Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are crucial systems to any home or office, but just like all systems – they might need repair from time to time. In today’s article, we’ll be taking a look at HVAC repair, repairs you can do by yourself, and exactly when should you call a repair service.

Most Common HVAC Problems

Many different problems can occur with your HVAC system, with the most common one being the lack of maintenance. Most problems you occur happen precisely because there wasn’t enough maintenance.

This is why you should regularly schedule a professional service contractor to take a look at your HVAC system and take off all those problems before they ever turn up.

Dirty filters and pilot problems are incredibly common. When your contractor is doing their regular maintenance, they’re probably going to replace the filters every once in a while.

A dirty filter will restrict airflow and your HVAC unit won’t be able to circulate air properly.

Pilot problems can happen for a similar reason – a dirty pilot, for example, can’t warm up properly. These problems, however, can easily be avoided if you regularly schedule maintenance.

Regular maintenance will also take care of all wear and tear. All systems use up their parts after a while and they need to either be fixed or replaced with time. This is something that your contractor will notice once they take a look at your system.

It’s also possible that your thermostat will stop working, which is usually an indication of an electrical problem, and it will usually need replacement.

There are, however, fixes that you can do on your own, without needing to call for professional help.

HVAC Repair You Can Do Yourself

One of the most common repairs you’ll be doing is changing the air filter. Although this is something that your maintenance service entails, sometimes the filter gets dirty when they’re not around and you don’t have time to wait.

A dirty filter will often cause the AC to start blowing hot air when it should be letting out cold air. If that happens, you need to remove the current filter, and that’s easily done.

Just make sure to point the filter in the right direction – filter installing instructions are usually included with the filter you bought.

Another common fix is reigniting the pilot light. The light can turn off for many reasons, and reigniting it is easy and it’s not something that you need professional help for.

Just turn off the furnace, find where the light is (it’s usually at the bottom of the furnace), turn it off for a few minutes, and then turn the knob to the ‘Pilot’ setting and press it. The tiny automatic lighter should light it up on its own. If it doesn’t use a regular lighter to light the pilot light.

It’s also possible that the thermostat isn’t working for the most common and the simplest of reasons. Usually, it’s just an indication that there’s something wrong with the power.

If your thermostat is battery powered, try changing the batteries and see if that will set it right. It’s also possible that your thermostat is malfunctioning because it’s in direct sun contact – this will raise the temperature of the sensors and the thermostat will register a higher temperature than it is.

These are all very common fixes, but there are instances when you should call a repair service and have them repair the system for you.

When Should You Call HVAC Repair?

One of the most common issues, and also one of the most unsolvable for you, is the AC not letting any air out of the vents. This is particularly frustrating during the summer and you should call the pros to take care of this.

Although the problem can be the filters, it’s also possible that the ducts or the compressor aren’t working properly.

Also, if your AC box is clunking and making loud noises, it’s possible that something’s broken off and it’s now further ruining your system. In that case, you should call repairmen as exploring the system on your own could lead to destroying it even more.

Lastly, it’s also common for your system to start letting off bad smells. This happens because humidity rises and mold and mildew start growing, letting off bad smells.

It’s also possible to smell gas or something burning, in which case you should leave your home immediately and call the professionals. These smells don’t always have to point to something dangerous, but they very often do.