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The US Department of Energy claims that three-quarters of all American homeowners rely on some form of air conditioning to keep their indoors comfortable during adverse weather conditions.
Collectively, the agency purports that these units consume about six percent of the total energy produced nationwide, generating over 117 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. With this in mind, it’s hard to dispute the essence of a functional HVAC unit in your Mansfield, TX, residence.
Despite their importance, keeping an HVAC system functional all year round can be difficult and sometimes a bit expensive. HVAC experts often recommend regular HVAC maintenance as a way of extending the lifespan of your home’s heating and cooling apparatus.
However, even with strict adherence to its maintenance needs, occasional heating and AC repairs may be inevitable due to conventional wear and tear. Therefore, here’s a look at some of the warning signs of impending HVAC failure.
An AC Unit That Blows Hot or Warm Air
If your residential air conditioner seems to be blowing out hot or warm air, you may need to contact a heating and AC professional to have your unit inspected and repaired. Some of the reasons why the system may start acting this way include wrong thermostat settings. Under such circumstances, you can resolve the issue by ensuring that the fan isn’t switched on or set to auto.
Low refrigerants may also be to blame if your residential AC is blowing hot or warm air. The refrigerant gives your air conditioner the ability to cool your indoors. If it leaks, the levels may drop, which means that the system may lose its cooling power. In such scenarios, only a trained and certified heating and AC repair expert may be in a position to help.
Your home’s heating and air conditioning system may also start blowing hot or warm air due to leaky or damaged ductwork, a lack of power supply to the outdoor unit, and clogged filters and return vents. Regardless of the situation, you should always seek impactful solutions from a reliable heating and AC service provider in Mansfield, TX.
An Inexplicable Increase in Energy Bills
Sometimes receiving an inflated energy utility bill may be due to an error on the side of your electric service provider. At other times, your monthly energy dues may be higher than usual due to problems with other electrical appliances in your home, including refrigerators, washer dryers, or water heaters.
You may also receive an astronomical utility bill if your residence is poorly insulated, leading to higher heating and cooling energy costs. If none of these seem to explain why you received a higher bill, then the problem may be with your residential HVAC system. You may need to contact a trained heating and AC professional to receive comprehensive solutions.
Your home’s HVAC unit may consume more power if it’s faulty as it will strive to compensate for the lost heating and cooling efficiency. The gradual changes in your household’s energy consumption may go unnoticed, which is why you should consider scheduling a regular HVAC inspection service with a heating and AC repair technician. They can help identify and resolve minor issues before they’ve given rise to more complications.
Unusual Odors
Awkward smells coming from your home’s HVAC unit are a sure sign that you may need to schedule a heating and AC repair services without delay. Here’s what some of these odors imply.
The Smell of Rotten Eggs
If you can feel the smell of rotten eggs coming from the vents of your residential HVAC unit, the most probable culprit would be a natural gas leak. This situation can pose a fire hazard, which is why you should call your local heating and AC repair contractor for prompt solutions.
Musty or Moldy Odor
This smell will typically occur if there’s significant mold growth within your residence. During operation, your HVAC unit may produce some moisture, which can help mold thrive when combined with other supporting factors. Mold can have negative health consequences when inhaled, and that’s why you should never hesitate to contact your heating and AC repair service provider.
Burning Smell
A burning smell coming from your home’s heating and cooling unit should also raise concerns. If your indoors smell as though something is overheating, something could be burning away slowly behind the scenes. This scenario may occur due to unresolved electrical problems within your unit. Under such circumstances, you should immediately turn it off and contact a reliable heating and AC repair technician near you. Home electrical fires can jeopardize the safety of your family. It’s estimated that they claim approximately 500 lives and cause over 1,400 injuries in the US yearly.
Power Fluctuations
Ideally, your residential HVAC system controls the indoor conditions of your home in regular cycles. However, if it randomly goes on and off throughout the day, something may be amiss, and you should have it checked out by a heating and air conditioning expert without delay.
This phenomenon is known as short cycling and it often happens when the unit isn’t getting enough power. Without timely intervention, your home’s circuit breakers may sustain damage, and in some cases, they may even damage the entire power supply infrastructure.
Power fluctuations may also occur if the unit’s overheating. Once it has cooled down, the power supply may be restored. However, you should consider calling your heating and AC repair professional whenever you notice mysterious power fluctuations in your residence.
Strange Noises
Unusual sounds coming from your residential HVAC system could mean that the unit may have a faulty belt or loose components. Common noises you may need to look out for include squealing, clunking, grinding, hissing, and rattling. Ideally, you should leave the detection and fixing of the issues causing these sounds to trained HVAC repair professionals. Attempting to handle the problem by yourself could exacerbate the issue at hand, sometimes warranting costly replacement solutions.
Trust the Experts
If you’re experiencing any of these signs within your Mansfield, TX, home, the seasoned heating and AC repair professionals at Minuteman Heating & Air can help restore your indoor comfort. It doesn’t matter if your HVAC issues stem from poor maintenance or standard wear and tear, our technicians are ready to help. We’re equipped with state-of-the-art tools to help diagnose and repair any type of HVAC problem. Our technicians can also recommend and execute HVAC replacements as needed. Contact us today.