reaches the right temperature since the thermostat thinks that the temperature is not correct.
Conversely, it can make your home very uncomfortable if your thermostat is miscalculating the temperature in your home in the other direction. In this scenario, it may be 80 degrees inside of your Dallas, TX, home, but your thermostat thinks that it is 72 degrees, so the air does not turn on. Either way, you want to get to the bottom of the issue, which you can do with help from an HVAC professional.
Increased Home Humidity
If you notice that your home is cooling, but you are still not comfortable with it because you are always sticky, then you probably have an issue with high humidity inside of your home. In addition to cooling your home, your AC is also supposed to remove humidity from the air. If it is not doing its job right, it can prompt mold to grow on your personal property, and it will also make you incredibly uncomfortable during the summer months. This is another area where you want to talk to an HVAC professional right away.
Ice Popping Up on Evaporator Coils
This is an easy one to spot, but not an easy one to fix. Especially if you don’t realize that ice should not be on the evaporator coils. Some people ignore it because they think that the AC must be producing ice since it is so cold, but really this means there is a leak and you need to address the issue right away before it gets worse. This is another one of the heating and AC repair tasks that should only be handled by a professional.
Have you noticed one of the above-mentioned issues in your Texas home? If you have problems with your HVAC system, don’t wait a minute longer to find a solution. Contact One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas, and we will send an HVAC technician out to your home to find a solution that will restore the comfort of your Dallas, TX, home.