Most American houses and commercial buildings have their own climate control; that is, heating and cooling utilities that can warm up the house in winter or cool it back down in summer. This may be done with a conventional HVAC system, or even ductless heat pumps that can be mounted on the wall. Either way, a homeowner will want a fully functional and clean HVAC system, and dirt and damage may overwork the system or even weaken the climate control. A homeowner may clean off wall-mounted air grates, but more advanced repair or cleaning calls for contacting air conditioning services and HVAC repair teams in their area to handle matters. A heating and cooling system may use up as much as half of the house’s total electric bill, and if the system is being strained due to dirt or damage, that may drive up the electric bill even further.
Problems With the HVAC System
What might go wrong with a house’s or commercial building’s heating and cooling system? Sheer dirt may be the issue, which may do more harm than some homeowners may realize. For example, rats and squirrels may break into the house and build nests in the air ducts, which disrupts air flow and forces the system to work overtime to compensate for that. Meanwhile, dirt, dust, pollen, and other grime may settle on the system’s deep blower fans, which may weaken their output and force them to work overtime to meet their heating and cooling quotas. Meanwhile, bacteria, dust, and pollen in the air ducts may lower the building’s air quality by spreading around airborne allergens and infections, something to be avoided. The outdoor AC unit may get clogged with pollen or dust, and a ductless heat pump may suffer from cigarette smoke or airborne pet fur or dandruff. If these clogs are not fixed, the system may get damaged and need costly repairs.
Mechanical issues may also strike. For example, the air ducts might wear out over time and some sections may develop rips or holes. Some sections may fall out entirely, and such damage will leak a lot of warm or cooled air (thus forcing the system to work overtime to compensate). In other cases, the blower fans or the furnace’s components may burn out and wear out over the years from constant use, and that may greatly limit the house’s climate control capabilities. Meanwhile, the house itself may be the issue, since thin insulation in the walls or attic allow a lot of warm air to escape in winter or cool air to leak out in summer. Here too, the HVAC system is overworked to make up for the loss, and it’s using up extra electricity the entire time. Bare windows may admit hot sunlight in summer and warm up the house, overworking the air conditioner. Or, bare windows in winter may allow warmth to escape in winter, straining the heater.
Cleaning and Repairs
The good news is that professional contractors can be hired to clean off, repair, or replace any damaged or dirty component of conventional HVAC systems or a ductless heat pump mounted on the wall. Concerned homeowners may search online for HVAC contractors in their area by using their home city or town as a reference, or even their ZIP code to refine the search. If needed, spray foam crews may be hired to refill the walls’ or attic’s spray foam to prevent warm or cool air from escaping during winter and summer.
These repair crews can reach deep into the system to clean anything off, including the blower fans to restore their output. Such crews may also clean out the outdoor AC unit if it’s clogged with dust or pollen. Rat and squirrel nests may be removed from the air ducts, and these professionals may also repair or replace damaged or missing air ducts as well as clean out existing ones to boost air quality. Burnt-out furnace parts or blower fans can be replaced, too. And if the system is very old, the entire thing may be removed and replaced with a new one. Old HVAC systems weren’t built with modern energy efficiency standards in mind, but newer ones are, and this can save money over time.