Furnace & HVAC Problems? Patrick Riley Cooling & Heating's Troubleshooting Guide

Is something happening with your furnace or AC unit? Are you hearing a clicking noise or seeing mist blowing from your equipment? Furnaces, heat pumps, and AC systems can also have issues related to short cycling or leaking water. When Arizona homeowners are faced with HVAC problems, they turn to Patrick Riley Cooling, Heating, & Plumbing to troubleshoot issues and provide AC repair and furnace repair service. For over 30 years, Patrick Riley’s HVAC team has provided professional and friendly furnace and AC repair and replacement, ensuring families can spend their time on what matters. Our skilled technicians receive ongoing training within our labs, and they are factory trained to best serve your family.

Begin your journey to troubleshoot, diagnose, and fix your furnace problems or HVAC concerns by exploring our guide for Arizonans. As you identify the problems you’re facing, call Patrick Riley Cooling, Heating, & Plumbing for same-day or next-day help.

Take Care of Your Family First

What to Do When the Furnace Stops Working:

1. If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, call 911 immediately.
2. Move family members (especially children, elderly parents and family members, and pets) to a warm and safe location.
3. Stay warm. Use portable space heaters, heating pads, and blankets, and/or turn on the fireplace as you wait for service.
4. Resolve your furnace problems by calling a trusted professional.

What to Do When the AC Stops Working:

Move to a cool, safe space (especially children, elderly parents and family members, and pets). In Arizona, a broken AC unit can be the cause of heat stroke or other heat-related illnesses.

1. Cover windows, turn on a fan, and/or plug in a portable AC unit for the duration your AC is out.
2. Keep your family hydrated.
3. Resolve your AC problems by calling a trusted professional.

Common Heating and Furnace Problems

Heat Pump Is Tripping the Breaker

If your heat pump is tripping the breaker, it could signal any number of issues that should be addressed right away by a heating expert. A heating technician can take care of mild furnace problems, such as a dirty air filter, but you can save time and money by learning how to clean or replace this filter on your own.

Furnace Keeps Running

Why does your furnace keep running? To catch up with the fridge, of course! All kidding aside, furnaces should only run when they’re increasing the temperature in your home. If it runs indefinitely, it will create risks in the home—and increase your utility bills. Some furnaces are meant to turn off in cycles, but if yours doesn’t, there are a few things to try to get it to run correctly.

Bad Smells Linger Around Furnace

Do you smell something burning by the furnace—like the scent of burning tires or plastic? If you’ve noticed the bad smell for a while and it doesn’t go away with a simple filter change, there might be a serious furnace problem or electrical equipment issue you’re facing. Visual signs that accompany this problem include smoke coming out of your grills or registers.

Furnace Blows Cold Air

A furnace that serves cold air rather than warm air sounds like a major heating problem, but it’s actually caused by one of many minor problems that don’t require demanding repair work. It all comes down to finding where the issue lies—which could come from under the hood to inside the vents. A Patrick Riley HVAC pro doesn’t need much time to diagnose the source of cold air and take care of the problem.

Common Cooling & AC Problems

AC is Making Loud, Strange Noises

An AC unit that makes loud buzzing sound or other unusual noises is a cause for concern, and we recommend turning the system off until a professional can look at it. Problems from the electrical setup to the AC’s evaporator coils could cause damage to the unit if it continues to run. If you hear a noise, the problem is likely just as bad as it sounds.

Weak Airflow Coming From Vents

If you don’t feel a strong breeze from your AC like you remember, something might be wrong in your ventilation and causing the air to escape prematurely before it can reach your grills. Another possibility is a surprising phenomenon that happens from inside the AC that keeps air from cooling altogether.

AC is Blowing Mist

Mist coming out of an AC system sounds unusual to many homeowners, but it’s nothing that we at Patrick Riley Cooling, Heating, & Plumbing haven’t dealt with before. Some ACs can still run well when they’re spraying short bursts of mist now and then, but an AC blowing mist for hours or accompanied by a musty smell is a cause for concern.

AC is Short Cycling

When an AC short cycles, that means the system shuts itself off sooner than it’s supposed to. This can lead to lengthy periods of heat and humidity in certain rooms—despite having an AC unit that works.

You or a Family Member Experiences Allergic Reactions

It’s not normal to suddenly experience allergies inside the home, and it may have to do with your AC system. Your air conditioner might be getting dirty or old, which is one way contaminants get into your home’s air. Allergies can also occur while dusting if you have your thermostat set to a specific setting. Knowing what you can do for your system can alleviate allergy problems in Arizona.

Get More Assistance with Patrick Riley Cooling & Heating in Phoenix

Patrick Riley Cooling, Heating, & Plumbing helps hundreds of homeowners each year in the Greater Phoenix area. Get up to speed on your tech savviness by learning more about common AC and heater mishaps with more of our helpful guides. Contact us when you’re in need of equipment repairs or maintenance.

Written by: Patrick Riley Cooling, Heating, & Plumbing