Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are essential for every home. These systems absorb the outside air and adjust the desired temperature and humidity before circulating it indoors. An HVAC system has six primary components that perform this task – the heat exchanger, blower motor, combustion chamber, compressor, evaporator, and thermostat. With so many mechanical parts, it is only natural that there will be frequent requirements for maintenance. This article discusses the essential aspects you need to know about HVAC repairs.

Life of an HVAC system
HVAC components can work for several years, depending on the brand, equipment quality, usage, and maintenance. Furnaces work for around 10 to 30 years, and boilers can work for up to 35 years. Air conditioners, heat pumps, and mini-splits can last for 10 to 20 years.

Annual maintenance
You should schedule two maintenance visits, particularly during extreme weather months. If that does not work, you should schedule at least one every year to prevent unforeseen expenses due to repair or expensive replacements not covered by warranty.

Common malfunctions of an HVAC system
As mentioned, HVAC systems comprise several components, and any problem in these can lead to inefficient working. The following are some problems that demand attention:

Dirty filters
Clogged filters are one of the common reasons for HVAC malfunction. However, you can avoid this by replacing the filters every month in extreme climates and once in three months during normal weather. In addition, if your HVAC has washable filters, remember to clean them frequently.

Damaged thermostat
Next only to filters, damaged thermostats cause the breakdown of most HVAC systems. Fixing it is inexpensive. But the problem is that most people cannot identify the damaged thermostat, leading to failures and costly repairs. If your system does not respond to temperature changes, do not run it. Call an HVAC repair service and get the thermostat replaced.

Imbalanced dampers
Dampers are cylindrical objects in the duct systems that control the airflow. If the dampers are not balanced properly, it results in improper and uneven cooling in each room. You can manually adjust the damper if you have learned how to. But if you are not sure, call an HVAC repair company and get it fixed.

Circuit breaker damage
If there is an improper electricity supply to the system due to a trip or fault in the circuit breaker, the HVAC will break down completely. The best way to avoid this is to monitor the voltage of the current entering your home and use quality wires.

Check these before calling a technician
Apart from the above commonly occurring malfunctions, a faulty condenser, a bad compressor, or a leaking refrigerant are expensive repairs. So, before calling a technician, you should:

• Clean the filters
• Check thermostat settings
• Change the batteries
• Check if the circuit breaker is working
• Check if the emergency switches are functioning

If you have done all this and your HVAC is still not functioning, you should call an authorized technician.

How to choose an HVAC repair company
Before deciding on a company for servicing your HVAC system, there are several things you must do:

• Research the HVAC repair companies in your area.
• Check if they comply with the laws and have the required licenses.
• Get recommendations about quality technicians from your community.
• Take written quotes and estimates from each probable technician.
• Compare the warranty options, annual maintenance options, quality of technicians, and customer service.

After considering these factors, choose the agency that is rated high and offers you a competitive price.

Top HVAC repair companies
Some of the top companies that offer professional, comprehensive maintenance and HVAC repair services are:

• Carrier Heating and Cooling
• Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning
• Daikin Applied
• Lennox Commercial
• Trane