Heat Isn’t Working in the House: What’s Wrong?

September 7, 2022. Posted by Stephen Richardson in Air Conditioning & Heating

When the weather finally turns cool, we want our furnaces to kick on when necessary. When they don’t or when the furnace turns on but there’s no heat, we want to know why and fast. Here are several reasons the heat isn’t working as it should.

Check the Setting

It might seem silly, but not having the thermostat set to heat is often why the heater isn’t turning on. Simply set the desired temperature and turn the unit to “heat” and things should start working correctly.

Safety Switches

All furnaces built after the 1990s have safety switches. They play a crucial role in your heating system. If you have a gas-fueled heater and a switch detects that gas is being supplied to the heater but is not igniting, the switch will turn off the system. They will also turn off your heating system if it gets too hot or if they detect a carbon … Read Full Post »

What Size Furnace Do I Need?

August 31, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Corpus Christi

A working furnace is a vital part of any home, even in warmer states like Texas. The last thing you want is to have a malfunctioning furnace in the dead of winter. If your furnace is reaching the end of its life, you’ll want to reach out to a heating specialist. A heating specialist knows all the calculations and factors that must be considered before making a large purchase like this one.

While some homeowners may think the bigger the better, this isn’t always the case. A furnace that is too big will also work too hard, which results in skyrocketing energy bills. On the other hand, a furnace that is too small will not heat your home completely, leaving you cold in the winter. Plus, it will have a shorter lifespan since it is working overtime to produce enough heat.

So, what do heating specialists look at when determining what size … Read Full Post »

Why Does My AC Smell Like Vinegar?

July 12, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

air that smells like vinegar blowing through a home

Is there anything better than the fresh cool breeze of an air conditioner on a sweltering summer day? No way.

However, if your AC smells like rotten eggs or vinegar, that pleasant respite from the heat is going to sour. Air conditioners that emit an unpleasant smell are not only a buzzkill to your refreshment and comfort, they are also warning signs of serious functional issues and potentially expensive breakdowns.

In short, that bad smell is your AC’s way of letting you know that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. An off-putting vinegar odor is most typically caused by a build-up of bacteria or mold in your AC system. This can continue to grow and spread throughout your home.

The good news is that this is a fairly common issue and there are some tried-and-true methods to resolve it.

The first step in dealing with a sour-smelling air conditioner is to determine … Read Full Post »

Why Am I Getting No Power to My Thermostat?

June 21, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Austin

Your AC is a complex system made up of many interconnected parts. If any one part fails, the system can’t work at peak efficiency. But if the thermostat isn’t working, the whole air-conditioning system is down. The thermostat is the little box on your wall that controls the AC. No power to thermostat means you can’t turn your AC on or off, or set it to the right temperature.

Simple Fixes

When your thermostat loses power, there are a few simple things to check first. The very first thing to do is to make sure it’s actually turned on. This is especially something to check with older thermostats. As long as they are receiving power, newer digital thermostats will still show something on their displays, even when they are off. If your thermostat is digital and its display screen is completely blank, that likely means it has lost power.

If your home has … Read Full Post »

My AC Is Not Turning On: What’s Wrong

June 17, 2022. Posted by Stephen Richardson in Air Conditioning & Heating

For a homeowner, there are few things as distressing as turning on your air conditioner and nothing happening. This holds especially true when the temperatures start climbing to triple digits. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can check yourself to get that cool air flowing again.

Some Easier Fixes

Let’s start with the basics. Your air conditioner might not be getting any juice. Take a look at your breaker box and see if there is a tripped fuse or a breaker has blown. Those are easy fixes that might get your system up and running.

Ductwork Issues

On the system’s outside unit, you have a condenser that takes the warmer air from your home, cools it and sends it back through your home’s air ducts. It is possible that rodents have chewed through the cord that links your outdoor unit to your home’s electrical system. If rodents are your problem, you may … Read Full Post »

My AC Line Is Frozen: What Happened?

