Home & Commercial Owners: Is this an HVAC Emergency?

Regularly scheduled maintenance from an experienced technician helps keep your HVAC system in tip-top shape. But even if you stay on top of routine upkeep, issues can still come up that might need to be addressed right away. Refrigerant leaks, drainage problems, iced up evaporators, and compressor fan issues are just some of the problems that could arise. If you notice any of the below symptoms with your HVAC unit, call a professional ASAP!

System Won’t Turn On

You can try the easy fixes like checking the thermostat settings/battery, observing a power outage, or replacing the air filter on your own, but if none of those work you should shut the system down completely to prevent further damage. Call a certified tech who can diagnose the problem and repair the system before turning it back on.

You See Ice

What causes ice to build up on an HVAC unit? It usually happens when the refrigerant flowing through copper tubes gets too cold and the evaporator coil freezes, in turn, this causes the surrounding moisture in the air to freeze as well. A freon leak is the most common culprit of this phenomenon and it can result in an additional emergency issue – low refrigerant levels. Call a pro immediately.

A Jump in your Utility Bills

Moderately higher bills are normal during the summer and winter months when your HVAC system is working overtime to keep the climate in your home or commercial building comfortable, but a radical or sudden spike could be an indicator of a problem with the wiring.

Strange Smells

Units in good working condition will never give off a weird odor. A burning smell is definitely not a good sign and could mean there’s a chemical leak or an electrical problem. If you smell anything out of the ordinary, cut the power to the system and contact an HVAC specialist.

Don’t Wait

If your system shows signs of trouble during mild temperate months when you don’t use it often, you might not feel a sense of urgency to get it checked out. But this is bad for two reasons – one, the longer you wait, the more unseen damage you could be doing, and two, a heatwave or high humidity levels could pop up unexpectedly and you’ll be stuck with a bum HVAC unit that’s unable to keep you comfortable.

Bi-annual maintenance goes a long way to help preserve your system’s abilities. The benefits of regular maintenance include:

• Lower bills as the system will be working at its best efficiency
• Fewer emergency calls and repairs (lower cost)
• Longer life of equipment
• It will run safer, protecting against things like short circuits and chemical leaks