HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning – the whole system controls the quality of the air in your home when it comes to temperature, humidity and allergy control. The Heating (H), as the word describes helps to heat your home, the Ventilation (V) refers to the overall exchange of air inside your home or room, and the Air Conditioning (AC) helps to keep your environment cool.
In order to keep enjoying the benefits an HVAC system brings, you need to know when your HVAC requires maintenance or repair.
Understanding The Heating And Air Conditioning Part Of Your System
Your HVAC is a system so it works as an umbrella for both cooling and heating. The main difference between the two is that the heater uses heating elements similar to a hair dryer (unless you have a heat pump) and the AC uses refrigerant and coil.
We know South Florida hardly gets cold enough to use the heating aspect of your HVAC system, BUT it still needs attention! This is because it is part of a system as a whole, and on the rare occasion that the temperature does drop low enough, you want to make sure your unit can jump into action.
Understanding The Ventilation Part Of Your System
The Ventilation of your HVAC system plays an important role in helping your air conditioner keep your home cool. It is responsible for controlling the air quality going out and coming in to your home or room, and effective ventilation is needed so that your HVAC can work at its optimal level.
The ducts in your ventilation deliver the cool air, so make sure you can spot when something is wrong. Duct cleaning and sanitization is important, so watch out for these warning signs that it may be time to call your HVAC technician:
- If you’re hearing funny noises coming from your ducts, it means something is wrong. Your ducts should not be making whistling, rattling or shaking noises. Broken, dirty or leaking ducts could be the problem. If you are experiencing any of these, speak to your technician about it, who will be able to help with cleaning and insulating dirty, broken air ducts.
- When walking through your home and you notice some areas are warm and some are cool, it can mean that your ducts aren’t getting the flow it needs to cool your home evenly. Something may be leaking, there could be holes in your ducts somewhere or an object could be obstructing the flow.
How To Know Your HVAC Needs Repair
Overall, the reason why you have an HVAC, and specifically an AC unit, is for comfort, and if your AC doesn’t provide a comfortable level of temperature anymore, it may be time for a repair. Here are some common signs to look out for that indicate your HVAC needs repair:
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Bad Airflow
If your HVAC is not cooling your home sufficiently there may be a blockage in the airflow. If you turn the temperature down but nothing changes, it could be that the filters are clogged.
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Leakages
This is another culprit of a problematic HVAC system. It is important to get this checked out asap, especially if it is the refrigerant that’s leaking. Sometimes though it could be that a tube is blocked or broken and will need fixing. When leakages happen, the AC can’t function properly resulting in warmer, instead of cooler, temperatures. It is important to have your system checked for leakages often.
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Bad Smells
Another thing to look out for is a bad smell when your AC is running. This could be caused by mold or by other issues, both of which need immediate attention from an AC technician.
Truth be told, if you have an “old faithful” system, your AC is probably beyond the need for repair if it’s starting to give you problems. On average an AC unit lasts about 10 years. Of course, this does vary but keep this in mind if you start to experience issues with your AC.
If you need further assistance with your HVAC unit, do not hesitate to get in touch with Art Plumbing, AC & Electric. – we are fully licensed and insured for air conditioning repair, sales, installation, and maintenance. Call 1-800-475-1504 today!
