How A Technician Handles High Static Pressure AC Repair | Irving, TX
HVAC systems play a silent but critical role in the overall comfort of your home. When the temperatures at your Irving, TX, home are comfortable and nice, you might not think much about the appliance that works to maintain this pleasant environment. You can imagine the HVAC unit malfunctioning on a summer or winter night; the frustrations and discomforts it might bring. Whenever your air conditioning unit runs into a problem that prevents it from effectively cooling or heating your home properly, you might start wondering, what is happening to your HVAC system?
Like all electrical appliances, an HVAC system also runs into problems. Since it comprises many mechanical and electrical components, some of them are bound to start malfunctioning, reducing its cooling or heating efficiency. From overheating, compressor issues, fan not rotating, clogged filters, and furnace issues to refrigerant leaks, many problems might impact your HVAC system’s efficiency. However, one other problem is static pressure. Whatever the problem, you should have an AC repair technician come over for a further inspection. Additionally, homeowners are advised to perform routine maintenance to ensure that their units run efficiently. So, what is static pressure?
Defining Static Pressure
Static pressure refers to the amount of resistance to the airflow in various components of your HVAC system. For instance, there may be high pressure in the air ducts. Issues with static pressure lead to discomfort and other problems at your home. Fortunately, visible indicators of high static pressure in your HVAC should prompt you to call an AC repair technician for further inspection and repair.
Indicators of High HVAC Static Pressure
The three main signs that your HVAC system might be experiencing static high pressure include high energy utility bills, a noisy system, and uneven cooling and heating. However, these problems aren’t exclusive to high static pressure. However, if you notice all of them at once, then there is a high probability that you are dealing with a high static pressure issue.
Uneven Cooling and Heating
Commonly known as having cold and hot spots, this arises when some parts of your home are not at your preferred temperatures. In most instances, this is caused by weak air circulation in some parts of your system. This is to mean that air isn’t flowing through the air ducts. Hence, it isn’t effectively and sufficiently cooling your indoor spaces.
Have you noticed this at your Irving, TX, home? Enlist the services of an AC repair technician to inspect and identify the cause of the problem. If they notice the high static pressure, they will take the necessary steps to resolve the problem.
Higher Energy Bills
Have you noticed an unexplained increase in your heating and cooling utility bills? The issue may be with your HVAC system. Even if your heating and air conditioning system has a problem, it does its best to cool or heat the air and circulate it throughout your home. When the air circulation meets resistance, such as clogged air filters, it strains and puts in more effort to circulate the air into various rooms in your home.
However, more effort means that the unit will use more resources. Hence, you’ll have to pay more on energy utility bills. Whether the problem is high static pressure or any other cause, you should get the unit checked by an AC repair technician. If the heating and air conditioning system works hard for a long time, some of its components strain and will eventually break down.
A Noisy System
Have you heard air rushing? Or, have you noticed loud mechanical sounds? All these are indicators of a problem with your HVAC system. As mentioned above, the furnace will work hard if there is air resistance. Therefore, you might hear or notice the issues above. When operating at a maximum capacity, the blower motor produces more noise. Meanwhile, you might also hear air getting drawn in or out of your vents. Whenever you notice this, have an AC repair technician inspect the unit and resolve the issue of high static pressure.
Constant Repairs
Additionally, you might discover that you frequently contact technicians to fix your HVAC system. Another option is frequently trying do-it-yourself fixes, which may end up causing more harm to the system. Call professional AC repair technicians near you to determine the cause of the problem rather than fiddling with this crucial system, which may be causing irreparable damage. You might also injure yourself in the process. AC repairs should be left to licensed professionals.
Leaks
Your home’s heating and cooling system may be experiencing problems with static pressure if you’ve noticed puddles around your Irving, TX, home or on HVAC system parts for no apparent reason. Whether the leaks are caused by problems with the high static pressure or otherwise, this is a problem that you should leave to AC repair professionals. Consider the potentially harmful interaction between water and electricity. Before scheduling an AC repair, find from the technicians what safety steps or precautions you should take.
Continued Discomfort
You might be concerned about what would occur if you just let these problems persist without being fixed. You won’t be able to feel completely comfortable at your home if static pressure issues continue. There could always be uncomfortably hot or cold areas in the house. Furthermore, these problems are expected to worsen as the static pressure issues intensify. Thus, an AC repair technician inspects the unit and affects the necessary repairs.
Unbalanced Static Pressure
Old System or Equipment
Worn-out appliance pieces or old HVAC systems could cause high static pressure problems. Like all other electrical appliances, the components of the HVAC system will start breaking down. If your HVAC system is over 20 years old, you might want to upgrade. Besides the static pressure problems, it also means that you’ll be paying more for electricity utility bills. Hence, if you’re using the same heating and air conditioning system used for years by your grandparents, it may be time to call an AC repair technician to install a new unit.
