Professional electricians, technicians and providers of heating and cooling services often get calls from homeowners who are experiencing problems with their HVAC systems. Sometimes, however, a homeowner will call only when the system has completely shut down, and that usually means a more expensive repair job or a full unit replacement is necessary.
You can avoid having to pay a serious amount of money for an HVAC repair or replacement by paying attention to the signs of an HVAC emergency before things get worse. Here are some of examples:
Refrigerant leaks. Your AC unit absorbs heat and releases cooled air using refrigerant. There are lines from the outside unit, where the compressor is located, to the indoor unit, where the evaporator coils are found. Those lines are where the refrigerant runs. Sometimes, a line leaks, causing the unit to lose refrigerant. Your AC unit will then have to run longer to reach the temperature that will tell it to stop running.
If the refrigerant is leaking, the air from your AC unit won’t feel as cool as before, and the unit will continue to run longer. You might also notice ice building up on the refrigerant lines, which may emit a hissing sound.
A routine inspection of the coils, compressor and refrigerant lines can help you spot a leak, or maybe even another part that looks like it needs maintenance. If you spot a leak, turn off the unit at the thermostat and controls and also at the breaker, then call a professional to inspect your HVAC system.
Electrical issues. If your system stops running, won’t turn on or doesn’t cycle off, or if it smells like something is burning, there might be a problem with the electrical system. If this happens, you’ll need to check the breaker for a blown fuse. If you can’t tell or don’t know what or where the breaker is, it’s a good idea to call an electrician or your local HVAC technician to do the checking. If you do know where the breaker is and can smell a burning odor, switch the breaker off immediately and call your technician.
Gas leak. Do you have a heating system that uses natural gas? If you do, and can smell gas or something that smells like rotting eggs, turn off the unit immediately. Do not turn on a stove or any other source of a flame or sparks. Air out your home by opening the windows and call your technician immediately, because there might be a disconnected or broken gas line.
For your safety, hire a reputable contractor like The Ice-Man. We offer HVAC maintenance and installation to improve the quality of your indoor air. Call us today at (609) 466-9020 or fill out this form.