How Does A Heating And AC Repair Technician Test For HVAC Efficiency? | Arlington, TX
Most homeowners turn to air conditioners during the summers and winters to maintain cooled or heated indoor spaces. As a result, your home becomes comfortable for you and your family. The last thing anyone wants for their unit is to break down mid-summer or winter. The temperature extremes not only impact the comfort of your home but could also negatively affect your health.
Hence, it is critical that you know how efficient your furnace is in terms of energy and cooling/heating. Efficient HVAC systems will cool or heat your indoor space adequately. However, inefficient systems will not cool/heat your home sufficiently. Additionally, you also will end up paying more energy utility bills. Given this, you should enlist a heating and AC repair technician’s help to check your unit’s efficiency. Below are the various methods the professional will use to test your HVAC system’s energy efficiency.
Inspecting the Air Filters
The air filters are the first things the heating and AC repair technician will check to ensure that the HVAC system is efficiently running. When the HVAC air filters become clogged, dirt, debris, and other materials impede the airflow, affecting the unit’s efficiency. The HVAC unit will have to work harder to meet your home’s heating and cooling needs. Additionally, it uses up more energy. Thus, you should change the air filters every 1-3 months to ensure that you clean them monthly, especially if you have pets or live in a dusty area. If you cannot remember when you last replaced or even cleaned the air filters, the air conditioning system might not be as efficient in heating or cooling your home as it should be.
Monitoring the Thermostat
The thermostat measures your Arlington, TX home’s temperature, which signals the air conditioning system to turn on until the desired temperature is reached. The thermostat then signals your system to turn off. The air conditioner will function inefficiently if you are using a faulty thermostat. Replace the batteries as soon as your thermostat displays a low power warning. You should routinely dust & clean the exterior cover of the thermostat since grime can accumulate there and inhibit its functionality.
The placement of your thermostat may be causing you problems. It should be farther than 5 ft. from the door and out of the direct sun. The thermostat will trigger the HVAC to run continuously if it is placed under direct sunlight, which will cause it to believe that it is much warmer or cooler inside than it is. To increase the effectiveness of your unit, hire a heating and AC repair technician to install the thermostat in the middle of the room, far from any heat sources.
Measure the Temperatures of the Unit
You can also test your unit’s efficiency by measuring indoor air temperatures. The heating and AC repair technician will leave your HVAC system running on a hot day at a certain thermostat set temperature. After about 15 minutes, they place a thermometer on your supply registers. After five minutes, they record the temperature readings from the air entering the return vents. The air entering your home should be more relaxed than that of leaving. If the technician determines anything else, they will inspect the HVAC system to determine the root cause of the problem.
Inspecting the Condensate Drain Line
A clogged condensate drain line can also impact your AC’s effectiveness. If too much water is in its drain pan caused by a clog in the condensate drain line, the AC will repeatedly shut off before reaching the intended temperature. Most modern systems feature a safety mechanism that turns the system off whenever it senses too much water, preventing any harm. Mold can grow easily in your system if there is standing water. When you discover a clog in your drain system, switch off the air conditioner and call a heating and AC repair technician for further inspection and repair.
Check the Blower
The blower in your air conditioning system helps in the movement of air to eliminate air from the indoor space and blow cooled air into the air vents. If the blower is faulty, it will affect the efficiency of your HVAC system. Hence, you should monitor the outdoor unit throughout the season. The blower is functional if you see or hear the fan rotating and feel some air on top of the unit. You should call a heating and AC repair technician if the blower produces squealing sounds or does not rotate.
Checking for Inefficient Heating or Cooling
To determine the HVAC efficiency, a heating and AC repair technician can measure the temperatures in different rooms and sections of your Arlington, TX home. Once your HVAC system loses its efficiency, it starts cooling or heating various sections of your home inefficiently. Hence, you will find that some spaces are warmer or cooler than others. This may be because of an incorrectly sized HVAC system, clogged evaporator coils and filters, and leaking air ducts, among other causes. The professional will take the necessary steps to ensure that your unit will efficiently heat or cool your home. If it is too small, they may recommend a replacement.
Inspecting the Evaporator Coils
The evaporator coils are another component that your heating and AC repair technician will inspect to determine the efficiency of your HVAC system. Even a small layer of grime, dirt, or dust on the evaporator coils will impact your air conditioner’s efficiency. Evaporators draw out the moisture and heat from the indoor air, allowing cool air circulation. If they are clogged, they won’t be able to absorb as much heat from the air flowing over them. This results in the use of more energy. The air moisture may also freeze on the evaporator coils, making the air conditioner stop working.
Do you need HVAC system Efficiency Testing? Contact us at Minuteman Heating & Air, your reliable heating and AC repair company in Arlington, TX.