Having total comfort from your home means having an HVAC unit to set comfortable temperatures in your home in every season. In Winchester, MA, your home is susceptible to frigid temperatures in the winter and some heat in the spring. Making sure your heating and air conditioning are running correctly is crucial.
If you are experiencing problems with your HVAC, then you may be feeling extremely frustrated. There are some issues with your HVAC unit that can be solved yourself, or there can be more significant problems requiring a technician’s help. This essential guide will discuss common problems with heating and air conditioning in Winchester, MA, and what you should do to fix them.
The Importance of Proper Heating and Air in Winchester
Staying up to date with your system is the best way to ensure you do not experience any issues. The expected lifespan of heating and air conditioning is between 20-25 years, with a well-kept-up one lasting possibly 30 years. There are things you can do yourself to ensure that your system is clean and performing well, which will pay off in the end.
Keeping your HVAC unit cleaned consistently is the best way to avoid any issues or expensive repairs in the future. In addition, cleaning your unit and constantly inspecting it is the best way to ensure the air in your home is clean and purified when you breathe it in.
Having a properly running HVAC will ensure that your home’s temperature is comfortable in no time. If you recently moved into a house that was already built, you should have already read the facts about the installed unit. If you are planning to move in the future, check the system to know if you will be updating a new HVAC unit shortly after buying a house.
Older units can take longer to heat or cool your home, which can increase your monthly energy bill. Modern heating and air conditioning units are energy efficient. They are built with better technology to use as much power as it needs without burning loads of energy. However, older systems can be a pain if they are beginning to break down and not work as well as they used to.
Having your system updated also eliminates any occurrences like leaky ductwork or clogged filters that can be damaging the air you’re breathing. If you are looking for the best air possible and experience with heating and air, using a modern system is the way to go.
Common HVAC Problems
It is typical for an HVAC unit or heating furnace to undergo minor issues here and there. Still, if your system constantly needs repairs, it might be time to replace the entire system. Consistent repairs can cost more than replacing your system entirely.
Most HVAC issues come from a lack of responsibility on the owner’s part. Cleaning your system and constantly checking for issues can help minimize your heating and air conditioning unit’s problems, but you might pay for it later when you fail to take care of this investment.
Common issues people with HVACs experience are:
- Leaks
- Odd smells or sounds
- Old parts
- High energy bills
- Frozen parts during cold months
If you experience any parts that are frozen and not working, call your service provider immediately. Winchester’s frost or highly frigid temperatures can damage your HVAC by covering it entirely in snow or ice. When this happens, it can block your home from experiencing heat.
Since the Winchester area is notorious for facing Northern snowstorms, it is important to call a service provider if you experience this situation to protect your HVAC from becoming a total loss.
The other common issues can come from not checking your system for so long. Still, it might have been inevitable if your HVAC system has been reaching the end of its lifespan. Some heating and air conditioning system issues will not be as noticeable as others, like odd sounds or smells.
You might smell a faint burning smell from your heat pump during the fall when the heat is used for the first time. That smell comes from the dust being burned off, but it should go away. If you notice any burning smell after using your heat pump for a few weeks, it might be time to get your system checked out. Smells of mildew and mold can also indicate another problem.
It is suggested that you schedule an annual maintenance check-up with a service provider at least once a year. These experts will visit your home and observe your outdoor and indoor systems for any damages or anything that looks odd.
Repair or Get a New Service?
If you are unsure if you should repair your system or get a new one, there are a few things to consider to make your decision.
If you are constantly repairing your system or always having issues, it might be time to get a new unit. New HVAC systems are expensive. The range varies between $4,000 to $9,000, but constantly repairing your system can cost more, especially if you have serious maintenance problems. Older homes with units that have not been replaced in a few decades can be notorious for consistent issues due to age.
Your HVAC unit is an essential investment for your house, which means you should have the best service. If your home has an older heating and air conditioning unit, do yourself a favor and get a modern one. Older units tend to cause you to pay higher energy bills, which is another indicator that you might need to replace your system.
