We’ve talked before about the warning signs you need to schedule AC repair in Howell, MI. Your air conditioner gives off different signals when it’s malfunctioning, and strange sounds are the most common.
But strange odors are also a common cautionary sign—and they are also hard to ignore. When these strange odors come from the vents of your central air conditioning system, here’s what they might mean:
Your refrigerant-based air conditioning system doesn’t use water to cool down the air (that’s what swamp coolers do). But the process of evaporating cold refrigerant in the indoor coils of the air conditioner creates water moisture. So when you hear the sound of water dripping inside your AC, that’s part of the normal process of cooling your home. The air conditioner is getting rid of the moisture that built up.
The way it removes this moisture is with the condensate pan and drain. We’re going to look into this component of your air conditioner, because if it develops problems, you need to call us for air conditioning service in Howell, MI.
Air conditioners runs using motors and fans, so they can never run silently. However, the construction of standard split system air conditioners removes a great deal of the noise from the house by placing the compressor and exhaust fan outside. Inside the house, most of the sound will come from the indoor blower fan, water dripping from the evaporator coil, and the movement of air through the ventilation ducts.
This is the basic “white noise” of summer—until it isn’t. A rise in sounds from the air conditioner, and this includes a noisier outdoor unit as well, is a problem. And not just because it can be annoying. Let’s look into what can be done about a noisy AC.
Thermostats are among the most advanced parts of HVAC systems. Even the simple ones have such an important part to play that no homeowner can afford to overlook the thermostat—especially since thermostat troubles are among the most common for creating comfort issues in a home.
What’s tricky about thermostat malfunctions is that they aren’t always obviously coming from the thermostat. This is one of the reasons it’s important to have a Howell, MI, HVAC contractor on the job when you aren’t receiving the comfort levels you expect from your AC or heater, or if you’ve noticed odd behavior from the HVAC system and a steep rise in energy bills.
To help you recognize a thermostat on the fritz, here’s a list of some of the most common thermostat-based problems you may run into:
Unfortunately, the need for air conditioning repair in Howell, MI can strike at any time. It doesn’t have to wait until August when the AC has already been running steadily for a few months. Even with a regular tune-up and inspection in the summer, an air conditioner can run into a problem at the start of the summer season.
It’s not fun when it happens, but if you’re vigilant about your air conditioner you may be able to catch early signs of something wrong. You’ll be able to get our First Choice technicians on the job early and prevent a bigger repair problem in the future.
The end of the winter season is a period when we recommend homeowners who have heating equipment that is older than 10 years give consideration to when it needs to be replaced. No, this doesn’t mean that a heating system that’s older than 10 years is an automatic replacement. But this is the period when the heater may start to show signs of wearing down, losing energy efficiency, and becoming a higher risk for a breakdown.
This is especially important for gas furnaces, which is probably the type of central heater your house uses. When you think about the recent performance of the furnace, are you on the fence about replacing it? We want to help you understand what kind of risks you’re taking if you delay replacing a furnace that needs it.
Yes, we know the weather outside is still cold enough for your house to need its heater running regularly. It may seem weird to start considering your air conditioner at this time, but March is the ideal month to plan for the coming change in seasons.
Spring is the period between peak business times for HVAC experts: the cold of winter and the heat of summer. As our schedules become less packed with emergency heating repairs and heating replacements, we can spend more time helping our valued customers get ready for warmer weather. You only have to call us to arrange for air conditioning maintenance in Howell, MI and we’ll get you on the schedule right away.
Are you looking to have a new heating system installed in your house? If you are, one of the most important bits of information you’ll want to find out about potential models is their efficiency. A high-efficiency furnace uses less energy to provide more heat, and therefore costs less to run.
Or at least, that’s what it seems to mean.
The truth is a bit more complicated. Efficiency is a rating of the heating output of a furnace compared to the amount of energy it uses. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a furnace with a higher efficiency rating will automatically cost less to run. A good example of this is the difference in the efficiency ratings of gas furnaces and electric furnaces.
Having the ducts of your home cleaned isn’t a task you probably have on a regular “to-do” list the same way you have heating and air conditioning maintenance. This is because duct cleaning isn’t something homes need done every year. In general, we recommend duct cleaning on a schedule of every 3 to 5 years or as needed.
The “as needed” part is what we wish to discuss here. Ductwork can become so choked with dust, lint, and other debris that it will end up affecting the HVAC system in multiple ways. Because you can’t easily see the interior of the ductwork, you may not know you’ve got a problem at first. We’ve put together a list of indicators that you’re due for duct cleaning.
Just what does home performance mean? You may hear the term thrown around and not have understood the exact definition.
There is plenty to say about home performance, but a simple working definition is that it is how all aspects of a house work together as a single unit to achieve the goals of energy efficiency, comfort, and health. A house with air leaks that create winter drafts and poor air circulation would be an example of poor home performance. Unfortunately, many homes suffer from poor home performance in Howell, MI, and their owners don’t even realize it.
