Is Your HVAC System a Symphony, or Rock & Roll?

When trying to figure out if your HVAC system is working properly you can compare it to music.  When everything is working properly, your system is like a fine-tuned symphony orchestra.  It should be quiet, peaceful, and harmonious.  The only sounds you should be able to hear are the whisper of air as it comes out of the registers or perhaps a quiet hum of the blower motor in your  AZ home.

When you hear this working properly, it’s like music to your ears, however, when it’s not it can resemble a Rock & Roll band with lots of banging and loud sounds.  If your (HVAC) system is sounding more like a Rock band, it may be time to call a professional in to get things back in tune.

Sometimes all you need is a tune-up or cleaning, however, occasionally a part wears out and you need a repair.  Our experts here at Ambient Air Heating and Cooling are like the conductors of the orchestra with a keen ear to hear what is going wrong with your heating and air conditioning.  They have the experience and knowledge to know just what to do to get everything tuned up so you can have that quiet, beautiful music back in your Tucson home again. According to ENERGY STAR®, annual energy bills reach as high as $2,200 in the average household with heating and cooling accounting for over half of this cost.  With proper maintenance, you can keep your energy bills as low as possible.If you listen carefully to your heat pump, furnace, AC Unit, or even the ductwork, you can pick up on potential problems.  Sometimes you may notice strange odors caused by components wearing out or just being dirty.  If you notice any of these conditions, it may be time to call in a Ambient Air Heating and Cooling professional to help.  Listening for your HVAC “music” is the easiest way to proactively prevent costly repairs by addressing them earlier rather than later.

Here are some sounds you may hear from your HVAC system and a description on what they can indicate.

1. Rattling — If you hear this near one of your air registers this may indicate that the grill itself is loose.  This can commonly be fixed with a screwdriver with just a few turns.  If this sound is coming from an air duct, this could mean there is some sort of debris causing this.  Sometimes items get dropped or thrown into the air ducts which can cause this rattling sound from the normal vibrations in the ductwork.  Other times…you may need a deep ductwork cleaning.  We can help you with this as well.
2. Screeching or Squealing — These are the same types of sounds you may hear when your breaks are wearing out on your car.  It can often sound like metal-on-metal.  When you hear this it can mean that there is a belt that is wearing out or perhaps a bearing in the motor that is getting worn down.  Sometimes some lubrication is all that is needed, but if the system is older, the lifespan of these components may have expired and it may be time to replace a few parts to get things back in order.   Make sure you turn off your HVAC system and call one of our professionals here at Ambient Air Heating and Cooling as quickly as you can so we can schedule a visit to your home.
3. Screaming  — When you hear this it can be quite the horror show.  This typically is caused by pressure build-up in your compressor or perhaps a refrigerant leak.  If your air conditioner sounds like the victim in a horror film, it may have a refrigerant leak or too much pressure in its compressor.  Make sure you turn off your HVAC system and call one of our professionals here at Ambient Air Heating and Cooling as quickly we can schedule a visit to your home.
4. Hissing — No, this is not the cat, it’s most likely the refrigerant leaking out. If this is the case, refrigerant can be quite expensive and you’ll want us to get out there quickly to stop this as soon as possible.  Other times it can be an issue with the compressor motor.  If you hear this inside your home, or inside your walls, it could be air leaking out of your ductwork.  Regardless, you will need to call a professional for repairs
5. Scraping — This is usually a sound made when a component inside the HVAC unit is worn out or broken.  This can also happen if some debris has gotten in the unit and obstructed the fan blades.  Take a quick look to see if this might be the case.
6. Banging or clanking — Loose parts can rattle and clang.  These loose parts can eventually fall off and cause some louder banging sounds.  This may also be your blower that has become unbalanced causing a wobble that makes these types of sounds.  Sometimes a compressor can cause this sound for the same reasons.
7. Loud humming or clicking — This is not good!  This often means there is an electrical problem caused by defective capacitors, loose wiring, or faulty thermostats.  These types of issues can lead to fires so please don’t wait to call us if you hear any humming or clicking sounds.

Call Us Today – (520) 744-9192

Now that you are an HVAC musical expert, able to listen for the noises that indicate potential problems, you can now be much more proactive in addressing problems. The key is to be proactive and call Ambient Air Heating and Cooling in Tucson,AZ for an inspection and tune-up. Call (520) 744-9192 or click here to contact us now.