As a homeowner, it’s likely that you have at least one HVAC system inside of your home. In addition, most homeowners will invest in a furnace to keep their homes warm during the winter months and a centralized air conditioning system to keep their homes nice and cold during the summer. If you have any of these systems, it’s a good idea to understand some of the most common issues they may experience and how to troubleshoot them.
Replace Your Air Filter
If you notice that your HVAC system has recently started to have issues reaching your set temperature, it could be due to a dirty air filter. Your system’s air filter needs to be replaced every two to three months. There are many different types of filters that you can buy, and their prices will vary depending on their filtering capabilities. It’s crucial to realize that the more particles that a filter is rated to pick up, the shorter its lifespan is going to be.
Zone Issues
Another common problem that many homeowners experience, especially at the start of a season, is that one room in their home won’t reach an adequate temperature. In many cases, this is simply due to the fact that the supply vent is being covered or blocked by an object. Before you go to blame your HVAC system, take a look at all the vents in that particular room and clear out any obstructions that are within a three-foot radius of the vent.
Thermostat Display Not Working
Your thermostat is the main brain behind your entire HVAC system. It tells it when to turn on, when to shut off, and so forth. Whenever you notice that your thermostat’s display screen isn’t showing anything, it can be easy to get frustrated thinking that you need to replace the entire thermostat. However, many times when a thermostat display is not working, it’s due to dead batteries. Simply pull the thermostat batteries out and replace them with new ones to see if that solves your problem.
Furnace Not Starting
One extremely frustrating issue that you may find yourself dealing with is a furnace that won’t turn on. If your thermostat is set to the right temperature and displaying that the ambient temperature is at least 3° below your desired temperature, then it’s likely not a thermostat issue. Rather, you have a problem somewhere in your furnace.
One very common issue is that your furnace’s access door isn’t completely closed. All modern furnaces are required to have a shut-off switch on the door. Whenever it’s not completely shut, your furnace will be put into a safe mode where it will not start. Simply push the door on your furnace to see if it was not shut tightly after its last service, and that should solve the issue.
If the furnace door wasn’t the problem, you’ll want to check the reset button on your system. Most modern furnaces will have a red reset button that will pop into the out position whenever an overload is sensed by the system. This typically happens after events like power surges and power outages. Simply locate the reset button and push it down if it is not already depressed. Your furnace should kick on within a few seconds.
AC Leaking Water
Throughout the summer months, you are likely relying on your centralized air conditioning system to keep your family cool and happy. One common issue that many homeowners experience at one point or another with their air conditioning system is water leakage. As part of the natural air conditioning process, moisture is pulled out of the air.
This moisture starts on the evaporator coil and then drips down into the drain pan for your air conditioning system. The drain pan should be connected to an indoor or outdoor drain hose. Unfortunately, this drain hose can become clogged with hard water scaling and other debris if it isn’t cleaned regularly. If you have water leaking in your AC system, then the first thing that you want to do is clean out the drain line, as it is likely clogged.
Inadequate Cooling
Throughout the summer months, you may notice that your air conditioning system isn’t cooling your house like it used to. After you’ve checked the air filter to ensure that it’s fresh, the next place you’ll want to take a look is the actual outdoor HVAC unit. Many times, shrubs, trees, leaves, and other physical debris can find their way into your unit. All this debris obstructs the free flow of air throughout the air conditioning unit, making it much harder for it to produce cold air. Simply shutting off the power and cleaning the debris from your outdoor unit should help your cooling system to get back to cooling as it should be.
No Power
While many modern furnaces and central air conditioning units have a built-in surge protector, most older units do not. Any major disruptions in power, like a power outage or a power surge, can cause your circuit breakers to trip. This is done to naturally protect the items that are powered by the circuit from damage. If you’ve noticed that your HVAC system doesn’t have any power and it’s not your thermostat batteries, it could be that the breaker for your HVAC system has simply been tripped.
Head down to your electrical panel box and locate the circuit breaker connected to your HVAC system. If it did trip, you’ll want to turn it completely off and then back on again. If the circuit breaker trips a second time, then you’ll want to turn it completely off and contact an HVAC professional for further assistance. Continuing to reset a tripping breaker can lead to potential damage to your electrical system and the components attached to it.
If your HVAC system has power at the circuit breaker, then it’s time to assess the switch on the unit itself. Most modern HVAC systems will have a disconnect switch directly on the unit. This is used for servicing the system and gives you quick access to disconnect the power when necessary without having to locate the circuit breaker in your panel box to do so.
If you’ve recently had your system serviced or you’re starting it up for the first time after it’s been sitting for a while, the disconnect switch may have been left off. All you need to do is simply locate the switch and turn it to the on position. It will likely take a couple of seconds for your heating or cooling system to kick on and start running again.
Excellent HVAC Services
Comfort Zone Heating & Air Conditioning provides excellent heating and cooling services for Cobourg, ON, and the surrounding regions. We can also assist with all of your plumbing, ductless, and indoor air quality needs. We’ve been serving the area since 2005, and we remain committed to excellent customer service. In fact, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Contact our office today to schedule your next service appointment with one of our highly skilled HVAC professionals.
