How to Avoid Heating & Air Conditioning Emergencies

When you’re a homeowner in Utah, your HVAC unit works extremely hard throughout the hot summer months and the cold winters. Most homeowners don’t put much thought into their HVAC system, because their home is consistently at a comfortable temperature inside, no matter what the temperature is outside.

Unfortunately, the scorching hot summers and the extreme-cold winters can overload your air conditioner and heater, which is why some HVAC units breakdown. These heating and air conditioning emergencies can cost lots of money and can make for an uncomfortable outage in your home.

You can take steps to avoid the costly, inconvenient emergency repairs by following these tips:

Every homeowner knows that changing your HVAC filter is important to keep allergens out of your home, but did you know it’s the single most important thing you can do to safeguard your equipment from breaking down? Clean filters protect critical components from becoming damaged because of dirt, debris, or break down.

Cooling coils that are dirty absorb less heat, which forces the AC system to run longer to keep your home cool. When your system is forced to work harder, it’s more likely to fail when you need it the most. Keeping your filter clean helps keep your system running well and it can keep your energy usage lower, which saves you money in the long run.

Remember, if you use 1 inch filters, those should replaced monthly.

Your outdoor unit needs adequate airflow to operate efficiently. Plants and bushes should be pruned, and you should keep at least two feet of clearance around any equipment. You should also keep the area clear of leaves, grass cuttings, or other items. If needed, spray the air conditioning condenser with a hose to clean off the debris.

If you notice your air conditioner is blowing warm air, check to see if the unit’s fan is on when your thermostat is set to cool. If your unit isn’t blowing air or has a low air flow, inspect the copper lines going into unit for frost or ice. If the lines are iced up, turn off the unit, change your filter and wait 6-12 hours before turning the system back on. This will allow the ice to thaw.

When filters aren’t replaced often enough, it can cause the unit to freeze up and act as if it’s not functioning correctly. Once you replace the filter and allow the unit time to thaw in unseen areas, turn the unit back on and check for proper operation.

You might be surprised to know that some homeowners don’t know that their thermostat requires changing batteries to continue operating smoothly. If your batteries have died, your thermostat could be ineffectively detecting the wrong temperature. This will result in your air conditioner or heater performing inefficiently.

Once you’re sure your batteries are working and the thermostat works correctly, consider setting the temperature for one degree warmer when running the AC or one degree cooler when running the heater to save money on your energy bill and now overworking your system.

If you own a vehicle, you know how important it is to keep your car maintained to keep it running well. The same is true of your HVAC unit. If you’re ignoring your system, chances are it will break down and leave you stranded when you need it most—just like your vehicle would.

Schedule an annual maintenance with your local heating and air conditioning specialist, like 1st American Plumbing, Heating & Air, to avoid costly repairs and experience unpleasant system outages. For optimum performance, consider a twice-a-year maintenance plan.

Another reason to make system maintenance a priority is to ensure you keep your equipment running at your manufacturer recommendations. This consistent maintenance is helpful if you ever need to deal with warranty work on your unit.

By following these tips above, you can not only avoid heating and air conditioning emergencies, but you can keep your HVAC unit running efficiently and effectively. These small to-dos we’ve listed for you can end up saving you lots of money and headache in the long run.

When it comes to heating and air conditioning emergencies, 1st American Plumbing, Heating and Air is highly experienced, professional, and quick to assess the problem and get you up-and running soon. Call us at (801) 477-5818 to schedule your annual maintenance now so you avoid some of these emergency issues we’ve discussed.