When summer is coming on, it can be surprising how quickly we adjust the thermostat from giving us a little heat in the morning to take the chill off the house to switching on the air conditioning to combat the afternoon heat. Even if the furnace has been working well throughout the winter, if you start hearing one of these six sounds, you may have a problem and need to contact an HVAC professional before it turns into an even larger repair bill. Scraping Sound A loud scraping noise, a grating metal-on-metal sound, coming from inside your system could be a serious problem with the blower wheel. Maybe the wheel is coming apart from the shaft and scraping the casing or in some other way the motor is causing the wheel to scrape the casing. Turn off the air conditioning or heat immediately and call an HVAC company. Fast Clicking/Flicking Sound Remember that sound when you were a kid and attached a playing card to the spokes of your bicycle wheel? If you hear that kind of fast thwapping sound from your system, something might be stuck on one of the blower wheel blades or housing around the wheel. While your air conditioning (or heat) may be working just fine, this stuck object is causing resistance and it will cause excessive wear on the motor. Get it cleaned up by an HVAC technician. Squealing Sound A squealing noise from the blower motor could be caused by a belt wearing out. That’s normally not an expensive repair and best taken care of before the belt stretches further or breaks. Grinding Or Metal Groaning Sound A bearing problem in the blower motor will make a dull repetitive groan. Some blower motors have ports for adding lubricant, but some are sealed. Adding lubricant will often eliminate the groaning sound, but you have to use the correct oil, not WD-40. An HVAC company doing an annual maintenance inspection on your system would likely do this kind of lubrication. Rattling Sound If you hear a rattling sound from your central air conditioning unit outside of the house when the air conditioning is coming on, the hardware around the compressor could be loose. An air conditioning service repair person should be contacted. Popping Sound Or Banging Sound If you turn on your system for heat and you hear popping sounds or a distinct banging sound (like from a cap gun), the system probably has dirty burners that need to be cleaned. The gas is not being ignited right away. Instead, it’s building up and then igniting in a mini-explosion. You’ll want to get this serviced by a professional immediately. Summary When operating properly, your HVAC system should be fairly quiet, but if you’re hearing one of these six sounds you really should contact an HVAC professional to come in and repair the problem before it turns into an even bigger problem.

Do you find yourself wearing a sweater in some rooms of your house but just a t-shirt in other rooms of your house? Or maybe you walk from one room, through a central room, to another part of the house and find that one spot is warmer, especially in the summer months? These "hot spots" in your home are especially noticeable when the temperatures are high but it's possible in some areas that they may exist all year 'round. So, what are "hot spots" in your home, anyway? Your home's HVAC system works on a simple premise: Air is drawn through vents (internal vents and/or external vents) and pushed into your system. From there, the air is cooled and then forced out through the ductwork in your walls, through vents, and into the rooms of your house. But here's the thing: air is invisible but it acts a lot like water: It flows in easy, meandering ways around a room, invisibly bouncing off of walls and furniture. In fact, if you could see the air flow from a vent, you'd notice that it moved and flowed from vents outward throughout the room but it stops and redirects when it hits an obstruction. Therefore, some areas of your home may not get air flow. The air just sits there. And, depending on the air flow and air pressure in the house, the ambient temperature (and temperature fluctuations) inside your home and outside, as well as other factors, hot spots can be created. Simply put, cool air isn't flowing there; it flows around or is stopped. You may especially notice hot spots by windows or exterior doors (no surprise there) but you may also notice hot spots near exterior walls, which could indicate that the insulation has degraded slightly. Or you may notice hot spots in unusually shaped rooms, or rooms where the HVAC ducts aren't venting into the center of the room. These are just a few of the reasons, and it really depends on a number of factors. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do about it. If you want a simple, temporary solution, add a small fan nearby to circulate the air more effectively in the room. Another option, in rooms that are larger but not too unusually shaped, consider a ceiling-mounted fan. However, some homeowners want more effective fixes for challenging hot spots, especially in hard-to-reach places. For these scenarios, you may consider installing extra vents to get the air flowing into that area. There are other options of course but this is a great starting point. Your home should be comfortable -- you shouldn't have to avoid one area of your home just because it's hotter than other areas! If you notice hot spots in your home, there's lots you can do about it so take a walk around your home and make note of all the hot spots… and see if you can't transform them into comfortable cooler areas!

Spring is here and that means spring cleaning for many people. You open the windows, air out the stale winter air, and do some vacuuming and dusting. But don’t forget about your HVAC system, either! When you're spring cleaning the rest of your house, make sure you clean out your HVAC system, which has been working hard all winter long to keep you warm. Your home's HVAC system is essential to the comfort AND SAFETY of your family, and it can only do that if it is clean. Check out these tips to help you enjoy a safe and comfortable home this spring (and the rest of the year). #1. Before you do any cleaning, make sure the power to your HVAC system is turned off. That is most important for your safety. The last thing you want is to injure yourself. Even if you think you'll be careful, it's better to be safe; turn off your power as the first step any time you plan to work in or near your HVAC system. #2. Remove the filter in your HVAC system and replace it. Or, if you have recently replaced it, then clean it. Air is forced through the filter but that gets harder and harder for your HVAC system to do if the filter is clogged with dirt and debris. Clean it out at least once a month and replace your filter at least once every 3 months. Only use filters that have been approved by the manufacturer so you don't risk losing your warranty. #3. If you have an external air conditioning unit, go outside and look at it. Make sure that the unit is free from debris that often accumulates around it during the fall and winter. Often, leaves and clippings will start to build inside the unit and at the vents. #4. While you're looking at you’re air conditioning unit, clean the fan blades and the coils (which can also pick up debris). #5. Walk around the inside of your home and look at all the vents—the ones that blow warm/cool air FROM your HVAC system and the ones that pull air into your HVAC system. Make sure both types of vents are not blocked so that air can freely get in. (This will not only ensure that you get clean fresh air throughout your house, it also helps you save money by keeping your HVAC system from doing too much work to draw in air.) #6. Think about the last time you had your ducts cleaned. If it isn't within the last 5-7 years, then contact a company to come out and clean your ducts. All that dust and debris that accumulated over the winter can be removed so it's not recirculating. Springtime is here and that means spring cleaning and enjoying the freshness of a new season. When you clean your home this spring, don't forget about the HVAC system that has been working so hard all winter long, and reward it with a good cleaning… your HVAC system will run more efficiently and your family will be safer and more comfortable this spring!