HVAC Tips from Sears Heating and Cooling

Gas Fireplace Won't Light A gas fireplace that won't ignite is a common problem among fireplace owners. Let's check out some common causes and options to repair your gas fireplace. Tripped Breakers A good place to start would be to check the circuit breaker panel and ensure the breaker for your gas fireplace has not tripped. When the electrical wiring in your home becomes overstressed with excess electrical current, the breaker will trip to prevent overheating. Gas Valve Issues Be sure the gas valve to your gas fireplace is set in the "open" position and that your gas is turned on as well. This part is usually located in the firebox. Some older models of gas fireplaces have a key in the wall or floor as well to control the gas valve. If your gas valve and gas are both turned on, you may have a gas flow problem or the valve itself may need to be replaced. Pilot Light is Out This small light is responsible for igniting the gas that is being sent to your gas fireplace. It is a common issue for a pilot light to go out due to a strong windstorm. If your pilot light is not staying lit, it's a good idea to check the orifice as it can become clogged with dirt and soot causing it to go out. If this happens, you will need to purge the air from the pilot tubing with compressed air. Thermopile or Thermocouple Issue If your thermocouple...

Signs of a Furnace Gas Leak Rotten Egg Smell This is the most obvious sign of a gas leak. A smell of rotten egg coming from your furnace is something that should be addressed immediately. A faulty gas valve or even an electrical issue can give off this kind of smell so it's best to have a professional HVAC company come out and take a look. It's also possible that the smell could be coming from another appliance in the home such as a hot water tank or stove. What To Do: If you notice a rotten egg smell coming from your furnace or air vents, it's important to shut the furnace off immediately and call a professional for help. Go ahead and shut off your gas lines as well if you know how. Open the windows in your home to let the gas disperse. Do not light any matches or use devices that could cause a spark. Call your local HVAC professional or the gas company. Once the gas leak has been resolved, be sure to invest in a quality carbon monoxide detector for your home if you do not already have one. Remember that carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, and could be in your home without you even knowing it.

My Furnace Keeps Short Cycling. What Is Going On? A furnace that is short cycling can be a frustrating issue when you are trying to keep warm. Does your furnace keep turning on and back off in a short period of time? This is what is called short cycling. A short cycling furnace can be a frustrating issue to have. Unfortunately, after not being used all spring and summer, some furnaces have some issues when it comes to firing up for the first time in the fall. Common causes of short cycling furnace include: Dirty filters Oversized Furnace Faulty Thermostat Blocked Exhaust Vents Blocked Air Vents Bad Flame Sensor Dirty Furnace Filters Dirty air filters are one of the top causes of furnace and air conditioner break downs. If your filter hasn't been changed in a while, go ahead and take a look at it. Keep in a mind a brand new filter should be white in color. If you have a clogged air filter, not much air will be able to pass through it and it can cause your furnace to overheat, tripping the limit switch which is a safety feature built into your furnace to prevent a fire from occurring. This is a simple fix that could prevent a future furnace repair. Furnace Is Oversized This type of issue is unfortunately only fixed by having your current furnace removed and the correctly sized furnace installed. If you have an oversized furnace for your home, it will end up...

List of Common Furnace Problems Once the first cold weather of the heating season hits, our phones start ringing off the hook with people having first of the season furnace problems. A lot of these following issues can be prevented by having annual maintenance completed on your furnace. Most of the furnace issues we see are basic repairs and can be fixed rather quickly. Here is a quick list of the most common furnace problems we hear about on a daily basis: Dirty, Clogged Filters A dirty filter by far the leading cause of breakdowns that we see on furnaces. Dirty or clogged furnace filters reduce airflow, making a furnace work harder to circulate indoor air. Left unchanged, a dirty air filter will eventually overheat your furnace and you will need a furnace repair. In some cases, a clogged filter may damage the limit switch, which will shut off your unit completely or trip a circuit breaker to prevent a fire from starting. If you have a standard 1'' filter, these should be changed every 30 days depending on the environment of the home. If you have a 6'' media filter, these are usually good for 6-12 months but should still be checked on a regular basis. Electronic Ignition or Pilot Light Problems All new furnaces today come equipped with electronic ignition. If you furnace has a pilot light it is most likely quite old. If your ignition system is not operating properly, there will be no heat coming from...

What Causes a Furnace to Blow Cold Air? If your furnace is blowing cold air, it will not properly heat your home. This type of issue is actually a very common HVAC problem to have. There are several possible causes of a furnace blowing cold air, so it can be hard to give advice without gathering further information. However, below are some common causes that will cause your heating system to blow cold air. Thermostat is Set to ON Position Is your thermostat set to the ON position instead of the AUTO position? Check your thermostat for this important setting. If you have your thermostat set to ON instead of set to AUTO, the furnace blower will blow air continuously even when the burners aren't warming the air, causing cool air to come out of your registers. By setting your thermostat to AUTO, the blower will only blow air when the furnace is heating. Some people choose to leave their thermostat on the ON position as it helps filter air throughout the house. Your Furnace Has Overheated It is possible that your furnace has overheated. Your furnace has a safety mechanism inside called a "limit switch" that monitors temperature and will shut down when it becomes too hot to prevent a fire from starting inside your furnace. The most common cause of a furnace overheating is a dirty air filter. Your furnace filter protects your furnace. If your filter is dirty, not much air can pass through and in turn,...

Air Conditioner Ice Build Up Does your air conditioner have a build up of ice on the outside? Wondering what could be the cause or fix for this? Read on to find out! Restricted Air Flow The major cause of ice build up on an air conditioner is restricted air flow. Without the proper air flow being able to flow over the evaporator coil, the temperature will easily drop below freezing and ice will begin to accumulate both inside and outside. Most people only notice their outside unit being frozen but chances are if you our outside unit is a block of ice then so is the evaporator coil that sits on top of your furnace out of view. R-22 refrigerant works to cool your home by making your indoor coil extremely cold as warm air blows over it. The best way to prevent ice build up on your air conditioner is by regularly changing your filter and keeping it clean. If your furnace filter is clean, there is a chance that your evaporator coil may be clogged with dirt, hair ect. If you have never had this cleaned in the past, it may be time. Other items that can cause your air conditioner to freeze: Blocked drain pipes Refrigerant leaks Low temperature outdoors Night time setting of your thermostat is too low Signs Your Evaporator Coil Is Frozen As previously stated above, if your outdoor unit is a bock of ice, chances are so is your evaporator coil. Signs that...

Why Does My Air Conditioner Smell Bad? Have you recently turned on your air conditioner only to find your house smelling foul a few minutes later? Dirty Sock Syndrome There is nothing worse than coming home on a hot day and walking into an air conditioned home that smells like a dumpster. If you have just turned your air conditioner on for the first time of the year, this is popularly known as "dirty sock syndrome" and is due to dirt and dust growth on your evaporator coil. If your air conditioner is creating foul smelling air all of the time however, there could be several things occurring. Here are a list of the most popular odors and their likely culprits. Air Conditioner Smells Musty If your air conditioner smells musty when you turn it on, you may have dust, mold or mildew growing in your duct work or indoor coil. Mold thrives in cool, damp and dark areas and the duct work and indoor coil of your home are prime culprits for this to occur. Your air conditioner's job is to actually remove humidity from your home and when that humidity cannot drain properly, mold will begin to grow over time. The only remedy to these issues is to have your duct work cleaned every few years and have maintenance performed on a regular basis to ensure no water is accumulating in the wrong spots. It is also possible to have your evaporator coil cleaned as well to ensure...

What Is the Best Month to Buy a New Air Conditioner? The HVAC Off Season The best time by far to purchase is a new air conditioner in Columbus, Ohio is during the "off season" which includes both early Spring and Fall. Winter and summer are the busiest months for HVAC. A lot of people assume that the best time to buy is during the winter when demand is the lowest, but this is not the case when it comes to getting the best deal. During the winter months in Columbus, HVAC companies are just as busy as the warmer months fixing and replacing furnaces instead of air conditioners. You are most likely to get the best deal when during an HVAC contractor's slow time when they need the business to keep the schedule full. I can tell you from over 7 years of working as an HVAC professional that February and March are absolutely the slowest months for the heating and cooling business in Columbus, Ohio. During this time of the year most furnace repairs have already been dealt with and it's just a waiting game until people start turning on their air conditioner's for the first time. You will likely find heating and cooling companies offer discounts during these months, even offering great deals for installing an AC and a furnace together. Avoid the Scams One popular deal that seems to be offered by HVAC companies is "buy an air conditioner and get a free furnace!". Don't buy...

Fixing an Air Conditioner Refrigerant Leak Did you know that it's technically possible to fix a leak in an air conditioner? Although it may not be the most cost efficient repair to make based on the age of the unit, fixing a leaking air conditioner can buy you some extra time to get the money needed to have a new one installed. Let's take a look at what all goes into repairing a refrigerant leak in an air conditioner. Determining the Type of Refrigerant This first step is extremely important due to the fact that putting the wrong refrigerant in your air conditioner will destroy the compressor. You will need to determine the age of your air conditioner to verify what type of refrigerant it is using. If your AC was manufactured before 2010 then it is most likely using R22, the old and now phased out refrigerant. If it is newer than 2010 it will utilize R410-A refrigerant. Locating the Refrigerant Leak Evaporator Coil By far, the most common place for a refrigerant leak to occur in an air conditioner is at the indoor evaporator coil. This coil sits on top of your furnace and is what absorbs the heat from the indoor air before sending it outside to be dispersed. This coil which is shown below, is also commonly called an "A-coil" due to it being the shape of the letter "A". Most refrigerant leaks are very small pinhole sized leaks that can only be detected by a...

Should I Get an Air Conditioner or a Heat Pump? Heat pump, air conditioner, they're all the same thing aren't they? I mean they both sit outside and look the same right? Well, kind of, but they are also both quite different in how they operate and their overall energy costs. Depending on where you live, one may be more economical than the other. Let's take a look at both units and see which one might be better for you in the long run. Heat Pump: A heat pump system can both cool and heat your home. Heat pumps work by having the ability to literally reverse it's operation through the use of a reversing valve. During the hot summer months, the heat from the indoor air is collected at the evaporator coil inside and then transferred to the outside condenser through the use of refrigerant. If you feel the copper refrigerant lines going into your indoor coil, you can feel the heat being removed from your home. Once at the outside unit, the heat is dispersed into the air. This process happens in the opposite order during the colder months in heating mode. Heat from the air is collected at the outdoor unit and then transferred inside to warm your home. The only downside to this is that sometimes it is too cold outside for your heat pump to adequately heat your home. Normally, once temperatures drop below 32 degrees you will need to use your auxiliary heating source,...