HVAC problems pop up from time to time, but not every problem requires a repair call. Sometimes you can get a false alarm from your air conditioner or heater that looks to be catastrophic, but the fix might be right in front of you. Today, we’re here to help you discern those from real emergencies.
While there’s a big chance you’ll need HVAC service in Shreveport for the majority of your AC and heater problems, these ones are a bit different.
Thermostat Miscalibrations
Your thermostat controls your HVAC systems. It reads the temperature of the room, compares it to what you set, and sends an on or off signal to the air conditioner or heater. Then the necessary machine turns on, and runs until the temperature hits the target, at which point the thermostat sends an off signal.
So if your air conditioner is running and cold air is coming out of the vents, but it’s not hitting the target, the thermostat might be miscalibrated. This is when it simply reads the temperature incorrectly, so it identifies the target temperature incorrectly.
If you have the manual for your thermostat, find the page about calibration. Most brands also have PDFs available on their website for older models, so you may be able to find a manual online. Try to recalibrate it and see if it fixes the problem. If not, or you don’t feel confident toying with the settings, you can call us instead.
AC is On But Not Hitting Target Temperature
Your AC runs fine, it even had a tune-up two months ago, but your room still isn’t getting as cold as you want. Before you jump to conclusions about your air conditioner, consider a few things.
- How hot is it outside right now?
- What’s the humidity rating right now?
- Do I have any doors or windows open in the house right now?
When your AC is installed, it’s fitted for your home size. Your air conditioner is equipped with a certain capacity, and if it’s exceptionally hot and humid outside, it’s fighting against the elements harder than it originally intended to.
Most of the time, people find this problem between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and it’s for one good reason: those are the average hours where it’s the hottest throughout the day. The sun’s directly overhead, and on days of extreme heat, your AC may have a hard time keeping up.
Bad Airflow
You put your hand over the vents, feel for airflow, but there isn’t much. The first thing you should do is look at your AC filter, because odds are it needs to be changed out. If it’s thick with dust, your AC is having a hard time pulling in air, which impacts how it operates.
Look for False Alerts First
Be sure that there’s nothing you can do on your end to fix your AC. Oftentimes there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed, but sometimes it can be as simple as changing out the air filter to alleviate whatever situation you’re facing.
Moon’s Air has provided whole-home comfort since 1971. Call us for service today—it’s good to be Mooned!