May 10, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Corpus Christi

Have you noticed that your air conditioner doesn’t seem to have the same cooling power it used to? It’s a good idea to give your AC system a once-over as soon as possible to try to identify the problem.

After removing the cover to your AC, do you notice that the lines or other internal components are frozen, or coated in ice? This is a sign that a bigger problem could be happening.

Why do AC Lines Freeze?

Typically, air conditioner lines freeze up when the unit’s evaporator coils get too cold.

The evaporator coil is one of the key parts of your AC system. The coil is full of refrigerant that is pumped through lines from the compressor. It then absorbs the heat from the air it pulls from the room.

The AC fan blows air over the coils, and this air is cooled as it passes over the refrigerant-filled coils, before blowing back … Read Full Post »

My Air Conditioner Smells: What’s Wrong?

April 19, 2022. Posted by Stephen Richardson in Air Conditioning & Heating

an air conditioning vent that is blowing smelly air through the home

If your air conditioner smells when it runs, there is a good chance that something within the system is broken and needs to be fixed. In some cases, it’s actually a sign of a problem that could be making your health worse. There’s also a chance that it’s something simple you can resolve on your own. Either way, it’s important to do some investigation and troubleshooting. The best option is always to have your AC system checked out by a heating and cooling specialist, to make sure everything is working as it should.

Musty or Moldy Smells Coming From the AC

Humidity within the AC system is one of the most common causes of bad smells coming from the AC when it runs. Many people don’t realize that the AC doesn’t just cool the air in your home on a hot day. It also removes humidity. When there’s too much moisture in … Read Full Post »

Do Air Conditioners Dehumidify?

April 14, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

When the temperatures start to rise, we can all be very thankful for the invention of the air conditioner. The cool air pouring from the vents brings the inside temperatures down to a livable level. The cool air pouring from the vents brings the inside temps down to a livable level.

Hot air might make you uncomfortable, but high humidity can trigger breathing issues for people with asthma or other disorders. It also can increase the chances of mold growing in your home, which is a whole other problem. So removing that moisture from your home’s air is important for several reasons. Doesn’t the air conditioner do the job?

The short answer is yes, but there is more to it. An air conditioner does reduce the amount of moisture in your home. However, it does so as a secondary benefit to its main job, which is to cool the temperature of the … Read Full Post »

Why Do My Lights Dim When the AC Turns On?

April 5, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Austin

If the lights dim when the AC turns on in your home, it may not be cause for alarm. Your home’s electrical wiring is a limited circuit, so when one appliance draws a lot of power, it’s taking it away from anything else that you have plugged in. It’s also possible, that the dimming lights are a sign of a problem.

Of everything in your home that uses electricity, your heating and cooling system use by far the most. The AC needs a lot of power when it first turns on. In some homes, especially older ones with dated electrical wiring, the lights dim slightly when the AC turns on because a lot of power is being drawn momentarily. In this case, the lights dimming briefly is normal and doesn’t signal a problem.

However, in other homes, the dimming lights do signal a problem. It could be within the AC system or … Read Full Post »

AC Is Cooling but Not Removing Humidity

March 31, 2022. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

No one wants to be uncomfortable in their own home, especially when the air-conditioner seems to be working fine but something feels off. You have probably heard people living in desert climates say “It’s a dry heat.” But it’s still hot, and even worse than being hot in your house is sitting in a humid chill. What could be going on with your AC?

Usually, an air conditioner’s refrigerant draws in excess moisture from the indoor air. That vapor then condenses into water droplets. This drains into a pan under the unit’s evaporator coils and through a hose to your yard. If your AC isn’t pulling in that moisture, the humidity is just hanging around, which makes everything feel stuffy even if you are feeling a cool breeze. There are several reasons that your AC might not be dehumidifying. You can always contact a pro for AC problems, but there are … Read Full Post »