High energy bills come from your current unit having to overwork itself to provide heat or ac to your home. If you have an older unit, the system may not be as strong as it once was to set comfortable temperatures. If you have an older system working for over two decades, it’s time to get your system checked out for any possible indication that it is coming time for it to give out. If your HVAC unit is over two decades, then it’s time to start thinking about the next steps of installing a newer energy-efficient unit for your home.
Ensure Your Air Quality is Top-Tier
The air you breathe, and your heating or ac service have a direct correlation to your health. The air outside is filtered through your HVAC system to give you clean air to breathe in your home. However, when your system has dirty ductwork or leaks, the clean air can be jeopardized.
If your system is older and experiencing issues, it can stop performing efficiently and bring harmful pollutants to your air. This issue can also come from not changing out your air filter as often as you should. The air filter traps dirt, dust, dander, pet hair, and more from getting in the air. When it gets too clogged, you can begin to breathe in these pollutants, damaging your health, especially if you have asthma or other breathing difficulties.
But the biggest with the air you should have comes from carbon monoxide and your heat pump. Your ac unit does not have the power to cause a carbon monoxide scare, but your heat pump does. As your furnace’s heat exchanger tries to vent harmful gasses away from the heat combustion process, the gasses may slip into the air if your exchanger has developed cracks or leaks over time.
To avoid having exposure to this deadly gas, you must have maintenance check consistently of your heat exchanger to prevent this from happening. In addition, keeping the air in your house pure is extremely important for your health and safety.
How to Find a New Heat and AC Unit
Finding the right size unit for your home can be challenging but easier with the help of a trusted provider. If you are not familiar with HVAC parts and what makes it the best system for your home, your provider can help you out.
Some basic considerations for finding the next system to install are the efficiency of the product. HVAC units with high SEER ratings in the 20s are best since they will produce enough power for your home. Having a high-performing HVAC unit for your climate is essential to ensure you will get the correct temperatures based on the climate changes in Winchester for the seasons.
It is also important to find a unit that is the right size for your home. If your new unit is too big, it will use more energy than it needs for your home. If your unit is too small, it will take longer to heat or cool your home, leading to the overuse of energy and raising your bill.
The best time to purchase a new HVAC unit is when sales or promotions are taken advantage of. The offseason for buying new HVACs at lower prices is between September and November since the climate is not entirely one-sided. The provider you choose may have extra promotions going on throughout the year, so keep an eye out after speaking with a provider and getting a cost idea to see how much you can save with promotions.
Other Heating and Cooling Options
Ductless air conditioning systems and heat pumps are great alternatives to standard HVAC units if you are looking for something less complicated to install. In addition, ductless systems can be made in a mini-split, which means you can get heat and air in the same unit.
Ductless systems are hung on your walls or at the bottom of your baseboards and heat or cool the room it sits in. If you decide to use one of these systems, you will need to install a unit in every room you want temperature control. However, ductless systems can reduce the amount of energy used each month by 30%. They are a money-saving product for sure, minus the upfront cost, but more manageable than a standard unit.
Most people are bothered by the aesthetic of ductless systems since they sit on the wall and are a box. Still, there are ways you can blend the unit into the room and make it less visible. Still, it is recommended that you do not put it behind any curtains that can catch fire when the heating service is on. Ductless systems need to be able to breathe to power the room.
Finding the Proper Heating and Cooling Service
When you are looking for the proper heating and ac installation provider, there are a few things you need to consider. First, investing in a new HVAC unit is a big decision, which means you do not have room to choose a non-reputable source.
You should begin your search by researching trustworthy providers in your area. Pay close attention to their ratings and reviews left on their site to see how credible the company is and how good of a job their installations are.
Honesty is a significant component to look for when dealing with these critical machines, so a sense of professionalism is a must in a service provider. Your provider should discuss the reality of your situation with you and guide you through selecting a new system in a way that is not too pushy of certain products, like their own ac and heating unit if they have one.
