What To Expect From Heating And AC Repair | Richardson, TX

Whether you are a new homeowner or just a lucky homeowner who has never had to deal with heating and AC repair before, at some point you will need to call an HVAC company and ask them to come out to your home. In fact, if you have never had an annual HVAC cleaning then this is a great time to call a heating and AC repair company now, but more on that later. For now, you are probably worried about how to find a heating and AC repair company that you can trust in Richardson, TX, and how to prepare for when they come.

How to Find a Heating and AC Repair Company You Can Trust in Richardson, TX

First off, before you can start to prepare for a heating and AC repair visit, you need to find a heating and AC repair company in Richardson, TX. A simple search will probably reveal dozens of results, but the trick lies in knowing which company to choose. The experience you have with heating and AC repair depends a lot on the company that you choose to provide it. Ideally, you want a company that is experienced and offers great customer service, but of course, all of their websites will say they do both. So how do you choose?

To start, you should ask around and see what your family and friends recommend. This is a great way to narrow down your list to a few names, and possibly exclude a few names depending on the reviews you get from people you trust. If you don’t really know anyone in town yet, social media is a great way to quickly mine for opinions on local pages. While there are always a few people ready to complain about everyone, you should be able to sift through the noise and see which companies come mostly recommended in the local community.

Now that you have a few names to work with, you need to check their credentials and make sure that any heating and AC repair company you are considering is properly state-licensed and NATE certified. In order to be state-certified an HVAC technician needs to properly log enough education hours, experience on the job with a certified tech, and pass state certification exams. This means that they have spent a lot of time in the heating and AC repair environment and should have the proper knowledge to draw on to make your repair.s

In addition, you will also want to make sure that they are NATE certified, which is another industry-wide marker of an HVAC tech that is serious about his or her job. NATE certification also requires a high level of experience paired with certification testing and continual education. When you choose a company with HVAC techs that carry both you can trust that they know their way around an HVAC machine.

At this point, you should have a few top names in the Richardson, TX area, so explore their websites and see what they have to offer you. You can also call the company and speak to someone to see if you like their customer service and if they have available heating and AC repair appointments. The summer months in particular can get very hectic, so it is wise to call around to see who can fit you in. If you have an HVAC emergency, then it is vital the company you choose to work with offers emergency heating and AC repair. Even if you don’t, it may not be a bad idea to choose a company that does offer this service because you never know when you might experience an emergency in the future and it is handy to work with a company that already knows your HVAC unit.

At this point you should be ready to call, so organize your schedule and give them a call. Talk to them for a bit to see if you like their office manner and then set up a time for them to come to your home. You also can ask about their pricing policy, visit charge, and estimate policy. Price is a big part of the heating and AC repair company and any business you work with should be able to meet you halfway so that you have somewhat of an idea of what to expect before they show up. After all, outside of being hot, the cost is the reason that most people put off seeking HVAC repair.

How to Prepare for a Heating and AC Repair Company Visit

Once you have an appointment there are a few things that you can do to get ready before your heating and AC repair company comes out to your home. While you shouldn’t worry too much about cleaning your home, most companies have seen almost everything and don’t really care if your windows are clean or not, you do want to make sure that the tech has room to work.

This means that you need to clear a four-foot pathway from your door to the indoor unit and make sure that the lower floor air vents are accessible along with the thermostat. If you are calling for AC repair, then the tech will likely need to get to the outdoor unit as well which means you need to make sure that the outdoor unit is easily accessible. In a lot of homes, the unit is near the driveway, so if your vehicle is parked next to it you should ask the neighbors if you can temporarily use their driveway or park out in the street if you can. Also, take a minute to remove driveway debris from the driveway and around the unit such as balls or bikes so that the HVAC tech can easily get to it.

What to Expect from the HVAC Professional

Outside of these things, there isn’t much more you need to do in anticipation of a heating and AC repair visit. The length of the visit will vary based on what the repair is and what is wrong with your machine. If a part needs to be fixed and that part is something that has to be specially ordered, after diagnosing the issue the HVAC tech may need to return to replace it. On the other hand, if it is something they can fix they may be there a little longer but won’t have to return in the future. If time is an issue of concern, make sure you schedule accordingly when you first contact the HVAC company.

If the heating and AC repair visit is for a simple tune-up, then you can expect the visit to last from one to two hours depending on the last time your machine was repaired and how many problems the tech finds. Just like during a repair visit, the tech may fix issues that he finds along the way if he has the tools or parts on hand. However, if it has been a long time since your last AC tune-up or if the system is aging and has a lot of wear issues, then the tech may have to schedule a second visit to actually complete the recommended repairs. As part of a tune-up service, they should offer you a print-out of everything they saw along with a list of recommendations.

Signs That You Need Heating and AC Repair

At this point, you are hopefully not too overwhelmed, but maybe you are just not just whether or not you actually need HVAC repair. It is very common for people to think that because a problem has suddenly gone away they can cancel their visit and just see what happens. While it may seem like a safe bet to do this, we would advise you not to. 99.9% of the time the problem will come back, and when it does the issue will probably be much worse than before.

As the summer progresses, most HVAC companies get swamped with calls and requests which means that now you will probably have to wait even longer to book your repair visit. This is not a spot that you want to find yourself in. If you wait too much longer after the issue comes back a second time your entire HVAC system might break down leaving you in need of emergency heating and air conditioning repair.

Now instead of getting a simple problem fixed, you have a major problem on your hand and a heftier repair bill. There is probably a good chance that your HVAC machine has been consuming extra energy as well since it’s not running normally, so you are probably paying more monthly as well. As a general rule, it’s just smarter to get a repair visit out of the way any time you have any sign of trouble so that you don’t end up paying so many different ways later. Here are a few signs of heating and AC repair that you should never ignore.

Banging, Squealing, or Whistling Noises

Any noise is usually considered a problem, but certain noises are more concerning than others. Squealing or banging noises for instance usually indicate that something is wrong with a belt within your HVAC system. If you don’t call for heating and AC repair the sound may go away, but at this point, the belt has probably snapped, and now pieces are rubbing against each other or not moving at all. This is not a situation you want to deal with.

Another sound you don’t want to hear is a whistling noise which indicates that something is obstructing airflow within the HVAC unit or you have an issue with pressure building up. Both situations can lead to a disaster if left unaddressed, so the safe bet is to call for help.

Unnatural Odors from Your Air Vents

In general, there should never be any odors coming out of your air vents. Ideally, when air comes out of your home vents it will be clean and filtered, but clogged air filters and a few other factors can change that. Odd odors also require investigation because sometimes they can indicate a major home emergency. For example, a sulfur-like smell that comes out of your furnace could indicate a natural gas leak while an electrical smell may indicate a fraying wire that is releasing an odor. If you smell either of these odors you need to quickly turn off your HVAC system and call an HVAC company for help.

Rapid Cycling

Rapid cycling is when you notice that your HVAC system frequently turns on and off. This usually happens when your AC is struggling to keep your home cool. Even when the weather peaks in Richardson, TX your AC should not have to run all day if it is working effectively. If you start to notice that your HVAC system is cycling more than usual then you need to call and have your system inspected. Not only will this result in higher energy charges on your bill, but it will create a lot of wear and tear on your machine.

Thermostat Won’t Turn On

As the brains of your HVAC system, this is a major issue. The first thing you should do is check to see if your thermostat takes batteries and if it needs them replaced. If that doesn’t work, then you need to immediately call for help so that you can get your HVAC system back up and running. One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas can help with this problem and many more in Richardson, TX. Give us a call anytime for all of your HVAC needs.