Every season has its common HVAC problems, especially winter. Many things can go wrong once snow, ice, and freezing temperatures hit your area. In Texas, we found that out the hard way when we had a massive freeze in 2021 that left many people without power. Let’s explore these problems and go over HVAC tips for winter to help you avoid them.
Key Takeaways
This post covers the following concepts:
- Common winter HVAC problems
- Frozen outdoor pipes
- Frozen heat pumps
- Uneven heating patterns
- Broken thermostats
- Why winter HVAC services matter
- How A&G Services protects your HVAC in winter
Common HVAC Problems in Winter
Many commercial and industrial buildings experience the following HVAC problems during the winter season:
Frozen Outdoor Pipes
Your HVAC system’s outdoor unit has pipes and coils that are exposed to extreme weather every year. When these components freeze, they trap frozen water inside them. If that ice thaws, it expands as it turns back into water. This thawing can cause pipes to burst.
Frozen Heat Pumps
Some commercial buildings use heat pumps instead of traditional HVAC systems. Heat pumps’ outdoor units and coils often freeze in winter if they don’t have an automatic defrost mode set up. Schedule a maintenance appointment with your HVAC contractor to avoid this problem. During this appointment, your contractor will set up the automatic defrost mode and prepare the outdoor coils to handle the winter weather.
Uneven Heating Patterns
Sometimes, HVAC systems heat certain areas better than others. If your system heats some parts of your building well while leaving others in the cold during the winter, your HVAC system may have problems. It could have a dirty air filter, which is easy to swap out. However, it could also have leaks in the ductwork, or drafts around doors and windows that let cold air into certain rooms.
Reach out to your HVAC contractor if you find your system isn’t heating your building evenly. Your contractor can assess your system and look for leaks or other factors that are contributing to the problem and resolve them so you have even heating in your commercial or industrial facility.
Broken Thermostats
You can experience HVAC issues if one or more of your building’s thermostats breaks down. Luckily, simple HVAC maintenance solves this problem. Reach out to your contractor when you notice that one of your thermostats isn’t working properly for a quick fix.
Why Winter HVAC Services Matter
Is it worth fixing these HVAC problems? After all, you could just layer up and wait until spring. The answer is yes, it’s best to fix winter HVAC problems when they first occur. If you wait until spring, they’ll take their toll on your system’s performance in the meantime. Taking care of HVAC problems as soon as they appear helps your system run more smoothly, and it prevents issues from compounding until a major breakdown occurs.
How A&G Services Protects Your HVAC System in Winter
We take care of your Texas HVAC system in winter by providing preventive maintenance before the cold weather arrives and promptly answering all your service calls during the winter season. First, we schedule a preventive maintenance appointment with you in the fall. During that appointment, we examine all your HVAC system’s components, including its outdoor units and air conditioning parts, to determine if they’re ready for the winter.
We then arrive quickly any time your system needs winter HVAC services. For example, if your heat pump is frozen in winter, we melt the ice and start its defrost cycle to improve its operations. We also fix leaks in ductwork to prevent your system from heating your building unevenly. Overall, we’re ready to tackle any winter HVAC problems your system develops.
Take Care of Your HVAC in Winter With Us
If you want to protect your HVAC system from developing winter problems or any other problems that pop up, reach out to us today. We have the knowledge and experience to identify your commercial or industrial system’s problems and implement the best solutions for your Texas facility. We’re here to help whenever you need us.
