Part of homeownership is dealing with issues that come up here and there, and they can eventually affect every part of your home, whether your appliances, your electrical, or even your HVAC system. Fortunately, many of the problems you might experience with your HVAC are very common and are less cause for stress than you might initially think. Here are seven of the most common HVAC issues you might run into over time.
1. Refrigerant Leaks
This might be one of the most common problems that homeowners experience with their HVAC systems, particularly during the summertime. Air conditioners and heat pumps carry refrigerant, which is a substance that helps convert and transfer heat from the air before your HVAC circulates it throughout your home.
If your air conditioner is turned on but your vents are continuously blowing warm or hot air, this might be a sign that you have a refrigerant leak. Other potential signs of a leak are visible puddles of oil near your condenser, oil in your drain pan, or frozen evaporator coils. Fortunately, most leaks are easy, quick, and inexpensive to repair, and many leaks can be caught early with proactive maintenance. It’s only when the leak has been left unattended for a long time that it could develop into a larger and more costly problem. Don’t try to deal with a refrigerant leak by yourself, though, since these chemicals should only be handled by a certified HVAC technician.
2. Broken Capacitor
Inside your air conditioner, there’s a part called the capacitor, which sends electrical signals to the compressor motor to start working when your air conditioner is turned on. The capacitor continues to send power to the motor until your home has finished cooling down.
It’s not uncommon for these capacitors to break down or fail from time to time, especially if they’ve been regularly exposed to extreme changes in outdoor temperatures or if they’ve experienced any electrical fluctuations (like a power surge or outage). Your capacitor might need to be fixed or replaced if your air conditioner is running but isn’t cooling your home, it’s short-cycling or won’t turn on at all, or if your outside unit is making a loud clicking or humming noise. Your HVAC technician can test your capacitor to see whether it’s working properly and can swap it out for a new one if needed to get your air conditioner working normally again.
3. Condensate Line & Drain Pan Issues
Another common repair that you might need for your HVAC system is to fix your condensate line or drain pan. When your HVAC is working properly, condensation that forms when your air conditioner, heat pump, or high-efficiency heater is running will drip into a drain pan and into a condensate drain line that removes the water from your home.
Sometimes, your drain pan can develop cracks or—especially during the summertime—dust and humidity can clog up the condensate line, which can cause problems for your HVAC. If your system experiences intermittent shutoffs, or if you see water collecting around your indoor units or smell must or mildew, you may need repairs to your drain pan or condensate line. HVAC technicians can clear any obstructions in the line and can either repair or replace your drain pan to help prevent any future leaks or any potential air quality issues from the standing water.
4. Faulty Compressor
If you’re experiencing any grinding, rattling, or banging noises from your outdoor air conditioner unit, as well as reduced airflow or spikes in your energy bill, you might have an issue with your air conditioner’s compressor.
This component pumps refrigerant throughout your HVAC system and makes sure that the pressure levels are stable while the system is cooling your home. During the summer, when the heat and humidity levels are at their highest, your compressor comes under a lot of stress and might end up overheating or seizing up if you don’t have enough refrigerant, your evaporator coils are dirty, or you experience any electrical issues. While this is a common repair, it is also one of the more expensive ones. Routine maintenance can help you catch and handle any issues early on and help you avoid having to purchase an entirely new compressor, new evaporator coils, or even a new HVAC system.
5. Dirty Ductwork or Filters
One of the easiest repairs your HVAC technician might make is replacing your air filter or cleaning your ductwork. Throughout the year, dust, dirt, and pollen accumulates in your HVAC system, which your filter is designed to trap. However, if you leave your air filter unattended for too long, it can become clogged and can reduce the airflow in your HVAC system. This can also lead to a build-up of dirt in your ductwork, which also restricts the amount of air that can flow through your home.
If you’re experiencing hot and cold spots in your home, inconsistent temperatures, reduced heating or cooling efficiency, and an increase in your energy bills, you might need to change your filter and/or get your ducts cleaned out. Fortunately, filters are easy to change out—you can do this yourself every 2–3 months to keep your HVAC system clear of dust and dirt. For some ductwork TLC, your HVAC technician can use a high-powered vacuum to clean out your system in a matter of hours.
A quick note: Ductwork cleaning is typically best left to the experts. Be sure to choose a quality provider—check their reviews, and avoid the low-dollar coupon offers some companies offer. You get what you pay for with this service!
6. Faulty Pilot Light or Electrical Ignition
Furnaces rely on pilot lights or electrical ignitions to start heating the air that eventually warms up your home, but can malfunction if they’ve been exposed to a lot of wear and tear, if there’s a large amount of dirt in the system, or if a sensor is malfunctioning.
If you’re noticing that your home isn’t heating properly and you have a newer furnace with an electrical ignition, this can be a relatively easy repair—your HVAC technician can simply replace the ignition system to get things running normally. However, if you have an older gas furnace and you’re noticing difficulties with your home heating up, the simplest solution may be replacing your furnace altogether with a newer, more efficient model.
If your gas furnace pilot light is flickering or is yellow in color, this could indicate excessive carbon monoxide and you should turn your furnace off immediately and keep it off until a technician can examine it.
7. Blower Motor Problems
One of the final common repairs you might need for your HVAC is when you experience issues with your furnace’s blower motor. This part helps circulate warm air from your furnace through your home, but can either overheat or seize up, or have a belt that wears out over time.
If your furnace is making loud squealing or grinding noises, your airflow is weak, you have a frozen evaporator coil, or your home isn’t heating up properly, you might have issues with your blower motor. One quick step you can make yourself is to check for a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse, since either of those can prevent your blower motor from turning on. If neither of those fix the problem, then your HVAC technician may simply need to replace a worn-out belt or lubricate parts of the motor itself, or they might need to replace the motor entirely.
The next time you experience an issue with your HVAC system, don’t worry—there’s a good chance that it’s a more common problem and an easier repair than you think. If you’ve replaced your air filter and double-checked your circuit breaker/fuse boxes and you’re still dealing with HVAC issues, go ahead and give our team of certified HVAC professionals a call. There’s a high likelihood that your repair will fall under one of these seven categories!