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4 Signs Your HVAC Needs a Tune-Up


July 18, 2023

With scorching summer weather already impacting many areas of the country, the last thing you want to do is come home and find the inside of your home hot and humid. Unfortunately, both conditions can be signs that your HVAC unit is malfunctioning. Preventative maintenance or a system tune-up is a great way to avoid this. Here are a few signs you may need to call for an appointment. 

1. Musty Odors

If you begin smelling musty odors out of your vents, it may be a sign that your system has some microbial growth somewhere in your unit. This growth, typically mold or mildew, usually come from some moisture build-up. The moisture could be coming from several different places, such as the following:

  • Frozen evaporator coil
  • Blocked condensate lines
  • Broken drain tubes
  • Ineffective drain pans
  • Dirty vents

Your HVAC unit has numerous components that operate in dark and humid places, which makes it the perfect environment for microbial growth. Fortunately, all of these are easy fixes. An HVAC check-up can quickly identify and fix problems and clean your unit of these contaminants. 

2. Warm Air

Do you have to turn your thermostat lower and lower to get the same level of comfort throughout your home? Is your unit blowing warm or hot air? Have you seen a spike in your energy bills? Several different things could generate warm air from your unit, including the following:

  • Dirty air filters
  • Incorrect thermostat settings
  • Frozen evaporator coils
  • Leaky ductwork
  • Low refrigerant

Unfortunately, once your unit reaches a certain age, it will become less efficient and have more challenges in cooling your home. Manufacturers build HVAC systems to last. Most have a life span of 15-25 years. Regularly servicing your system makes it run more efficiently and helps ensure it lasts its whole life. 

3. Strange Noises

If your HVAC unit begins making strange noises, this clearly indicates that you need a tune-up, but your system can make a wide variety of noises. For example, banging noises from your outside unit may mean that some of your compressor parts have come loose or broken from your system's wear and tear. A clanking sound often means that your blades are out of balance and have begun hitting other parts. Buzzing noises from your outside unit could indicate debris, loose parts, rubbing copper lines, dirty condenser coils, and more. 

Clicking noises could mean several different things, including:

  • Faulty electrical signals
  • Loose or obstructed fans
  • Malfunctioning thermostat

Sometimes it can be challenging to discern precisely what noise your system makes, but a trained HVAC professional will know where to look for the problems, how to address them, and make the noises disappear. 

4. Leaking Systems

The only water you should see from your HVAC unit is from your system's drain line. You should not see leaks around your system, and water should not be coming through your ceilings or dripping down your walls.

Water leaking inside your home often comes from clogged drain lines or malfunctioning drain pans. If not caught in time, the water can cause significant damage, especially if you have a portion of your unit upstairs or in your attic. Water outside around your unit could indicate that your refrigerant is not operating as it should. 

Do not wait until your system quits on you and leaves you in the hot summer heat. Schedule a tune-up for your HVAC system with Any Season Heating & Air Conditioning. It is a minor investment that quickly pays for itself. Not only will our licensed, bonded, and experienced heating and air professionals inspect and tune up your system, we will get it back running up to its optimal levels. 


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