Month: February 2022

Heat pumps can cause your Marana home’s circuit breaker to trip for a variety of reasons. Though it might be frustrating, remember your circuit breaker is there to protect you. A trip may just be a fluke, but repeated tripping indicates an error that needs to be corrected.

Like Wow, It Is Really Trippy

To help you identify potential problems, our ACS Air Conditioning Services heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals share with you five of the most common reasons heat pumps trip circuit breakers:

1. Dusty Air Filter

When you do not replace your air filter for months, dust and debris clog it. This restricts airflow and sends your heat pump’s components into overdrive. Because they are working extra hard, they use an excess amount of electricity. As a result, the circuit breaker trips.

ENERGY STAR^® endorses checking your filter every month for dirt and airflow issues. If it is dirty, do your heat pump, your indoor air quality (IAQ), and your wallet a favor and change it.

2. Covered-Up Vents

It is important to give vents ample room to circulate air. But sometimes you can get carried away decorating your Arizona home and end up blocking some vents.

Like a dusty air filter, this restricts airflow, leading to an overload. Be sure to place sofas, carpets, and curtains away from your vent openings. Let them breathe!

3. Dirty Condenser Coils

When your heat pump’s condenser coils get dirty, the unit has to work at a higher capacity to produce the same amount of heating or cooling. Subsequently, this can produce an overload, which trips the circuit breaker.

To avoid this, be sure to schedule professional preventative maintenance at least once a year with our ACS Air Conditioning Services experts. During the visit to your Marana home, our trained team member will clean debris off your condenser coils, lowering the risk of any future issues.

4. Motor Problems

If the blower motor has any friction—such as rust on the bearings or poor balance—it can run poorly. Often, the motor will then pull more electricity than necessary.

This overload will trip your circuit breaker. If your motor is making unusual sounds, this may be what is happening. Let one of our pros take care of this for you.

5. Electrical Issues

Frayed or faulty wiring could be the source of the problem, as it often causes short circuiting. Additionally, the culprit could be your circuit breaker itself. Older circuit breakers may give you a false reading.

If you have noticed other appliances tripping the circuit breaker, it may not be your heat pump’s fault after all. Get in touch with a licensed electrician if you believe this to be the case.

Utilize Our Expertise for Any Heat Pump Issues

Need your heat pump fixed? Contact us because we can help! Our licensed professionals are proud to perform heating repairs, installations, and maintenance here in the Marana, AZ, area. Call ACS Air Conditioning Services today at 520-230-5668 or request service online to schedule a visit.

Think of your heating and cooling (HVAC) system components as the instruments in a quiet symphony.

When all the pieces are in good condition and work in harmony, the only sounds you will hear will be the quiet hum of a motor and whisper of air as it exits registers in your Arizona home.

An HVAC system operating at peak efficiency is music to the ears.

An HVAC system in need of professional attention produces noise.

Unusual sounds may indicate the need for a tune-up, cleaning, or repair. The experts at ACS Air Conditioning Services can decipher the noise and get your system back on track. They have the knowledge and experience it takes to keep your HVAC equipment running at peak efficiency and delivering the comfort you expect in your Tucson home.

According to ENERGY STAR®, annual energy bills top $2,200 in the average household. Half of that cost goes to heating and cooling systems. Maintaining HVAC equipment is essential to keeping costs down and more money in your pocket.

You can troubleshoot your furnace, air conditioner, heat pump, and ductwork by paying attention to sensory cues. If the equipment emits strange odors or working parts look worn and dirty, it may be time to call for professional help. Listening to your HVAC system is one of the easiest ways to be proactive.

What is your HVAC system trying to tell you? Here is a guide to some typical sounds:

1. Screaming—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. Turn the system off and call one of our professionals.
2. Squealing or screeching—These sounds are like the high-pitched noise from worn brakes or metal on metal. They may indicate a worn belt or motor bearing. Sometimes the motor simply needs lubrication. Replacing the belt and lubricating the motor are not for do-it-yourselfers. For fast, quality, and expert service, call the professionals at ACS Air Conditioning Services.
3. Rattling—If you notice rattling near an air register, it could mean the grille is loose. A rattling sound from within an air duct usually signals the presence of debris. Did you inadvertently drop a nail through the register or did someone in the family force a tiny toy through the grille? It may be time for a thorough duct cleaning.Debris inside the outdoor unit of the air conditioning system also can cause rattling. Other possibilities include a loose fan and loose parts in the blower or motor. These also can cause rattling sounds from the outdoor unit of your air conditioning system. The fan could be loose and there might be a problem with the blower or the motor.

4. Banging or clanking—A loose part that rattles can eventually break or disconnect, causing a banging sound. Your furnace blower also could be unbalanced, or your compressor might be loose.
5. Scraping—A metal scraping sound likely means a component is broken and possibly moving around in the unit. It might also indicate damaged or obstructed fan blades.
6. Loud humming or clicking—Humming, clicking, even buzzing usually indicate electrical problems, such as loose wiring, a defective capacitor, or failing thermostat.
7. Hissing—If you hear hissing from your air conditioning unit, it could be a refrigerant leak or a problem with the compressor motor. If the sound is inside the walls of your home or from the furnace, it likely is a leaky duct. Either way, you will need to call a professional for repairs.

Call Us Today

Now that you are fluent in HVAC sounds, listen for noise that might indicate a potential problem. Be proactive and call ACS Air Conditioning Services in Tucson, AZ, for an inspection and tune-up. Call 520-230-5668 or request service online.