HVAC Frequently Asked Questions

Covering the outdoor unit prevents unwanted debris from covering the unit and blocking the airflow to the outdoor unit. However the unit should not be operated while a covering is placed over the unit which can cause system damage. It is recommended that the power to the unit is disconnected whenever a cover or anything is obstructing the airflow.

Typically, the warranty on HVAC systems varies between manufacturers, usually the warranty period is between five to twenty years. To find out if your system is still under warranty, you can always look up the manufacturers website or call them directly then give the serial number and any other information about the unit you have. This information is generally found on the backside of the unit around the refrigerant valves. Also an important note, is that warranties usually only pay for repairs when they are necessary due to a defect in the product. Manufacturers will typically not pay for repair if your unit breaks down due to pest activity, severe weather, negligence, and so on. And different components, such as air conditioners, humidifiers, etc have different types of coverage.

Your AC unit turning on and off continuously is very common for many home or business owners. There are multiple causes for this symptom such as refrigerant leaks or dirty air filters which cause your coils to freeze up, your thermostat may not register properly causing it to power on and off trying to reach the set temperature, or many other causes like damaged or failing components. It’s most likely experiencing short cycling and will need a licensed technician to inspect it and see what is causing this issue.

Your AC Coils play a vital role in your unit and remember that there are two different types of coils, the evaporator coils and condenser coils. First, your AC unit pulls all the warm air from your home or business through a return duct and that warm air passes over the evaporator coils. These coils are filled with refrigerant and take in the heat from this air. This process happens inside, whereas the condenser coils operate outside. Once that heat is removed from the air inside, it needs to be released. The hot refrigerant from the evaporator coils passes through the condenser coils which releases the heat into the air outside. One of the services we include with our preventative maintenance is coil cleaning. Coil cleanings are very important because if the evaporator or condenser coils are dirty, they will have a much harder time absorbing and releasing this heat and your unit will need to work much harder. This can cause more energy consumption, less efficient cooling, frozen coils which can lead to breakdowns and other major issues which require costly repairs. By scheduling regular services of tune-ups and cleanings, you can prevent these issues from expanding and causing greater damage to your unit.