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You may have heard about smart thermostat systems and are wondering if they’re really worth the hype. The team at Novak Heating, Air, and Duct Cleaning lists some of our favorite benefits of switching to a smart thermostat. You won’t just see reductions in your energy bills, these devices also add convenience, control, and energy efficiency to your home.

How Do Smart Thermostats Compare to Older Models?

Programmable thermostats have been considered a helpful tool for energy conservation in American homes for many years. An estimated 25 million U.S. households have a programmable thermostat installed. However, just having a programmable thermostat in your home isn’t enough. In order to reap the financial benefits, you need to learn how to create schedules and program your thermostat to work for you.

According to the Energy Information Administration’s most recent Residential Energy Consumption Survey in 2015, approximately 76.8 million U.S. households use central air conditioning systems, but only 48.4 million of those homes have programmable thermostats. Furthermore, only 14.1 million of these households program their thermostat. Of these households, studies indicate varying use of thermostat settings and energy-saving strategies. Frankly, most homeowners don’t know how to effectively program their thermostats.

For this reason, recent technological developments have improved upon programmable thermostats to provide additional benefits. Wi-Fi thermostats allow for remote temperature adjustments so users can change temperatures without physically being at their thermostats, if the settings aren’t effective, savings do not result. Smart thermostats make adjusting the temperature settings much easier and more innovative so you don’t need to find your thermostat manual to figure out how to set a schedule.

Smart Thermostat Benefits

Besides being easy to control, smart thermostats come with a variety of other benefits that make sense. When you make the switch, you’ll notice a number of smart thermostat benefits, such as:

1 – