Category: Furnaces

HVAC Maintenance Tips: Prevent Expensive HVAC Repairs

HVAC maintenance tips

You can prevent expensive HVAC repairs by regularly maintaining your HVAC unit. There are a few simple HVAC maintenance tips you can perform on your own, but it’s also important to know when it’s time to call in a professional HVAC technician. We’ve got the answers you need to give your HVAC unit a long and happy life. Here are some HVAC preventative maintenance tips you should know about:

 

DIY HVAC Maintenance Tips

 

If you’re experiencing some minor issues with your HVAC unit, then you can troubleshoot to determine the underlying cause by performing some simple DIY HVAC maintenance tips, like the ones below:

 

  • Replace your air filter every one to three months.
  • Check for air leaks around windows and exterior-facing doors to see if your airflow is leaking outside.
  • Clean around your outside HVAC unit to keep debris from blocking airflow.
  • Get a programmable thermostat to control the efficiency of your HVAC unit.
  • Consider replacing your home’s insulation to create more of a barrier between your home and the outdoors.
  • Clean your air vents to free up more airflow in your home.
  • Turn off your unit when the weather warrants it, so your HVAC system can enjoy a short break.

 

Professional HVAC Maintenance Services

 

There are some HVAC maintenance services that you won’t be able to do yourself. HVAC maintenance is more than just replacing filters and cleaning vents. It also entails further inspection of the unit, checking refrigerant levels, and knowing how to handle these chemicals properly. Not only is it dangerous to handle refrigerant for your HVAC unit, but it also illegal in some areas.

 

If you’ve already fulfilled the DIY HVAC maintenance checklist in the previous section, then call a licensed HVAC technician to have maintenance performed on your HVAC unit.

 

Here’s our professional HVAC maintenance checklist:

 

  • Inspect and tighten electrical connections.
  • Lubricate gears and moving parts in the HVAC unit.
  • Check drain line and clear condensation.
  • Inspect system controls.
  • Spot refrigerant leaks and replace refrigerant.
  • Measure amperage and voltage on blower motor.
  • Test thermostat for proper reading.
  • Check indoor coil.
  • Make sure safety devices are working properly.
  • Test capacitors.
  • Check on blade fan.
  • Inspect and clean ductwork.

 

Call Weeks Service Co. for HVAC Maintenance Services

 

If you have questions about HVAC maintenance cost, HVAC maintenance contract, or HVAC maintenance agreement, then don’t hesitate to call and speak with one of our friendly representatives. All Weeks Service Company employees are knowledgeable about HVAC units and all the services we offer.

 

Put your search for “HVAC maintenance near me” to rest. Call Weeks Service Co. today!

What to Do About a Loud Furnace?

Noises of any kind that come from your furnace are usually not-great signs, but some tend to be worse than others. Depending on what you hear, you could have a serious problem on your hands – or it could be something you don’t need to worry about at all! Unfortunately, it’s tough to tell sometimes.

To help make that distinction a little bit easier, we’ve compiled a few reasons your furnace might be making certain sounds, and whether you should do something about it – or whether you can sleep easy. No matter what your furnace questions are, Weeks Service Co is here to help!

Blower Belt Issues

Some furnaces run with a blower motor, and that in turn operates by having a blower belt keep the pieces moving. Even though the belt is designed to work constantly without issue, it can eventually become loose, which will produce some strange noises.

Most often, it’ll sound like rattling. Although it’s a simple problem to diagnose, you’ll need a professional to come help you out. They’ll lubricate it if that’s all that it needs, but otherwise it might call for a whole-unit replacement depending on what caused the belt malfunction.

Loose Parts/Panels/Components

Furnaces are made up of tons of small, intricately arranged parts that all work together in conjunction to operate efficiently. Over time, these parts can become detached or loose as the furnace whirs to life over and over again.

When these parts are loose, you’ll probably notice a rattling noise coming from the furnace. It’ll likely be coming from one specific part of the furnace, and unless you know how to take your unit apart and re-assemble it, you’ll probably need an expert’s touch to help correct the issue.

Normal Contracting/Expanding

Some sounds are totally harmless. For instance, although you may hear some cracking or what sounds like a crash coming from above, there’s a good chance it isn’t anything to worry about. As heat travels through your metal ducts, the gases will expand and contract them – and the ducts will make sounds as they adjust.

So, for the most part, you don’t need to worry if you hear these sounds. But if they happen repeatedly, it might be helpful to have someone come take a look to make sure nothing’s wrong. It very well may be harmless, but the peace of mind you’ll get is extremely reassuring.

Dirty Interior

If your unit hasn’t been cleaned in a while, there’s probably a significant amount of dust or other material laying around. This affects how the hot gas in your furnace combusts and travels through the ducts, which will lead to some suspicious sounds.

Like the previous point, this usually isn’t anything you need to worry about too much. Just give someone a call if it gets to be too consistent! Of course, Weeks Service Company is here to answer any furnace-related questions or concerns you have. We can inspect your unit to ease your worries or help diagnose anything that might be troubling it. Just give us a call at 346-595-7575 and we’ll be there before you know it!

Get Your Furnace Ready for Winter

Since we’re in Texas, we don’t have to endure the harsher winters that our neighbors in other parts of the country do. However, the temperatures are still going to drop significantly compared to the sweltering summers, so it makes sense to do your due diligence and prepare your furnace for the colder months ahead.

But what exactly does that look like? “Preparing your furnace” is a vague and imprecise phrase, so that doesn’t give you a whole lot of direction. Well, have no fear! We’ve taken a few of our most reliable and time-tested furnace-preparation tips and compiled them here for you. Take the time to perform a few of them, and you and your family will be cozy and comfortable all winter long!

Flip That Filter

One of the most essential components of your HVAC system isn’t a complicated mechanical part or a flimsy metal duct. Although those are indeed important, your air filter is just as integral. While you should be replacing your air filter every 30 days, we recommend going ahead and switching it out again before beginning to use your furnace.

The sudden change in airflow (from AC to furnace) can play tricks on your HVAC system, so it make sense to start with a clean slate, so to speak. That way, this brand-new filter will only be screening air that has been heated.

Test it First

Similarly, we highly suggest testing your furnace ahead of time to make sure it’s all working properly. We’d hate for the temperatures to drop and have you flip on your furnace, only to discover that some part has gotten jarred loose or a faulty pilot light won’t ignite correctly.

Just take a few minutes to test your furnace now while you can still afford to live comfortably without running it. That way, you’ll be able to schedule an inspection or appointment with a technician who will fix your issue before it gets too cold.

Have It Inspected

This piggybacks off the previous tip, but it’s arguably more important. You can do all the home-DIY jobs in the world to safeguard your furnace from leakage and breaks, but only the eye of a trained professional will catch everything.

That’s why it’s critical to schedule a comprehensive inspection when winter rolls around. An expert will notice things you’d never dream of seeing, and they’ll be able to tell you which problems need fixing now — and which ones can wait.

In fact, a lot of manufacturer’s warranties and maintenance clubs require yearly inspections around this time of year for that exact reason. We recommend the same, because we think you’ll be better off for it.

Weeks Service Company: Handling All Your Furnace-Related Requests and Concerns

When you’re in the market for a service provider that won’t nickel and dime you for a smidgen of profit, one that will treat you with respect and professionalism, but one that will still take care of everything you need, we’ve got you covered.

Weeks Service Company is your trusted furnace service provider. Whether you’ve sprung a leak, need a prompt repair or anything in-between, just give us a shout!

We’re always willing to work with you to find out what needs fixing. Give us a call at 346-595-7575 for more information!