Home Expansion
Recent home renovations may also cause static pressure issues in your HVAC system. Probably you’ve added another room to your home or had a technician put up a place where family members can relax on those winter evenings. This means that your home’s heating demands have changed. Hence, the system will have to work harder to cool your Irving, TX, home, resulting in static pressure problems. AC repair professionals will have to inspect the system and see the upgrades necessary to meet the evolving heating and cooling demands.
Poor Installation
Have you moved into a new house recently? Or have you recently renovated or upgraded your HVAC system? Problems with static pressure might arise rather unexpectedly. For instance, static pressure issues might arise if the installation or renovation job is poorly completed. Installation of an HVAC system is a job that must be done by an experienced and licensed AC repair technician. If the job is completed improperly, you’ll have to enlist the services of a different professional for repairs.
Dirty Air Filters
While problems with the heating and air conditioning systems need a major overhaul, others can be resolved through cleaning. One such problem is dirty air filters. Based on the HVAC system installed at your home, you may be able to clean the filters yourself. However, it is recommended to hire an AC repair technician in Irving, TX, and retain their heating and air conditioning system maintenance services. Further, it is recommended that the filters be replaced periodically to ensure that you have high-quality air.
Further Damage
Allowing problems caused by static pressure to develop further might damage your heating and air conditioning system. Rather than having only one cold or warm spot at your home, you might have to deal with a home without any conditioned air. The extra efforts that the components of the HVAC system have put in to compensate for the problems caused by static pressure might result in your HVAC system failing.
What Causes High Static Pressure in the Air Ducts
High static pressure in your air ducts includes:
- Too restrictive or clogged air filters.
- Undersized air returns.
- Too small or dirty indoor coils.
Before purchasing an HVAC system, have an AC repair professional take some measurements. They can tell you the right-sized air returns and air filters. You can begin by regularly changing the air filters to avert some of these issues.
Too Restrictive or Clogged Air Filters
By nature, your system’s air filters affect the airflow. However, if everything works properly, it doesn’t impact the airflow. The benefits of regularly replacing and cleaning the air filters largely outweigh the air pressure issues. The air filters act as a screen. The filter prevents contaminants like allergens, dirt, and dust from circulating through the air ducts. As the conditioned air passes through the screen, it traps those particles and contaminants.
However, the filter also adds to the air pressure. If you have not changed the air filters for several months, they will get clogged. This then results in too much resistance. Similarly, the air filters installed might be too strong for the system. For this reason, have a professional AC repair technician in Irving, TX, install air filters having a higher MERV rating. These filters will trap even the smallest particles to ensure you have higher indoor air quality.
Undersized Air Returns
The other reason for the excessive static pressure is undersized air ducts. In general, improperly-designed or undersized air ducts increase the static pressure. Specifically, air returns pull air from your indoor spaces and send it back into your cooling and heating system. It is a critical but often forgotten component in the process of air circulation. If the returns are not large enough, you’ll ultimately experience the problem of high static pressure. This is only comparable to breathing through a straw. Although you can do it, you’ll have to pull more to allow enough air via a small opening.
A similar thing happens with the heating system. If the air returns are undersized, the unit will work harder to pull the volume of air it needs to circulate. However, there is another issue with your air conditioner. The air conditioning process involves refrigerant circulation through the condenser and evaporator coils. If the return air isn’t enough, the refrigerant loop will be thrown off. This results in major problems over time that might include breakdowns and expensive repairs. This explains why incorporating an AC repair technician in the AC installation process is critical.
Too Small or Dirty Indoor Coil
Though not so different from the other problems, this is a bit more technical. When the coil within your system is too small or dirty, it might cause high static pressure. The coil is the component of your HVAC unit responsible for the heat transfer process. It provides enough heat to the incoming air during winter. In summer, the refrigerant liquid absorbs heat from the air flowing over the coils, ensuring that your home is sufficiently cooled. The coil transfers that heat to ensure that the refrigerant can liquify, flow back via the system and attract even more heat. Whenever the coils have a problem, it affects the entire system.
Like air filters, the coils create air resistance, which is unavoidable. However, this is usually not enough to cause a problem. If they are dirty, that is a different story altogether. Any dust, debris, or other junk on the coils prevents the air from flowing freely as it should, resulting in high static pressure. This is a problem that an AC repair technician can prevent through routine maintenance.
Prevent High Static Pressure with Our Services
High static pressure can also impact the comfort of your Irving, TX, home. Hence you are encouraged to have routine maintenance done by a professional. For reliable AC repair and service, contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas.