Napoleon Heating & Cooling Offers HVAC Troubleshooting Tips For Common Problems

Air conditioning and heating systems are one of those things that residents take for granted at home - until it stops working. Only then its value of silently running in the background to maintain good indoor air quality and keeping everyone comfortable comes to the fore.

For those who have not been keeping up with their home’s HVAC maintenance, then a lot of things could go wrong at any time. Knowing the most common issues and how to troubleshoot HVAC systems can help to diagnose where the problem might be coming from.

Common HVAC problems and troubleshooting them

The changing climate has made a lot of Canadians rely on their HVAC systems more and more for comfort

The changing climate has made a lot of Canadians rely on their HVAC systems more and more for comfort. That’s why it could be distressing when it fails.

This article covers some of the most common problems with HVAC and what residents can do to troubleshoot the issue.

Air Conditioning doesn’t turn on

Is the AC unit completely not running? There are several reasons why it doesn’t have any power at all, such as a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse, power supply cord, outlet issue, or a faulty compressor.

What to do:

• Tripped circuit breakers: Take a look at the fuse box or central main service panel for any blown fuse or tripped breaker. Reset when necessary.
• If no problem is seen, don’t attempt to fix it. Electrical problems must be left to professionals to avoid a nasty shock or house fire.
• Power supply cord: Check if the cord is loose or disconnected. Fraying or damage to the cord might be the culprit.
• Faulty compressor: This is a matter for professionals to assess. Feel free to have a look and if there is anything visible that could indicate a problem, relay that to a professional. However, a homeowner should never dismantle any HVAC components to look for problems.

Air Conditioner isn’t blowing cold air

If the AC has become more like a heater than an air conditioner, the problem is probably in the settings, filter, or refrigerant.

What to do:

• Settings: In case of a programmable thermostat, check the settings. It could’ve been accidentally set to heat or auto mode. It means the AC is running, but not cooling the air. Also, try lowering the thermostat by five degrees and see if the air cools.
• Filter: For residents not changing the filter every month or two, the dirt could be what’s causing the problem. Inspect filters, coils, and the outside part of the unit for trapped dirt or weeds that could potentially be preventing the AC from working properly.
• Refrigerant: Air conditioners use refrigerant as part of the process to cool the home. When the air conditioner isn’t blowing cold air, it could be low on refrigerant or leaking. Another indication of low refrigerant is if the unit is freezing or unable to keep up with demand. Contact a professional if this is the case. They will assess the situation and add refrigerant to the system and/or fix the leak.

Weak airflow

Weak airflow is a common problem that affects both air conditioners and furnaces. It’s usually caused by clogged air filters, which can be replaced or fixed with a bit of cleaning. But it could also be because of problems with internal components, including evaporator coils or compressors.

What to do:

• Evaporator coils: To check if the evaporator coil is damaged, turn on the AC and listen for hissing and banging noises. Frost on the unit is also a visual sign that there may be a problem with the evaporator coils.
• Compressors: Turn the thermostat as low as it can go. There’s a problem with the compressor, if the AC doesn’t start or if the fan runs, but not the compressor.

AC is constantly turning on and off

Also called short-cycling, this common HVAC issue is typically caused by clogged air filters and condensation pans. It could also be because of an oversized unit.

What to do:

• Oversized unit: If the AC is too big for the home, the temperature will cool quickly, but won’t be able to reduce the humidity. This will cause the unit to short-cycle. Homeowners would know if the AC is short-cycling, if it keeps turning on and off more than two to three times per hour.

Inconsistent temperatures

If there’s an imbalanced temperature in the home, it could mean any of the following - the unit is too small, the home has poor insulation, or the unit duct is leaking.

What to do:

• Unit is too small: Aside from inconsistent temperatures, residents can check if the unit is too small by turning it on and waiting to see if it stops running. If it does not shut off, it might be too small for the home and will need to be replaced. An undersized unit will also result in high electricity bills.
• Poor insulation: Check for holes or chewed areas in the attic. Also, look for gaps in the windows and doors. No matter how great the HVAC system is - poor insulation will let the air conditioner’s work go to waste, because the conditioned air is lost outside.
• Duct leaks: Leaks indicate that the seal at a duct joint may have come loose. It is easy to repair with duct tape, aluminum tape, and mastic. Professional HVAC mechanics will be able to help with this.

Here are some tips that may indicate that the ducts are leaking:

• If the attic, garage, or crawl space is abnormally hot or cold,
• If there is a significant spike in the utility bill heating/cooling costs, when compared to previous months,
• If the insulation wrapped around the ducts are stained, and
• If some vents are working well and others are not pushing out any air at all, when the heat/AC is turned on.

Replacing the HVAC system

Some units can be fixed with proper maintenance and parts replacement, making them last upwards of 20+ years. That’s when knowing HVAC troubleshooting comes in handy.

At Napoleon Heating & Cooling, their furnace and air conditioning units are built with innovative engineering and technology that surpasses industry standards. They deliver cooling and heating solutions that homeowners can rely on that’s why all their products are backed by an excellent warranty.