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HVAC Tips & Tricks Guides
27 guidesThese practical guides answer the everyday questions Austin homeowners ask about their heating and cooling: what a strange noise means, whether to repair or replace, which thermostat features are worth it and how rebates work. Each one is written to help you make a confident decision.
Start with Why Is My HVAC System Making Noise?, then read Repair or Replace Your HVAC System? How to Decide and Smart Thermostats: Are They Worth It?.
To understand how technicians diagnose common cooling problems, our AC repair page explains what happens during a repair visit.
New tips are added through the year as the seasons change, from spring allergy prep to getting ready for a winter freeze.
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Tips & TricksSmart Thermostat vs. Programmable Thermostat: What’s the Difference?A programmable thermostat follows a schedule you set at the wall. A smart thermostat adds Wi-Fi for phone control, and many models learn your…
Tips & TricksHow Do You Know If You Have a Heat Pump or a Furnace?Turn the heat on and look outside. If the outdoor unit runs while the house is heating, you have a heat pump. If it…
Tips & TricksWhy Does a Room Smell Like Sewer? Dry Drain Traps and Your AC DrainA sewer smell in one room is most often a dry drain trap: the water seal in a little-used sink, shower or floor drain…
Tips & TricksDoes Your Kitchen Range Hood Really Matter for Indoor Air?Yes. Cooking is one of the biggest daily sources of moisture, grease, smoke and odors in a home, and gas burners add combustion gases…
Tips & TricksShould You Run Ceiling Fans in Winter, and Which Direction?Yes. In winter, run a ceiling fan on low, turning clockwise as you look up at it. That gentle updraft pushes warm air from…
Tips & TricksWhy Do Your Ducts Pop or Bang When the Heat Comes On?Ducts that pop or tick when the heat comes on are usually metal parts warming up: the furnace cabinet and heat exchanger, the metal…
Tips & TricksPre-Winter HVAC Checklist for Central Texas HomesIn Austin, get your heater ready in early to mid October: change the filter, test-run the heat, clear the outdoor unit, test smoke and…
Tips & TricksWhy Does the Thermostat Say Heat Is On but Nothing Happens?When the thermostat says Heat is on but nothing happens, the system is often just waiting: many thermostats pause a few minutes before starting,…
Tips & TricksHow Do You Increase Airflow to One Room?Start with free checks: the register fully open and unblocked, a clean filter, and a path for air back to the return (compare the…
Tips & TricksCan You Hose Off Your Outdoor AC Unit?Yes. Turn off the power at the outdoor disconnect or the breaker, then rinse the coil gently with a garden hose on a soft…
Tips & TricksHow Do You Clear a Clogged AC Condensate Drain Line?Turn the AC off, open the cleanout near the indoor unit, flush the line with a cup of distilled white vinegar or warm water,…
Tips & TricksHow Do You Restart Your AC After a Power Outage?Turn the thermostat to Off when the power goes out and leave it off until power has been steady for a while. Then check…
