How To Troubleshoot Your HVAC System?

Air conditioner and heating systems are a must, especially in countries where the climate is extreme.  Your family’s comfort comes first, and if despite having an air conditioner your family is suffering from the wrath of bad weather, its time you troubleshoot your HVAC system. While looking for a heating contractor, you should check for certain qualities such as credibility, punctuality, reliability, and affordability so that you know that you have the best services. In case the problem with HVAC system is not too serious, you can follow certain steps for troubleshooting those problems on your own at home.

Check out some of the tips right here:    

At times, all you have to spare are a few minutes in checking up with your heat pump, air conditioner, or furnace, and you are saved from making a call to the service centre of an HVAC company.

  • Power is something without which no system can work. All of us know this primary thing, but whenever some problem arises with any of our electrical system, we mostly panic and simply forget the ground rules of electrical operations. The first and foremost thing you should do when your HVAC system stops working is to check whether it is receiving power supply. Start by checking from fuse, circuit breaker, and power cord that is attached to the system. Loose connections with the switch can also make your system lose power supply. Another possibility to check in this area is a recently occurred power outages.
  • If power supply connections are all okay, then the next step is checking the functioning of your thermostat. Usually power outage or shutdown in the system causes the settings on the programmable thermostat to revert or reset to the predetermined temperatures. Check these settings and set your thermostat to the correct temperature. Make sure that the system is adjusted for heat if you want heating; or air conditioner in case you want to cool your rooms.
  • Vents are the most neglected part of the system when you are trying to troubleshoot the problem. While checking for vents; turn on the HVAC unit and see whether the vents are open and that the air blows through them whenever power is turned on. You can check the working of your vent by holding a thermometer away from your home at two different locations- one inside your home and the other outside. If the temperature difference is greater than 15 degrees between the airflow of the two vents, then it is possible that your system is facing air circulation problems.

In case all these methods fail, it’s time you call an HVAC technician from a reputed company. Always look for government certification before allowing the technician to touch your system. This is important because an unskilled person can tamper with your system and damage it more instead of repairing it. Although trying basic troubleshooting activities mentioned here are quite safe, it is advisable that if the problem is not obvious you should not take further risk and take expert help.

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Tom Watkins has been a repair technician in the HVAC industry since 1983. In his over 20 years’ experience in HVAC installation and repair, he’s seen just about everything there is to see. Learn more about HVAC repair and replacement at http://americanheat.com.