When experiencing a serious HVAC issue, you need a service provider you can rely on. Our team at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions can help you find a fast resolution to your heating and cooling problems. However, there are still a few things you can check on your own before giving us a call.
Your HVAC system takes on a lot of stress to provide continuous indoor air comfort, even in moderate climates, like in Northern California. Apart from heating and cooling, homeowners in our region rely on their HVAC systems, which filter out interior air toxins and pollutants, to provide an optimally safe breathing environment.
So, what happens when your HVAC system suddenly shuts down? Above all, remember to keep a reliable heating and cooling service provider’s information handy because you will likely need one. With this mentioned, before you reach out for professional assistance, you can always check a few common fail points to potentially resolve the issue on your own. If these basic self-checks fail to deliver a solution, we advise you to call us as soon as possible to schedule an HVAC inspection.
Steps You Can Take When Your HVAC Stops Working
When your heating and cooling system goes silent, you’ll need to act quickly, but always keep your safety in mind. These units are more complicated than many homeowners would prefer to imagine. Performing work on an HVAC system without suitable training and knowledge undoubtedly comes with several potential risks, including damaging the unit.
Start by conducting a visual, auditory and olfactory evaluation of your heating and cooling system after you notice it’s no longer working. Ensure that your HVAC unit issue, whether it’s strange sounds, smells or smoke, doesn’t pose an immediate danger. If your problem seems serious, vacate the premises immediately and call your local emergency services.
Once you feel confident that you’ve mitigated the risks of a dangerous threat, check for obvious signs that could be causing the malfunction. If you observe water leaks coming from the system, this is usually a clear indicator that something is amiss. Unless you are an HVAC expert, at this point, you should call us at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions to schedule an inspection.
Absent any clear signs surrounding your HVAC unit that could be causing the outage, check your thermostat settings. Does it show the temperature that you programmed it with? If your air system has seasonal settings, ensure it’s adjusted to the appropriate season: warm for winter, cool for summer, and so on.
If the screen on your thermostat appears completely blank, this could mean you need to replace the batteries. Should changing the batteries fail to resolve your thermostat issue, then something more complex is happening with your air system. You’ll need to contact a professional to inspect and diagnose this problem.
While you might find detailed information on restoring your HVAC system in popular online forums, the direction you get from these sources is often negligible. Remember, the main goal here is to not cause further damage to an expensive HVAC unit by trying to do a complicated procedure on your own.
With that mentioned, here are a few additional basic troubleshooting steps you can try:
- Check your home circuit breakers
- Investigate for obstructed airflow
- Renew your HVAC air filter
- Clear duct vents and registers
These are just a few common issues that could be causing your HVAC to stop working. But how do you know if your HVAC unit is getting ready to call it quits?
How to Tell if You Are on the Verge of a Catastrophic HVAC Failure
The best way to prevent a heating and cooling system failure is to pay attention to how it’s communicating to you before it halts to a grind. Odd noises from the unit, musty or electrical burning odors and other cues are all reliable indicators that your HVAC is on the verge of a potentially serious outage.
For instance, if your HVAC unit is making a squealing noise, this could indicate that a belt getting ready to fail. If you notice a burning smell while running your AC, this might be a sign of a worn-out bearing if it isn’t a dirty air filter. This type of smell may also indicate a damaged capacitor or overheating motor.
Don’t ignore musty odors coming from your ductwork. This smell could suggest the presence of mold in your home’s air ducts. HVAC systems rely on a clean air filter during the hotter months to prevent overheating.
You should have a professional HVAC tech change your HVAC air filter regularly during routine maintenance inspections. So, we, at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions, advise that you keep an eye on this component to ensure it doesn’t accumulate too much debris.
If you’re experiencing unusually brisk weather, double-check the pilot light and ignition system on your furnace to make sure it is working. This isn’t a common fail point in Northern California, but if you live at elevation in a mountainous region where temps can get reasonably cold, it’s worth a look.
Now that you have a basic understanding of your HVAC’s potential fail points, you’ll be in a better position to know when to call a professional service the moment something goes afoul. Contacting an expert to resolve heating and cooling problems is the best way to prevent extended system outages that necessitate a costly repair.
Proven and Reliable HVAC Solutions From Environmental Heating & Air Solutions
While self-diagnostic steps can help resolve simple HVAC malfunctions, more often than not, they fail to restore your system to an optimally functioning state. Fortunately, it’s simple and affordable to solve virtually all your HVAC woes when you partner with our skilled technicians at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions. We bring our professional heating and cooling solutions to your doorstep without extended delays.
We also use the latest diagnostic tools designed to work with modern home air systems, allowing us to pinpoint your HVAC issue without needlessly throwing parts at it or scheduling multiple unnecessary service trips. Our team understands how to eliminate the guesswork from the diagnostic process and identify the root of your problem. This way, we resolve your outage the first time.
Whether your system requires a few minor tweaks during a routine inspection or demands a complete overhaul, we can address the entire spectrum of your HVAC needs. We, at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions, pride ourselves on giving clients an honest assessment while maintaining clear communication throughout the repair process. If we think a full replacement is the only way to ensure a cost-effective and lasting solution, we’ll tell you upfront.
At Environmental Heating & Air Solutions in Northern California, we specialize in understanding the unique needs of every client. That’s why we offer customizable maintenance plans tailored to your home and its HVAC usage requirements. These plans help you extend the life of your heating and cooling system while enhancing efficiency and saving you money over the long term.
If you need an emergency repair, you can call us 24/7/365. Day or night, we make ourselves available with prompt and reliable heating and cooling services in Northern California to help restore your peace of mind. Our primary goal is to minimize the length of the disruption to your comfort and daily routine.
Ready to give your HVAC system the professional care and attention it needs? Call Environmental Heating & Air Solutions now to schedule your next HVAC service appointment.
