Heating and Air Conditioning with R.A. Styron Heating & HVAC

Nowadays, it feels like a lot of folks take their heating and air conditioning for granted, at least here in the United States.  For most of us, they’re just a part of life, and we don’t pay to much attention to it other than checking the thermostat every once in a while.  However, you might be surprised by how important it can be to keep a close eye on your HVAC unit.

They’re deceptively important, really, considering that we’ve designed them to keep them out of the way as much as possible.  It makes sense, of course – they’re not exactly the most aesthetically pleasing things in the world, right?  At least, there aren’t many people who are actively trying to put their HVAC systems into their interior design plans.

Still, though, they’re something worth caring about.  If you didn’t know, they play a pretty important role in our homes beyond temperature control.  The “V” in the acronym stands for ventilation, which is obviously rather important.  The air we breathe is fresh and clean thanks to HVAC systems, even if we don’t know it.

If you’d like to learn more about how to keep your HVAC running safely, then stick around!  There are certain signs of malfunctions, some of which you can get an idea of here. However, we’ll be going into a bit more depth here today.

What is HVAC, and How Does it Work?

Now, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re already familiar with heating, air conditioning, and ventilation.  However, to really understand if something is malfunctioning, it’s a good idea to fully grasp how it works in the first place.  Obviously, there are several parts at play.

The one that we interact with the most, of course, is the thermostat.  It’s what allows us to have control over the temperature in our homes and other buildings.  For a lot of families, it’s strictly “off-limits” for the kids, that’s for sure.  Most of the time, it’s on a wall that’s pretty easy to access.

As far as what takes up the most space, that would be the furnace.  It’s probably the portion that’s tucked away in the cellar or basement, if you’ve got one.  Most folks in Virginia do, although it could also be tucked away into a closet somewhere as well.  It’s what generates the heat when you need it.

Vents are for central heating and cooling systems, which most folks have these days.  They’re little openings in the floor or the walls that have metal vents in front of them, and they’re what blows out the hot or cold air depending on what’s set by the thermostat.  Keeping them clear of obstacles and clean of dust is a good idea.

The rest of the parts are ones you probably won’t be interacting with much, comparatively at least.  For those interested, this page covers a lot of them.  Evaporator coils, refrigerant lines, and condensing units are mostly things that a contractor will be checking on, though.

How Can We Tell That Something is Wrong?

Now that we’ve got a better understanding of some of the parts of an HVAC system and what they do, the next question to tackle is how to tell if there’s something wrong.  This can be a little difficult at times, so don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure sometimes.  When in doubt, it’s probably a good idea to call in a professional to have it checked out.

That being said, there are plenty of warning signs.  One of the most obvious ones, perhaps, is the thermostat just not responding to inputs.  Additionally, though, if you’re noticing that the unit is turning on and off again in quick succession, and doing so quite often, it could be a sign that the thermostat isn’t properly connected anymore.  Since there’s a lot of electrical equipment inside of them that’s rather complex, that’s when to call R.A. Styron HVAC for a contractor.

Something else that you may want to watch for is if there’s almost nothing coming out of the vents.  If the flow of air is really small or hardly noticeable, that’s not normal.  Something could potentially be blocking it from the inside, which obviously isn’t something that we want.  However, it might also be a sign of the compressor failing, so it’s typically a good idea to get it checked out by a professional before you jump to any conclusions.

Of course, if you start to smell something weird or unpleasant every time that you turn the unit on, that’s a problem.  Of course, the specifics of that issue kind of depend on the smell, so be sure to take note of what you’re noticing.  For example, if it smells like something is burning, a circuit could have been fried somewhere.  Meanwhile, a musty odor might indicate that there’s mold growing somewhere.

One thing that often goes overlooked, but still might indicate that there’s something wrong going on, is the humidity levels in your home.  If that’s not something that you’re checking on often, you may want to change that.  It’s a surprisingly good indicator of how well your air conditioner is working, at the very least.  After all, one of the functions of the AC is to reduce humidity inside the house.

Finally, be sure to take a peek at your electric bill every once and a while.  Check for unusual spikes in price – if you’re seeing that, it may be a sign that your unit is turning on more often than it needs to or is draining more power because it has to work “harder” to perform its function.  While that’s not always going to be the reason for the expensive bill, it could certainly be one factor.

Why Bring in a Contractor, Though?

Several times above, bringing in a professional was brought up.  Perhaps you’re wondering if that’s really necessary.  That’s understandable, of course – it might seem a bit unnecessary at first, especially for “minor” problems like not enough air being blown through the vents.  Small jobs that seem easy to tackle don’t exactly scream “spend money to get a contractor.”

However, this often doesn’t turn out very well.  Unfortunately, trying to DIY a repair to an important system like this can end in disaster.  As you can see here, https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/blog/covid-hvac-systems-essential-resource, not having your HVAC work can be a serious issue.  As frustrating as it might be, when you don’t have to worry about the repairs on your own, it’s quite a relief.

After all, trying to figure out exactly what’s wrong by yourself isn’t exactly a walk in the park.  Contractors who specialize in HVAC are specially trained to do so, and are able to recognize some of the signs to determine exactly what is wrong with the unit or the entire system.  Unfortunately, most of us just don’t have the same level of knowledge.

Really, though, there’s nothing wrong with bringing in professional help for repairs and installations.  It’s better to do that than to suffer without heating or air conditioning for who-knows-how-long.  After all, if the AC or the heater isn’t working, there’s a good chance that your home isn’t getting the proper ventilation that it needs for optimal air quality.

So, if you notice any of those signals that were described above, or a variety of other ones, it may be a good idea to call up your local contractor.  Thankfully, in the Virginia area, there are plenty that you can find.  In terms of who to pick, you may want to check out customer reviews to see who gets the most glowing ones in your neighborhood.  That should help you to sort between the good and the bad, even if you don’t put all that much stock in that sort of thing.