Price is another factor to consider with a service provider. Having a budget in mind can help you find the right provider to install and find you a system within your price range. HVAC units are not cheap equipment, so prepare to be a little flexible with your budget if you need to purchase one slightly above your price range if they are energy-efficient enough to save money monthly in the long run.
Preparing For a Furnace Heating Repair
If you are expecting a heat furnace repair, you can do a few things to get ready for the process. The first is to speak with your provider about what you can do to help them come to your home. Heat furnaces are relatively large, so clear the room in the front of the furnace to give your technician space to work.
When your technician is repairing or replacing the heating furnace, do not forget to ask for a programmable thermostat to partner with the new system so you can have better control of the temperature in your home, which can help save money.
The actual repair process can take just a few hours or days for more complicated systems. Your technician will do all of the work for you, and once they are done, it is your job to schedule the yearly maintenance check to make sure everything is working correctly. It is best to have the system checked right before winter so you can make sure everything is ready for the winter months in Winchester, MA.
Preparing For an Air Conditioning Repair
Preparing for an air conditioning repair works the same way. However, these units can take longer to install since they are bigger and have more parts, so the average installation timeframe is between three to five days.
Your technician should communicate with you how best to prepare for the new unit before it arrives at your home. Still, it is best to keep the areas the product will enter into clean, so your technician has room to work. If your inside units are near tables or oversized furniture, move them out of the way for your technician.
When the day of installation arrives, double-check to make sure everything has been ordered and good to go. Before your technician arrives, clean out the ductwork by vacuuming it to be free of dirt or dust.
If your ductwork is needing some repairs, your technician may fix them during the installation process. Do not worry if they catch something you did not see when you cleaned them. Your technician has an eye for any issues that will keep your unit from working correctly with your new unit.
Your new unit needs to be checked annually by your technician and constantly cleaned at home to keep up the performance of your new unit.
Keeping up the maintenance on your new system
Cleaning your HVAC unit is crucial for preserving its lifespan and performance. It may seem intimidating to clean your unit if you are not familiar with its makeup, but there are simple maintenance tricks you can do easily without getting too involved.
The first is making sure you swap your air filters every three to six months. Your air filters can clog fast since they trap harmful pollutants floating in your air, and forgetting to swap them can have severe consequences. In addition, when you fail to clean your air filters, your systems will begin to use more energy to try and push air through the clogged filters. The trapped particles can also start to get pushed into the ductwork, compromising the air quality going into your home.
Replacing your air filter is a very simple task. You can pick up new filters from any hardware store and swap them out in a matter of minutes inside your home. While you’re swapping filters, take a peek through the ducts to check for any build-up, holes, or obstructions that may have developed over time. If you notice any leaks or holes in your ducts, you can fix this with a big patch of duct tape or call your trusted provider.
Holes and leaks in your ductwork will cause your heat or air to escape and not make it into your home. Your system will then have to use more energy to push out heat or air to match the temperature on your thermostat, once again causing your energy bill to skyrocket.
When it comes to cleaning your system, don’t forget to clean the outside compressor. Cleaning the outside compressor is easier than you think, but it’s always good to have your annual clean from your provider schedule go behind you.
Turn off the power first before you spray your outside compressor down after getting rid of any leaves or twigs that may have gotten trapped. Once you spray the coils down, apply the foam cleaner and wait 15 minutes to wash the cleanser off.
Good maintenance performed regularly on your HVAC will ensure the longevity of your system and minimize any possible issues that can cost a lot of money to fix.
Work with the best HVAC and plumbing professionals in Winchester
If you are experiencing problems with your HVAC unit, call us, the experts at 128 Plumbing. We help residents in the Winchester, MA area find the air conditioning and heating system to power their homes for maximum comfort year-round.
We understand how intimidating the process of finding your new system can be, which is why we promise to be with you every step of the way. If you are looking for a home service provider with decades of experience and helpful advice when installing a new HVAC, then we’re a match for you.
Call us today at 781-670-3261 to speak with a representative to get started.
