HVAC Stories That Will Make You Shiver

The leaves are falling and the air is cooling down. Halloween will soon be here. In the spirit of the season, have there been a few unexplained noises or bumps in the night? Before assuming that you have a ghostly apparition in your house, perhaps we can dispel a few theories. 

Are you feeling drastic changes in air temperature?

While there are many causes for inconsistent airflow, Leaky Ductwork is the most probable reason. According to Energy Star, a typical home loses between 20-30%  of the air that moves through the duct system due to leaks, holes or poorly connected ducts. The end result is a higher utility bill and an uncomfortable home. Air leaks can be caused by age and regular use or a varmint may have tried to make your attic space their new home. Eeek! It is always a good rule of thumb to do a quick visual check each time that you change your air filter and call in a professional if you notice anything unusual.  

Do you have doors that open and shut on their own?

If you think that you have a ghost in the house, it’s ok. Unbalanced air pressure in your home can cause a few unexplained activities. If positive pressure is too high, it can cause doors to fly open. Negative pressure on the other hand can cause them to slam shut unexpectedly. This can also explain any random whistling or unusually hot or cold rooms in your home. Correcting these issues may take a bit of detective work but a qualified technician can easily get to the bottom of the case! 

Do you have unexpected puddles on the floor? 

One of the most common causes for a leaky HVAC unit would be a clog in the condensate line of your air handler. Usually located in an attic, closet, basement or crawl space, your air handler may have dirt, debris or mold trapped inside that needs to be removed. You can typically avoid this issue by having a qualified HVAC technician perform a tune-up during the spring and fall. 

Do you have a gas furnace? 

Most furnaces use gas—either natural gas or propane—ignited by the pilot light to warm the air. Years of dust and debris can cause issues inside a furnace. If left unchecked, deadly Carbon Monoxide and Methane gases can leak into your home. 

As concentrated amounts of Carbon Monoxide can be lethal within minutes, It is highly advisable to install a CO detector near your furnace.  We recommend installing a Nest Protect^®, which is also a smoke detector. If there is an issue, Nest Protect can send a notification directly to you. If you also have a Nest Thermostat^® installed, the Nest Protect will send a signal to the thermostat to shut off the HVAC system to prevent circulating the Carbon Monoxide leak throughout the house. 

Any of these situations may seemingly be scary. Scheduling proper maintenance is the key to preventing unexpected breakdowns this winter. It can eliminate safety hazards, optimize performance and maximize efficiency. You can expect the inspection process to take up to an hour, depending on the configuration of your system. Upon completion, your service technician should present a checklist and share any professional recommendations about your system.

Regular use takes its toll on your HVAC system. You can protect your home’s HVAC system and improve your family’s comfort year-round with an ARS®/Rescue Rooter® Home Service Plan, which includes 2 regularly scheduled furnace tune-ups. Our Home Service Plan offers preferred pricing on HVAC service repair and installation, a one-year warranty on labor and parts, priority emergency service, and more! Call ARS®/Rescue Rooter® today at 1-800-277-9400 to learn more.