You will know if your air conditioner has put on the lights with a flicker, or if the breaker has to be reset because the heat was left running too long. A burning odour from the unit or its vents is another thing you may have put down to nothing. In truth they are no small matter; they are indications that something is amiss with the electricals of your HVAC system and it is time for some work to be done.
Herron Heating & Cooling, LLC is one place where you can get all of it done: heating, cooling and the licensed electrical work that goes with your HVAC. We are a family business out of Morganton, locally owned. Make a call to (828) 624-6271 should any of what follows ring a bell and you will be talking to someone from the area, not a national call centre.
The reason the electrical side is so important is plain: your equipment requires an unbroken and proper flow of power for safe operation. Put a fault in that supply and the system is compromised along with the safety of your home. As we are licensed in both HVAC and electrical contracting, there is no need to be referred off to an electrician; we can put right any issues in house.
Warning Signs
If you are attuned to what your system is telling you, most electrical problems will make themselves known before any harm is done. Be on the lookout for such things as:
- Breakers going when the heating or cooling is engaged
- The unit cycling on and off and the lights dimming or flickering with it
- Something like hot plastic or a burn smell around the thermostat, vents or outside unit
- Short cycling of the system, i.e. it is on and off in quick succession without ever finishing a cycle
- Any clicking, humming or buzz from the panel or unit
- An outlet or switch in the vicinity of the equipment that is warm
- A thermostat that will not keep a setting or just goes blank
One of these by itself is worth examining. A number of them would have us suspect an electrical fault best left to a pro.
What is Behind the Tripping Breaker
In a way a tripping breaker is doing its duty. It is shutting off current to spare your home from wires that overheat and the risk of fire. Yet one sees homeowners just flip it back on time and again. This is dealing with the symptom.
There is more to it than that. An undersized circuit, a breaker past its prime, corroded wiring or a compressor on the way out drawing too much power are among the culprits. You will want a qualified hand to look at the unit and the connections feeding it to be sure.
Do Not Overlook the Warnings
When the system is still chugging along it is easy to delay making a phone call. But an electrical problem is not going to resolve itself. What is a loose connection now could be a burned wire in short order. Then there is the matter of a motor under strain putting extra current through the system and your energy bill with it.
Faulty wiring in an HVAC is a fire hazard in the extreme. We do not say that to alarm you but to make the case for heeding these signs and not letting the system run down to failure.
The Case for an HVAC and Electrical Contractor
Homeowners are often at an impasse with two contractors, one saying it is an electrical issue and the other an HVAC one, while the temperature in the house and the bill go up. We are not in that position at Herron Heating & Cooling. Our dual licensing means we see the whole of it and can get to the root of an electrical problem and fix it in a single visit.
We have 22 years of experience in the industry to tell us how a system and its wiring ought to perform. For Mitsubishi Electric systems or anything else in Western North Carolina, be it residential or commercial in Hickory, Asheville, Boone, Banner Elk, Lenoir, Waynesville, Marion or North Wilkesboro, we are the ones to call. We are insured and provide free estimates for new systems; Synchrony can be used for financing on repairs or a replacement.
Should you see the signs detailed here, a call to Herron Heating & Cooling at (828) 624-6271 is in order before it becomes an expensive proposition. We are available seven days a week from 7:00am until 10:00pm, and for after hours emergencies as well.
