HVAC Troubleshooting Guide Every Homeowner Should Know
Most homeowners rely on their HVAC air conditioner systems to stay consistently comfortable during the chilly winters and scorching summers. And when those appliances are running smoothly, keeping the climate in a pleasant spot is typically pretty easy. However, when something goes wrong with your home's heating, air conditioning, or ventilation, it can negatively impact your life in multiple ways.
HVAC problems tend to make your home far less comfortable, especially when the weather outside is harsh. Many HVAC issues can result in expensive energy bills, costly repairs, and poor indoor air quality.
What Are 8 HVAC Troubleshooting Tips That Every Homeowner Should Know?
In many cases, if your HVAC system is struggling or malfunctioning, you’ll have to bring in professional HVAC technicians for repair or system replacement.
However, before you go that route, you may want to try a few ideas from this ultimate HVAC troubleshooting guide. In many cases, when your air conditioning or heating system isn’t working correctly, there’s a simple fix that you can take care of yourself. Then, if the problem persists, that’s when it’s time to call the local professionals.
Tip #1 - Replace the Air Filters
You may be surprised by how many HVAC problems can be traced back to clogged or dirty air filters. Whenever your heating or air conditioning system is circulating air, its air filter is doing a critical job. That job is catching the various airborne contaminants before they can be cycled into the system and around your living space. This is very important for the health, performance, and efficiency of the HVAC unit, as well as the air you breathe. However, these air filters only have so much space for pollutants; eventually, they will become very dirty or clogged.
If you recently replaced your filter with a higher MERV rating and are now experiencing issues, you should consult with an HVAC professional to determine the max MERV rating for your system. You can read more on filter types here : Types of HVAC Filters and Their Uses.
When HVAC air conditioning filters become overly dirty or clogged, switching them out for clean filters is imperative. Otherwise, your air conditioner may be negatively affected in several ways. For one thing, clogged dirty air filters can restrict the appliance’s airflow, which puts extra strain on the equipment and makes it harder to effectively circulate cool or warm air. This can worsen the efficiency of the system and potentially cause mechanical failure.
Additionally, the air filter won’t be able to trap contaminants like dust, mold spores, and pollen, which means they’ll be pulled into the HVAC unit and distributed around your home.
So, one homeowner HVAC troubleshooting tip that’s always worth trying is replacing the air conditioning systems' air filter with new, clean ones. If you’re noticing a spike in your energy bills, poor HVAC performance, or inferior air quality, switching out the air filter may solve the problem.
Ideally, you should make a point to change your central air conditioning system air filters at least once every couple of months to keep things running smoothly and efficiently.
Tip #2 - Look For Drainage Difficulties
Many heating and cooling systems create condensation while running. This water must be drained to prevent damage and other moisture-related issues from occurring in your home. If any part of the condensate drain system becomes blocked, it can cause the system to shut off to prevent additional condensation from forming and flooding your space.
When an ac unit is running in cooling, it pulls moisture out of the cooled air and must be able to drain that water somewhere. Proper draining is also needed on highly efficient furnaces. The hot air from combustion travels through a heat exchanger, which extracts moisture that must be drained. This condensation formed from heating units is also corrosive and must go through a neutralizing kit to prevent damage to metal drains. This is often a source of build-up and blocked drainage.
Ensure that the condensate drain line is free from obstructions and that your unit can drain water without backing up.
Tip #2 - Check and Clean Your Air Vents
If you’re having HVAC issues, it’s also possible that they can be traced to the air vents around your home. Your living space likely features several of these vents, which are used to distribute the hot and cool air from your HVAC system to the different areas of your household.
When these vents are clean and unobstructed, it’s no problem for your heating and cooling units to flow air through them consistently. However, if the vents become blocked or very dirty, it can prevent those appliances from doing their jobs efficiently.
For example, when dust, dirt, and small debris accumulate inside the air vents over time, they can obstruct the space where your HVAC system needs to circulate air. As a result, the units blower fan and compressor will need to work harder to get the air through, which can lead to wasted energy, higher electric bills, uneven household temperatures, and even significant equipment problems.
Sometimes, clutter will pile up in front of a vent, or a piece of furniture will be accidentally moved into its path. If your home is experiencing any of these issues, checking all of the vents around the dwelling is a good troubleshooting technique. First, you’ll want to verify that nothing is blocking any registers directly. It would help if you also took the time to clean the vents, which is a chore that should be taken care of several times each year.
To clean your home’s air vents, you’ll need to remove the cover panels with a screwdriver. You can then use a vacuum cleaner with a hose extension to remove the contaminants from the inside. Clearing out these air vents may be enough to get your HVAC system back on track.
Tip #3 - Reset the HVAC System
Have you ever fixed a problem with one of your electronics by simply turning it off and back on again? Believe it or not, this is a troubleshooting technique that can potentially work for your HVAC system as well.
With certain malfunctions, giving the HVAC unit a chance to reset will be enough to start functioning correctly again. If you notice that your air conditioner or heating system is behaving strangely while heating or cooling, it is always worth a try to shut it off and power it back up. Each HVAC unit will have its own unique reset method.
