If you’re like most people, you likely place comfort high on your priority list. So, when your HVAC suddenly stops working, you probably consider it an emergency. However, emergency HVAC services can be costly, so it’s wise to learn to tell when you need them and when you don’t. To help you do that, here’s a guide that explains what qualifies as an HVAC emergency and what doesn’t.
Common HVAC Emergencies
Most HVAC emergencies are problems that pose risks to life, health, and property. That includes any HVAC outage if there are elderly or ill occupants inside your home or commercial building. Here are some of the other most common types of HVAC emergencies.
Loss of Heat Below 40 Degrees
When a heater stops working, it doesn’t take long for a building to get cold. However, the discomfort of the cold doesn’t typically qualify as an emergency by itself. Generally, a loss of heat qualifies as an emergency when it’s 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower outside. If your building has average insulation, it should retain enough heat for eight to 12 hours to remain habitable. After that, however, it could be cold enough to pose a health risk to everyone in it. Therefore, calling for emergency HVAC repair makes sense in this situation.
Loss of Cooling at 90 Degrees or Above
Similarly, an AC breakdown on its own isn’t an emergency unless it’s extremely hot outside. The general rule of thumb is that a loss of AC becomes an emergency when it’s 90 degrees or higher outside. At those temperatures, fans and open windows won’t be enough to keep your home or office habitable, even temporarily. High indoor temperatures can lead to dehydration and heat stroke, which can be deadly. In these circumstances, you need your AC fixed immediately.
Indoor Humidity Persistently Above 70%
Living in the Southeast means dealing with high humidity for months at a time. Ordinarily, the AC in your home or office should remove enough moisture to keep the indoor humidity no higher than 60%. If your AC fails or suffers a malfunction, your indoor humidity may soar. That becomes an emergency when indoor humidity rises to 70% or higher and stays there. High indoor humidity can create respiratory problems for anyone exposed to it. Additionally, it can trigger the growth of mold or mildew, which is both damaging and unhealthy.
Carbon Monoxide or Gas Leaks
Not every HVAC emergency includes a loss of heating or cooling. Some involve safety issues with your comfort systems. The most serious among them are natural gas or carbon monoxide leaks. If your carbon monoxide detectors go off, you need to evacuate immediately. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that’s fatal in high concentrations. Natural gas furnaces are likely sources of carbon monoxide leaks, which are always emergencies.
Natural gas leaks are easier to notice, but no less dangerous. Gas suppliers add a substance called mercaptan to their otherwise odorless gas. It’s what gives off the telltale rotten egg smell you associate with a gas leak. If you smell that indoors, leave immediately. Then, contact emergency services and your gas company. They’ll turn off your gas supply and ensure your property’s safety. If the leak’s source is your furnace, it’s appropriate to call for emergency HVAC repairs.
HVAC Electrical Problems
Another situation that calls for immediate emergency repair is any kind of electrical problem with your HVAC system. For example, if your HVAC begins tripping its circuit breaker repeatedly, it requires prompt attention. The same applies if you notice any buzzing sounds or burning smells near your HVAC. Those symptoms point to electrical issues you can’t simply ignore. In some cases, as with buzzing noises, the problem could involve a capacitor. Those store electricity even when you turn off your HVAC. So, calling for an emergency HVAC repair makes sense to ensure your safety.
Significant Water Leaks
Here in the Southeast, HVACs extract large amounts of moisture from the air while operating. It’s a consequence of the cooling process that also increases your comfort. However, all that water must go somewhere, which is why HVAC air handlers have condensate drain lines. Those lines, when blocked, can cause water leaks from your HVAC. Any leak bigger than a trickle is an HVAC emergency. It doesn’t take much of a leak to damage a floor, wall, or ceiling. Plus, a leak means water isn’t leaving your indoor unit, which could lead to a frozen evaporator coil.
Hissing Sounds
Finally, hissing sounds from your HVAC system should alert you to call for emergency repair whenever they occur. If you hear them, immediately turn off your HVAC. They almost always indicate a refrigerant leak, which can cause multiple problems. First, refrigerant is toxic when inhaled and can cause headache, coughing, and nausea. Also, a loss of refrigerant in your HVAC will expose multiple components to the risk of damage.
When you run your HVAC with low refrigerant levels, it will operate at an abnormally low evaporator temperature. That can cause freezing, blocking airflow, and harming the evaporator and the system’s blower fan. Also, refrigerant carries essential lubricants that keep your HVAC’s compressor running smoothly. Without it, severe compressor damage may result. A damaged compressor often demands a complete HVAC replacement. If you consider that, an emergency repair is a small price to pay to avoid the worst possible outcome.
What Isn’t an HVAC Emergency
In short, anything that doesn’t fall into one of the categories above doesn’t rise to the level of an HVAC emergency. For example, if your HVAC starts short cycling, the repair can wait until regular business hours. The same logic applies to slight decreases in airflow or small output temperature changes. Such symptoms often indicate minor maintenance issues and won’t significantly harm your HVAC, if at all.
It’s also worth considering the time of year, which can influence what qualifies as an emergency. For example, an HVAC problem in April is less likely to be an emergency than one in July or January. In other words, the further away you are from the heating or cooling season, the less urgent most repairs become. In those situations, you likely aren’t as reliant on your HVAC, so waiting for a repair is less of a problem.
Your Emergency HVAC Repair Experts
When you have an HVAC emergency, you need a trustworthy HVAC company’s help fast. Swift Brothers is a locally owned and operated HVAC company that’s served homes and businesses in the Southeast since 1983. We offer 24/7 emergency HVAC services for problems that can’t wait. Our team of expert HVAC technicians can repair HVAC systems of any make or model. We serve residential and commercial customers and are your one-stop HVAC emergency service provider. With us, count on swift, efficient service backed by a 100% quality guarantee. Those are all reasons we have a customer list that’s 100,000 strong and growing daily.
If you need emergency HVAC services in Charlotte or elsewhere in the Southeast, call Swift Brothers immediately!