Month: January 2022

Our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services regularly gets calls about frozen heat pumps. Though common, a heat pump freeze-up usually means your system’s components are not working correctly. Sometimes you can fix it yourself. But oftentimes, you will need to call a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional, like us, as the problem may require a part replacement or complex repair.

Heat Pump Brain Freeze

To help sort things out, here are the six usual suspects causing heat pumps to freeze up:

1. Clogged Air Filter

When air filters are left to collect particles for too long, they become clogged. This hinders airflow, trapping moisture. Dust, pet dander, and smoke are just a few examples of things that can clog your filter.

The National Air Filter Association (NAFA) recommends changing your system’s filter as soon as it is loaded with dust and debris. How quickly your filter becomes clogged depends on many factors in your home. At ACS Air Conditioning Services, we recommend switching to a new filter minimally every three months.

Try replacing your air filter, then running your unit’s heat setting to melt the ice. If this does not clear the problem, contact one of our trained experts to come out to help.

2. Low or Empty Refrigerant

If your heat pump is low on refrigerant, it may be leaking. This can be from of a weakened solder joint, a failed valve, or unsecured fittings. Also, when a component rubs against the refrigerant tank over time, it could eventually puncture it, leading to a freeze-up.

When the pipes start rattling, play it safe and power down your heat pump. Then contact one of our HVAC professionals for immediate inspection.

3. Filthy Evaporator Coil

Refrigerant flows through your heat pump’s evaporator coil. It transports heat into your Oro Valley home during cool weather and pulls it out during hot weather. When the coil becomes dirty, its ability to transfer heat is impaired. Compromised airflow can lead to a freeze-up.

If you notice ice on your coils, power down your heat pump. Then gently pour warm water over the coils to melt the ice. If your coils freeze back up, call one of our HVAC team members.

4. Faulty Blower Motor

If your blower motor is not up to speed, it can wreak havoc on your system, leading to a freeze-up.

The fan may start and stop intermittently, run at a reduced spinning cycle, or not run at all. If this is the case, have someone from ACS Air Conditioning Services replace it.

5. Dirty Fan Blades

When the blower’s fan blades are dirty, this compromises the system’s airflow and exhaust output. Moisture may become trapped and turn into ice. If this happens, give us a call to correct it, as the fan blades are quite delicate.

6. Wintertime Neglect

Depending on your heat pump model and your Arizona home’s geographic location, some air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) do not always operate efficiently in colder temperatures. Check with one of our experts if this is an issue for your heat pump.

Also, the unit should be completely level with the ground; any tilting can cause moisture to get trapped and become frozen. Again, talk to our HVAC professionals if you believe your heat pump is not level.

Finally, your unit should be away from gutter flow, as this can cause ice formation. During the winter, always check for ice accumulation around or on your unit, and clear it to prevent further issues.

Contact Us With Any Heat Pump Issues

Experiencing a frozen heat pump? Our ACS Air Conditioning Services team of experienced HVAC professionals is just around the corner in Oro Valley, AZ, to assist you. Call us today at 520-230-5668 or request service online if you need a repair or are interested in upgrading your current system.

If your furnace is producing a strange smell, you should always treat it with caution. While the cause for the odor may be benign, it could just as easily be harmful to inhale. When in doubt, always open windows to ensure ventilation, and evacuate your Arizona home.

For your convenience and protection, our ACS Air Conditioning Services team developed a list of five common furnace smells and what they mean.

1. Burnt Plastic

If you just turned on your furnace for the winter, your nostrils may detect a burning smell. If this is the case, you don’t need to panic yet. Furnaces collect dust over time, which is burnt off when you first turn on your furnace.

It might be a good idea to check your filter to see if it needs replacing. However, if the smell doesn’t dissipate after about 30 minutes, contact one of our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals to check it out.

2. Rotten Eggs

The sulfuric rotten-eggs smell usually points to a natural gas leak. Gas distributors often give it this smell in order to tip you off when a leak occurs, since gas is typically odorless.

If you believe there is a natural gas leak, open your doors and windows, then be sure everyone gets out of the house to safety. From there, you should call 911 as well as your Marana gas company.

3. Musty and/or Mildewy

This smell is usually indicative of dirty air ducts. Over time, your ductwork becomes overrun with dust, debris, mildew, and mold. Your home’s ventilation carries this smell throughout the house.

Not only is this smell unpleasant; it’s bad for your indoor air quality (IAQ). Indoor air quality can be decreased by several contributing factors. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), most homes have more than one source that contributes to indoor air pollution. To solve the smell issue, have your ducts cleaned by a professional.

4. Metallic and/or Electric

This is likely the smell of your motor overheating. In this case, it’s a good decision to power down your furnace immediately. Then, schedule a repair with one of our professional  technicians.

5. Formaldehyde

If you can smell a pungent chemical smell similar to formaldehyde, this presumably means you have a cracked heat exchanger. You should evacuate immediately and call 911. Cracked heat exchangers are known to release carbon monoxide (CO) fumes that are potentially lethal when inhaled.

Contact Us for All Your Furnace Needs

Our team at ACS Air Conditioning Services hopes you found this list of common furnace smells useful. Remember, always treat chemical smells with the utmost wariness. Call us at 520-230-5668 or request service online here in Marana, AZ, or any of its surrounding areas with any additional questions or to schedule service.