Signs You Need Emergency Heating And AC Repair Service | Dallas, TX

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If you live in Dallas, TX can afford the luxury of not worrying about your heating system for most of the year. While there is a month or two where Dallas gets cold during the middle of the winter, it is usually not below freezing temperatures which means if something happens to your heater you can wait a few days for repair in most cases. It may not be comfortable while you wait, but it does mean that you can avoid requiring emergency heating and AC repair service for your furnace.

However, the same is not true for your AC system. Summer in Dallas, TX is not a joke, and it is not something that you can take lightly by ignoring the needs of your AC. Once your AC breaks down you probably only have a few hours before it gets so hot inside of your home that it becomes unlivable. With that in mind, it is a very good idea to learn the signs that you need repair so that you don’t end up on the hook dealing with an emergency heating and AC repair service.

Of course, if you are like most homeowners you also probably don’t know what constitutes a clear emergency heating and AC repair service call and what can wait a few days. Most people know that if their AC shuts off they need help, but they are unsure of what else needs to be taken care of emergently. In general, anything that threatens your safety or potentially compromises your AC’s ability to properly cool your home should be considered an emergency. Of course, that is a broad statement that includes a lot of things so to help make the process simpler we have compiled a list of times when you need to call for emergency heating and AC repair service and sometimes when it is safe to list.

We have also included a list of signs that your AC is not working properly so that you can seek out a proactive repair before you end up requiring emergency heating and AC repair service. The best way to take care of your AC system in Dallas, TX is by troubleshooting any issues that come up before they turn into major issues. Learning to identify warning signs is the first step in figuring out when you need to call for a service or proactive repair.

Keep in mind that it is also always a good idea to schedule an HVAC service at least once a year if you live in southern Texas. In fact, you should schedule an annual service regardless of where you live because it is the best way to keep your HVAC system in great working order. This service also helps you to proactively address any issues that pop up before they get out of control. Therefore, while you read over some of the common warning signs that you need emergency heating and AC repair service, you should be aware that you need to book a service if you have not had one completed in your home. This is a first step that is always a good idea.

Signs You Need Emergency Heating and AC Repair

To start, it is important to take a look at the signs that you need emergency heating and AC repair service in your home. If you notice any of the signs that are listed below you need to seek out help immediately and not wait for the weekend or end or morning to come. Some of these situations can be very serious while others are simply a problem that will continue to snowball and get worse if you wait. While a breakdown is an ultimate sign that you need emergency heating and AC repair service, part of the purpose of seeking out help is to prevent the breakdown from happening in the first place.

Odd Noises Coming from Your Vents

Unless your basement is furnished, you may not spend a lot of time in it, which is why you may not always notice if your HVAC system is starting to make noise or act up. However, at some point, an issue that is left unaddressed will simply get worse and worse leading to even more noise. Chances are at this point you will be able to hear the problem coming from your air vents, which is a big signal that you have an issue and need to call an HVAC company for emergency heating and AC repair service.

First of all, the only thing you should hear coming from your vents is the gentle hum of air pushing through them. If you hear anything else then there is an issue to resolve, even if it is only a small noise or clunking sound. However, if you hear any significant noises coming from your air vents then you need to shut down your AC system and call for emergency heating and AC repair service right away.

Any noise that is loud enough that is echoing up your vents and into your home does not mean anything good and probably indicates there is an issue with your compressor, motor, or fan- all of which spell big problems for you down the road. The good news is that you can address each of these issues if you stay on top of them and get an HVAC mechanic out of your home right away. You do not want to ignore them because if there is a broken or loose component it will lead to more damage that may ultimately destroy the inside of your system. By making the call right away for emergency heating and AC repair service you can minimize potential damage.

Weird Noises Coming from the Basement

Following the same line of reasoning, it should come as no surprise then that you also don’t want to hear weird noises coming from your unit in the basement either. A lot of people have the tendency to try out a let’s wait and see approach with the idea that maybe the noise will just stop and they don’t have to worry about it.

