As a local HVAC company, we are happy to share information and helpful tips for homeowners and business owners alike. We hope that by viewing our most commonly asked questions and answers that you can prevent issues with your heating and cooling units alike. Please remember that no amount of online research and information can replace communicating and working with an experienced hvac company. Should you have additional questions or concerns we invite you to call our company line at 801-930-0629 to speak with a professional and schedule a consultation. COMMON FURNACE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. It would be impossible to cover all possible answers and solutions to the problems and questions below. Depending on your knowledge of your furnace and thermostat programming you could potentially troubleshoot and fix problems with your home’s heating unit. However, if the problem persists and you have exhausted your resources it is best to have a local heating company diagnose and repair your furnace as soon as possible. A helpful hint is to check out your furnace during the fall before the season’s first snow. This will help ensure that your furnace is working properly before the busy season, reducing your wait time by a large margin for service calls. Why is my furnace not working? The answer to this question is a large one and could be something simple or something complex. As a homeowner or local business, we recommend that you start by taking a look at your filters. If they are dirty they will need to be replaced. Sometimes just a simple filter change will provide your heating unit with enough air flow to begin working properly. Another solution you can look at is how your thermostat has been programmed. Make sure that the setting is turned to “on” and “heat” also make sure that the temperature is set to 5 degrees or so above room temperature. You can and should also check that the gas has been turned on to your furnace and that your vents are not closed or blocked. Why is my furnace blowing cold air? Typically this is caused by the furnace overheating. When this happens it is due to the furnace not receiving proper air flow. Try changing your filters and see if the problem persists. If your thermostat has been properly programmed it could be that your pilot light is out. Make sure that your thermostat is set to “auto” instead of “on” as auto will allow the blower to stop running when the furnace is not in use. Why is there a burning smell when I run my furnace? Most of the time when your furnace produces a smell like burning rubber it is due to dust collected on the heat exchanger or heating elements. This is one reason why it is important to get your furnace tuned up and cleaned annually. If you smell a something like rotten eggs it is a sign that you have a gas leak. If this is the case it is important that you turn off your furnace, turn off the gas and call a heating company immediately to fix the issue. COMMON AIR CONDITIONER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Cooling is similar to heating in that sometimes the solution to a problem is simple and sometimes it is complex. We recommend that you take information found on this website or the internet, in general, to try the simple fixes yourself. If the problem persists it is always a good idea to call a local cooling company to send a professional out to your location. Remember that no amount of online research can replace a professional. We also highly recommend that you have your air conditioner inspected and tuned up once a year. Why is my air conditioner freezing up? It is important if you see this problem that you turn off your air conditioner as running when frozen can cause damage to your condenser unit. Most of the time when we see a unit freeze up it is due to a lack of refrigerant or a lack of airflow to the evaporator coils. We recommend taking a look at your air filters to make sure they are clean. You can also take a look at how your thermostat is programmed. If it is set below 70 degrees on a hot summer day it could cause your unit to freeze and will not cool your home any faster. When should I consider replacing my air conditioner? Most air conditioners have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years before they will permanently fail beyond repair. If your unit falls within this time frame then it is susceptible to begin failing. A good sign that your air conditioner is starting to break down is an increase in your energy bills. As air conditioners age they will become less efficient. Compare your utility bills over the last few summers and if there is an increase in usage or cost then your air conditioner is usually beginning to break down. Another factor to consider is the cost of repairs. At a certain point, usually around the $3000 mark, it will actually save you money to replace the unit and get a new one as opposed to repairs. Will getting a bigger unit cool my home faster? Determining what size of the air conditioner is right for your home really comes down to doing the math correctly. It is important that you speak with a professional before a unit is purchased so that you get something that will match your square footage. Having a larger air conditioner than what is necessary will cause the unit to run short cycles (about 5-7 minutes.) Although this might seem like it is saving energy and money, it actually costs more to constantly start and stop your air conditioner. This situation will also result in increased wear and tear on your unit, taking years of its lifespan.