HVAC Troubleshooting Tips For Homeowners

By: John Garcia | Date Posted: October 29, 2021

Like any other machine, a heating and air conditioning unit will occasionally experience issues that’d prevent it from working correctly. When this happens, you shouldn’t be quick to hire a professional to repair your HVAC system.

Instead, you can take on the responsibility of fixing the issue by yourself as some of the problems are pretty minor. This is what’s referred to as HVAC troubleshooting, and it also entails carrying out proactive routine maintenance to prevent an issue before it occurs.

Knowing HVAC troubleshooting tips would help you as a homeowner to save your hard-earned money while still ensuring your air conditioning unit is operating in an optimal state.

HVAC Troubleshooting Tips

Here are six HVAC troubleshooting tips you need to know as a homeowner:

1. Check The Thermostat

Thermostat

This should be one of the first HVAC troubleshooting things to perform because it’s the cheapest, simplest, and fastest yet the most effective way to troubleshoot your HVAC system.

Inspecting the thermostat enables you to detect problems with your air conditioning unit quickly. An electric thermostat usually stops working due to a lack of power caused by loose connections. But for a battery-powered thermostat, this lack of power is due to dead batteries.

You should also check the thermostat to confirm that the settings haven’t changed accidentally. This mistake often happens while adjusting the thermostat across different locations, including auto, cool, fan, and heat.

When this happens, the temperatures in your home won’t be what you had in mind. In this case, you simply need to confirm the thermostat is at the proper cooling or heating setting. But if the problem persists even after resetting the temperatures, you can visit eandvenergy.com and others to consult a professional and rectify the issue.

2. Inspect The Vent And Ducts

The accumulation of dust, dirt, and other foreign particles will gradually block the flow of air, which goes on to affect the temperature and humidity levels in your home.

This also reduces the efficiency of your air conditioner because the blocked ducts and vents generate greater resistance from the mechanical and electrical systems. You need to check this promptly to prevent premature aging or breakdown of components within the HVAC system. In addition, the accumulated dirt and dust reduce the air quality, creating an unpleasant living environment.

You should avoid all these shortcomings by checking the ducts and vents regularly and cleaning them thoroughly. This can be quite complicated for the average homeowner, so it’s advisable to consult a professional if you experience a hard time.

3. Replace The Air Filters

Air conditioner components

An HVAC system’s air filters will get clogged by dirt and dust over time. Because of this, your air conditioner becomes inefficient as it needs to work harder to carry out its typical workload.

This happens because the accumulated dust and dirt block clean air from smoothly passing through your HVAC system. As a result, your system is more exposed to wear and tear, thereby reducing its lifespan as well as using up more energy. The accumulated dust also allows traps pollutants, compromising the indoor air quality.

Fortunately, addressing this issue is simply because you just need to change the air filters. Ideally, you should do this monthly for optimal efficiency of the HVAC system, especially if you live in a highly dusty area or you have pets. If not, you can change the filters after three months to ensure your air conditioner performs optimally and guarantee air purity.

4. Clean The Outside Unit

It’s often said that to be out of sight means to be out of mind, and this is the case with the outdoor unit of an HVAC unit. This is a huge mistake because the HVAC system’s external unit, which acts as the hub of air flowing throughout your home, is usually positioned outside.

This exposes the outdoor unit to foreign objects such as branches, leaves, dirt, and other substances that might get trapped in the HVAC system. As a result, it becomes harder for air to flow.

Therefore, you should clean the exterior section of your HVAC unit. This isn’t hard because you can simply open it up and remove all the accumulated foreign objects.

Once you’re done, rinse off the debris and dirt using a garden hose. You should also clear the area surrounding your HVAC system by pruning the nearby trees and getting rid of the excess vegetation. Ideally, ensure there are at least three feet of space between the outdoor unit and the debris.

5. Check The Circuit Breakers

Circuit Breaker

When your HVAC system doesn’t turn on despite the thermostat working correctly and all the electrical cords being in place, proceed to check the circuit breakers.

Doing this is necessary because someone might have accidentally switched off the circuit breakers, which can also cut off the power supply when there’s an overload. You need to reset your circuit breakers in such a situation, and your air conditioner will start working as expected. But if this HVAC troubleshooting trick doesn’t work, you might have to contact a qualified HVAC technician.

6. Inspect The Wiring

Inspect The Wiring

 

Your HVAC unit can stop working because some wires have been disconnected or destroyed. This happens because cables connecting to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner are typically exposed. The damage can occur accidentally while you or anyone else is carrying out landscaping duties and destroy the HVAC unit’s wires without knowing.

Therefore, you should inspect the wires of your air conditioner if it’s not working as this might be due to broken wires. If this is the issue, replace the wires, but you should be extremely careful to prevent getting electrocuted.

Takeaway

While you might not be able to repair every problem with your heating and air conditioning unit, it doesn’t hurt to know some HVAC troubleshooting tips.

This will help you from overly relying on a professional technician, which costs money. Also, troubleshooting ensures your HVAC works smoothly for much longer. This guide provides an overview of useful HVAC troubleshooting tips you need to know as a homeowner to repair minor malfunctions.

Thank you for reading!

John
 

John is the founder and chief editor of Homienjoy. With over 15 years of experience in the home improvement industry, John is passionate about helping homeowners confidently tackle their projects. Holding a civil engineering degree and working as a contractor, project manager, and consultant, John brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Homienjoy community.

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