As a transitional season, fall can be tricky when it comes to keeping your Phoenix home comfortable. After all, there are few other times during the year when you can have nights in the 50s and days in the 90s. In addition to being hard to respond to, fall can also be hard on your HVAC system, leading to problems that could leave your home uncomfortable and that require repair by Velox Air, Inc.. However, if you know what issues to look for, you can better prepare your HVAC system to ensure it operates reliably throughout the fall.
System Freeze
In the early fall, it’s still common to need your air conditioner on a fairly regular basis. However, your air conditioner has operational limits at which it can be operated. This means that if you’re running your air conditioner at night and the temperature outside drops too low, you could experience a system freeze because your air conditioner can’t adequately expel heat into the outside air.
This condition happens most often in homes that are poorly insulated, which causes their temperatures to rise quite high during the day. Then, during the night, as the air conditioner works to remove this heat, the outdoor unit can be negatively impacted by the falling outdoor temperatures.
Your best bet to prevent this from happening is to check the forecast and set your air conditioner to turn off before the outside temperature gets too cold. It’s also a good idea to have Velox Air, Inc. check your air conditioner’s coolant levels to ensure they are at optimal levels so that your system can properly expel heat.
Dirty Air Filter
Although there are many dry seasons in Phoenix, fall is among the driest, as it is in other parts of the country. This extremely dry weather can lead to excessively dusty conditions as the ground dries out in response to the lack of rain. If this dust gets kicked up by wind or through other means, it could end up in your home, thus clogging your air filter.
A clogged air filter can cause your HVAC system to use excess energy and to overheat, leading to premature replacement. Although the professionals at Velox Air, Inc. are happy to help you replace your air filter at appropriate intervals, this is a task that you can easily do yourself if you choose. Simply take a quick look at your air filter every two weeks to see how much dust has accumulated on it. If it is saturated with dust, replace it with a filter of the appropriate size and MERV rating.
Debris in Key Components
Although sticks, leaves, and other debris can become lodged in key components of your HVAC system at any time during the year, the most common time for this to occur is during the fall. With countless leaves falling from deciduous trees, your system becomes a potential collection point, which can put its proper operation in jeopardy.
One component that can collect natural debris is your outdoor air conditioner unit. Given the large slats on top of the unit, leaves can easily find their way in if the wind is blowing the right way. Although these systems are well-designed to withstand intrusion from natural debris, too much collected debris could lead to inefficient operation. If you notice that your outdoor unit is collecting an excessive amount of leaves or sticks, it’s a good idea to have professionals stop by to get your unit cleaned out.
Another component that can collect natural debris is your air conditioner’s condensate drain. As squirrels and other small animals begin to build their food supply for the upcoming winter, they may mistake your condensate drain for a convenient place to store extra acorns. Since your air conditioner relies on the condensate drain to remove excess humidity from your home, a clogged drain could lead to leaks, inefficient system operation, and more. Be sure to check this drain from time to time and carefully remove any debris that has been placed there.
Burning Smells From Your Furnace
If the temperature dips low enough in Phoenix to warrant turning on your furnace, you may notice a burning smell the first time you turn it on. The good news is that this burning smell isn’t harmful for you nor a sign of a problem with your furnace. Instead, this smell is simply the byproduct of dust that’s burning off of your furnace’s burner or heating coils.
Of course, it’s possible that several months of sitting inactive have caused other problems with your furnace. These problems are most likely to be noticed during the early fall when you first operate your furnace. Therefore, if you notice a burning smell beyond the first time that you operate your furnace or it seems as though your furnace isn’t heating your home properly, it’s important to call in professionals as soon as you can to address any underlying problems that may be causing these issues.
Clogged Ducts
If your home in Phoenix is meant to be more of a winter escape, it’s possible that you haven’t had your HVAC system running very often during the summer. If that’s the case, your early fall HVAC operation may reveal that your system’s ducts are clogged, leading to uneven heating in your home.
There’s a chance that your clogged ducts could be caused by an animal that found its way into your ducts and got trapped at some point during the summer. In most cases, though, clogged ducts are simply caused by layers and layers of accumulated dust that are choking-off proper airflow. No matter why your ducts are clogged, though, it’s a good idea to have them cleaned by professionals so that your system isn’t overworked and so that you can breathe the cleanest air possible.
Ready to Take on Any Issue
No matter what troubles you’re facing with your HVAC system, we at Velox Air, Inc. can diagnose and fix them for you. Whether you’re having trouble with your air conditioner or furnace, our expert maintenance, repair, and installation services are sure to get you back on track.
Plus, if you want to improve the efficiency of your home, we offer heat pumps, which far exceed the efficiency of a traditional HVAC system. We can also install new thermostats that allow you to customize your home’s comfort based on your daily schedule. If you want to take your home’s energy efficiency to the next level, we also offer solar system installations so that you can power your home without electricity.
For over 15 years, Velox Air, Inc. has been serving this community with integrity and professionalism. We see each customer as our most important customer, which is why we are able to proudly maintain accreditation with the Better Business Bureau.
Additionally, we are certified by the EPA, demonstrating our commitment to providing safe and environmentally conscious solutions to our customers. These commitments are why you’ll see numerous five-star reviews on our website from countless satisfied customers. If you want to make sure your HVAC system makes a smooth transition this fall, give us a call at Velox Air, Inc. today.
