5 Most Reported Residential HVAC Problems

Most often than not, homeowners take their in-home HVAC systems for granted and then continuously forget their unit's maintenance requirements. Because of this, their in-house HVAC unit encounters several problems that sometimes came during the worst of times. During the summer, optimum cooling is what we need while in winter, a comfy kind of warm heat is what we craved for. However, as people tend to sometimes forget about the maintenance part, their air conditioning Central Coast unit will just suddenly break down and malfunction.

Now, as a homeowner, it is your responsibility to learn about the telltale signs if your HVAC unit ever needs immediate repair so you won't have to deal long days without it, more especially during the summer. Here is a list of the most reported residential HVAC problems to help you decide whether it is time to call your local repair guy or not.

Dirty/clogged air filter

HVAC filters should be checked and replaced now and then so that it would pump only the cleanest and coolest/warmest air inside your home. Replacing your air filters will also help prolong the life and efficiency of your HVAC. Now, if you suddenly felt like the air coming from your air conditioning system is not as strong as before, it could have been a clogged air filter because of accumulated dirt and dust. Another telltale sign that can help you identify that it is indeed caused by a dirty or clogged air filter is the unusual constant sneezing of any family member because it affects the quality of air that is being blown inside your house.

Pilot or ignition issues

There are various reasons that may eventually result in the sudden pilot malfunction of your HVAC system. One of these may include dirt and wear and tear of your unit. Now, if your pilot or ignition sensor accumulated a lot of dirt and was not constantly cleaned, it will disrupt the ignition of your whole HVAC system. After this, it most probably can result in a pilot outage, short cycling or furnace lockout. While some can say that it can be prevented, it is best to be handled by professional and trained technicians.

Thermostat malfunctions

There are various kinds of thermostats such as programmable and non-programmable. Now, if you have a programmable thermostat and your furnace is suddenly malfunctioning, immediately check all the possible causes which may include problems with your thermostat. According to experts, thermostat problems are easier and cheaper to correct. But if you have a programmable thermostat, their usual problems could include battery issues or simple wiring errors.

Unusual furnace noises

Furnace noises are common during the normal HVAC operation. However, unnecessary noises such as whining or squealing could be an indicator of a bigger problem inside the motor in your unit. If you believe that it could be because of dirty filters and whatnot, immediately check. But if you notice nothing different even after cleaning the filters and other things that you fixed right away. It is best to call a professional technician to identify a specific problem. Make sure to turn off your HVAC and wait for your technician to arrive.

Water leaks

It is common for air conditioners and HVAC systems to condensate. However, if the leak is unusually a lot, make sure to immediately contact your local technician to check where the leak is coming from before it gets even worse. HVAC systems can leak water if its drain pipes are clogged or cracked. While you can clean the drain pipes all by yourself and it does not make any difference, there could be issues with your collector box, heat exchanger or evaporator drain pan. And those are beyond your common knowledge so you should trust a professional technician to handle it for you.