Spoiler alert: it won’t. What will happen is that the noise will probably continue to get louder if left unaddressed until something else breaks down at which point the noise will be too deafening to ignore or your HVAC system will break down. Of course, the noise will come to a stop once the HVAC system stops functioning, but that is probably not the outcome that you were hoping for. You can avoid all of this by calling for emergency heating and AC repair service the second you have any inclination that there is an issue.

Ice on the Outdoor Unit

There should never be ice on your outdoor unit, especially if you live in Dallas, TX because the temperatures should never get low enough where ice is a foreseeable problem. However, in particular, you should never see the ice start to form on the outside of the coils within your outdoor unit. Sometimes people make the mistake of assuming that if ice is forming it is because the AC is doing its job.

In reality, it is probably the opposite, because the only way that ice can form on the outside of the coils while it is functioning is if there is a refrigerant leak. This is a huge problem because refrigerant is toxic and will poison anything that it comes into contact with. It is also a huge problem because eventually the refrigerant will run out and you will no longer have cool air in your home. This is the number one reason why you need emergency heating and AC repair right away if you see ice.

In addition, the ice can actually ruin your coils and break through them, which pretty much means that you will need to replace your entire AC unit. Repairing the coils or replacing them is generally not the economical solution, so if you see any indication that ice is starting to form you want to get ahead of the situation right away. An emergency heating and AC repair service can come out to evaluate the situation before the coils are ruined if you notify them quickly enough.

Rapid Cycling

Another huge problem is if you notice what HVAC companies refer to as rapid cycling or sometimes short cycling. It doesn’t really matter how you want to refer to it, because if you notice it then you have a huge problem that needs to be addressed right away with emergency heating and AC repair service.

In case you have never heard the term before, rapid cycling is when your AC shuts on and off frequently throughout the day. You probably know how often the air is blowing in your home, especially if you have young children that love to sit near the air vents.

However, if you start to notice that it seems the air is always on or that your system is starting to shut off and on almost constantly then you have a problem with rapid cycling that can get costly quickly. This usually occurs when either the thermostat is not properly reading the temperature in your home or when your HVAC system is worn out and unable to keep up with the temperature in your home properly.

There are two major problems with rapid cycling. First, it is incredibly expensive because your HVAC system consumes the most energy when it is first starting up. Therefore, if your system is cycling two to three more times a day, you will end up consuming at least two to three times more energy than usual. This can quickly cause your energy bills to jump out of control much more than the costs of an emergency heating and AC repair service.

The second problem is that your AC works the hardest when it first starts up, so if it is constantly starting up that will increase the wear and tear on your unit likely shortening the lifespan of your unit overall. No one wants to worry about replacing a unit prematurely and no one likes to think about spending more on their energy bills. This is why if you notice short cycling you need to call and talk to an emergency heating and AC repair service company right away.

Warm Air Coming Out of Vents

While this should be an obvious one, for some people it is not. However, as a general rule of thumb, unless you have the AC turned off and just your fan on, there should never be warm air coming out of the vents when your AC is on. If your AC system is blowing warm air then you have a huge problem that needs to be quickly checked out by an emergency heating and AC repair service. In this scenario, it is likely that your compressor is not kicking in, and your home is likely going to start baking within just a few hours if it is not already hot.

The problem with these issues in Dallas, TX is that in the middle of the summer it is actually unhealthy to live in a home without AC, especially if you have young children or senior citizens living in your home. For this reason, if you notice that your AC is not working you always need to call for emergency heating and AC repair service. It is always better to stay ahead of the problem than wait until you are in a situation where you are looking for hotel rooms.

The Breaker Keeps Tripping

If your breaker is tripping every single time your AC flips on then you have a major issue that needs to be dealt with immediately. This means that something is wrong with the electrical wiring in your AC and could lead to electrocution, a home fire, or shock. In this scenario, you need to turn off your AC and wait for an emergency heating and AC repair service company to come out to your home.

Have you noticed any of the above signs in your Dallas, TX home? Call One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas for help today.