Your older home in San Marcos, TX, probably has a lot of history and interesting style that you cherish. However, it’s common to experience difficulties when trying to heat or cool it. Here are six HVAC problems you may face in your older home.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
San Marcos has hot, humid summers and short, cold winters. With this climate, plants tend to grow well, producing beautiful flowers and fruits. Though this is a good thing, it negatively impacts the indoor air.
San Marcos winds can blow irritants like dust and pollen grains through gaps in older homes into the indoor space. If you have old ducts, they could also encourage poor quality air because every piece of equipment degrades with time.
Aging HVAC System
A typical HVAC system lasts for about 15 to 25 years. If the HVAC system in your home is older than 10 years, your chances of experiencing problems are high unless you schedule maintenance services. But expect some degradation with a unit that keeps on running.
Old HVAC systems will require frequent repairs that cost a lot of money, sometimes more than it would take to replace them. They will also need to run longer to do the same tasks. If your system takes so much time to heat or cool your home or requires constant repair, our expert team can help you make the proper replacement tailored to the structure and needs of your home.
Rising Bills
Over the past few years, HVAC engineers have made advances that increase the efficiency of modern HVAC systems. If you haven’t made an upgrade in the past 10 or 15 years, you’re missing out on new technology that can help reduce energy bills while increasing efficiency. Some of the new systems can cut your utility costs significantly.
You need to be aware that no amount of maintenance or repair can turn your old HVAC unit into a new one. If its time is up, it would be best to simply replace your HVAC unit with an advanced system that offers greater efficiency and energy dependency.
Outdated Thermostat
If the thermostat in your old home simply has basic options for controlling indoor temperatures, it may not have customization features that can affect your comfort in your home. A modern programmable thermostat can allow you to turn on your HVAC system minutes before you get home or set scheduled cooling periods for ultimate efficiency. Also, you won’t need to walk up to the thermostat to change a setting; you can do it from your smartphone.
Lack of Zoning
As mentioned earlier, older homes may have a single thermostat that controls every section or wing. When you’re in the living room, you only need to cool or warm that area and not the entire house. Outdated thermostats don’t have the ability to segregate temperatures in different parts of the house.
However, a modern HVAC system with an advanced thermostat lets you designate different zones in your house with separate controls. This can also help you save utility bills because you’ll only be cooling that one place you’re staying in, not an empty room or the basement.
Leaking Duct Systems
Many factors can lead to leaking ducts, such as heavy rainfall that saturates the soil and slightly alters your home’s foundation or pests that inhabit them. Also, if you had problems with your filters or any other part of the HVAC system once, it may have had an impact on your ducts.
Ducts are the central part of your HVAC system, so almost every other part will experience problems if they’re leaking. The blower fan will work harder to push more air, which will lead to increased utility bills as well as wear and tear.
Eventually, all HVAC system needs replacement. If your system is over 15 years old and experiencing constant problems, now may be the time. Call us at Woods Comfort Systems today for any installation, maintenance or repair services that you need.
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