If you’re unfamiliar with resetting your home’s system, all you need to do is consult the owner’s manual.
Tip #4 - Check the Thermostat
Sometimes, the solution to an HVAC problem will be the simplest possible option. In many cases, an improperly set thermostat is to blame. If someone in your household has changed the thermostat setting without your knowledge, you may mistake its behavior for a problem with your heat or air conditioner system. For example, if the thermostat is set much lower than you think, your HVAC unit may distribute cool air when it should be providing heat.
When this type of thing happens, you must ensure the thermostat is set correctly, and you’ll be good to go. Double check that the programmable thermostat is following the schedule and the time clock is accurate. Often during a seasons change, the thermostat set point may be in the incorrect mode for the current season.
That said, there are also cases when a household thermostat will malfunction. When this happens, it can cause the air conditioning system to behave strangely. If you suspect that this is happening in your home, your first troubleshooting step should be to check if the thermostat is receiving power.
If it uses batteries, try replacing them with new ones that are fully charged. If the thermostat has power but continues to malfunction, you may need to replace it or have local HVAC technicians repair it.
Tip #5 - Clean the Outdoor Unit
With most types of household HVAC systems, there will be a condenser unit that’s located outside the house. This unit is integral to the overall operation of the heating and cooling appliances. Typically, the outdoor unit features a condenser coil, which is essentially metal fins wrapped around its exterior.
Because your condenser unit is located outdoors, it’s generally exposed to the elements. When the outdoor component of the air conditioner gets covered with snow, dirt, branches, or debris, the condenser coils can become clogged, and the unit’s airflow can be hampered significantly. Those issues can negatively impact the performance, efficiency, and health of the entire air conditioning system.
If you observe that your HVAC system’s outdoor unit is dirty, taking some time to clean it is a prudent troubleshooting option. You’ll want to brush away any leaves, branches, and debris that have built up on and around the unit. If there’s dirt caked in between the condenser coils, you can scrub it away or use a hose to rinse it gently.
If you clean this condenser unit regularly, you may be surprised at the positive effects doing so can have on your air conditioner.
Tip #6 - Have Your Ductwork Cleaned
Sometimes, the most effective HVAC troubleshooting techniques involve working with skilled professionals.
One example of this is duct cleaning. Your home’s air ducts are an essential part of the heating and cooling processes. These ducts serve as the pathways for your air conditioning unit to circulate air to every area of your living space.
However, contaminants like dust, dirt, mold spores, pollen, and dander can naturally accumulate inside these ducts over time. If you allow these pollutants to continue building up for several years, they can start to cause some significant issues for your heating and cooling appliances.
When your household air ducts become dirty, it can become more difficult for your air conditioning unit to cycle air through them consistently. Eventually, this forces your heating and cooling units to increase their air pressure, which requires more energy and puts extra strain on the equipment. As a result, you end up paying more for your monthly energy bills, and the odds of an HVAC malfunction or breakdown rise significantly.
Your home comfort can be negatively affected as well. The harder it becomes for your HVAC system to push warm and cool air through the ducts, the harder it will be to keep your household climate where you want it.
In some cases, you might start to notice hot and cold spots around your home. When your air ducts are filled with contaminant particles, many of them also get picked up and cycled around the dwelling, which worsens the overall quality of your indoor air.
So, if you’re noticing any of these problems in your home, consider hiring local ductwork professionals to come in for a cleaning. They’ll not only clear out the pollutants, but they’ll also be able to inspect the air ducts for leaks or other problems.
If your ducts are leaky or damaged, those issues will also be very detrimental to your HVAC health and performance. If possible, try to schedule a professional duct cleaning every two or three years.
Tip #7 - Check the Circuit Breakers
If your heating or cooling system doesn’t start up when it’s supposed to, it could potentially be caused by something as simple as a switch being turned off. And if that’s the case, you should be able to remedy the issue by heading to your household circuit breaker and checking to see if anything is amiss.
If any of the switches for your HVAC appliances are turned off, simply flip them back on, and the problem should be solved. In most homes, the circuit breaker will be found in the garage, but it could also be in the basement, a storage room, or a hallway. If you find a tripped circuit breaker, do not reset more than one time as it can lead to additional air conditioning problems.
Know When to Call in the Professionals
Being a proactive homeowner is great, and in many situations, these troubleshooting tips can save you a lot of time, money, and hassle. However, it’s also vital to know when contacting a local HVAC professional is necessary.
If you don’t have the proper experience and equipment, you should never manually start digging around in your HVAC unit to fix a mechanical problem. You could make the issue worse, damage the appliance permanently, or even seriously injure yourself.
If straightforward troubleshooting techniques don’t get your HVAC system back on track, contacting reputable local experts is always the best thing you can do. They’ll be able to determine precisely what’s wrong and find an effective, long-lasting solution.
Hopefully, this will give you the confidence to check into some of the simple common problems. Looking for what is included in an HVAC inspection? Check out the HVAC Inspection Guide Here.
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