Furnace and AC Repair in New Lenox IL – Troubleshooting Your HVAC Ventilation Issues

Having your AC or furnace break down when you need it most is a huge pain. Unfortunately, such appliances are bound to develop faults sooner or later. When this happens, everyone’s first action is to call an HVAC technician.

However, in this article, we’ll be giving you some simple tips on how to troubleshoot your air conditioner or furnace. With that being said, let’s begin.

Troubleshooting Furnace Problems

Furnaces and heaters are very important for your comfort (and survival) during cold weather. Let’s think about it for a minute; we’d probably still be using wood fires.

Unfortunately, unlike wood fires, furnaces and heaters develop problems from time to time, even if you service them regularly. If your heater isn’t working properly, here are some simple things you can check before calling any HVAC technicians.

Check Thermostat For Problems

This is one of the most common causes of temperature problems in the house. You need to ensure that your heater’s thermostat is in the right mode. In most thermostats, it should be set on “heat”. Also, try increasing the temperature by about 5 degrees. Your thermostat might also need a new set of batteries.

Dirty Furnace Filter

Before doing any major repairs on your heater, be sure to check the filter. Over time, heater filters gather dirt and become grimy. This dirt often interferes with the performance of the system.

If your furnace isn’t heating properly, try cleaning or replacing the filter first. Turn the heater off before doing any work on it. Always remember to clean the filter at least once a month. This will prevent the buildup of dust and grime.

Gas Valve

Sometimes the heater’s flame goes off. When this happens, you can consult your user’s manual to learn how to restart it. However, you must remember to check the gas valve first. Do not attempt to light the heater if you smell any gas. This could indicate a leak. Evacuate your house as soon as possible and get professional assistance.

Troubleshooting Air Conditioner Problems

Here are some of the most common air conditioner problems and how you can try to fix them:

Air Conditioner Not Turning On

This is by far the most common ac problem people face. If your air conditioning unit isn’t coming on, this could be a result of having no power. Try checking for things like tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses. Replacing these components should solve the problem. If this doesn’t work for you, try checking the unit for damaged wiring.

Low Refrigerant

An AC’s refrigerant can be compared to oil in a car. You need to top it up once in a while. If your unit runs out of refrigerant, it will greatly affect the system’s capability to cool the air. Refrigerant is needed to remove humidity and heat. Click here to learn more about what a refrigerant is.

Depending on how old your unit is, low refrigerant might be a sign of leakage. A leak can be fixed easily by HVAC technicians. However, if the unit has leaks in multiple places, it may be time to replace it.

Glitching Thermostat

As we mentioned previously in this guide, a faulty thermostat can greatly affect the performance of your heater or air conditioner. In most cases, the unit doesn’t cool because it wasn’t properly calibrated. Ensure that you set the temperature as low as possible. If this fails, the thermostat may be defective and needs replacement. Be sure to call a technician to do this.

Drainage Problems

The moisture extracted by the AC unit is turned to water. This water is then transferred through a hose into a drain. If there is a clog in the hose or drain, the water will continue to build up.

If left long enough, this water will eventually damage your air conditioner and even your house. Never overlook this part when troubleshooting your AC.

Defective Condenser Coils

Condenser coils are very important in an AC unit. These coils are responsible for expelling absorbed heat out of a building. These coils are found in the outdoor unit; this means that they are exposed to soot and dirt. Over time, the coils become grimy.

This dirt makes it harder for the coils to transfer heat efficiently. This leads to the overworking of the air conditioner. This in turn, could lead to complete system failure.

Hiring a Technician

DIY can be pretty great. However, there are some things that you just cannot fix by yourself. This is why you need to get professional assistance. Hiring a HVAC technician will benefit both you and your HVAC systems. There are a lot of good sources of information on the web like this site https://www.ssmechanical.co/ if you want to know more.

Conclusion

Every appliance develops faults every now and then. It might not be convenient at that moment for some people to call a technician. The good news is that there are some problems that can be fixed easily. However, you need to keep in mind that there are also problems that require professional handling.

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash

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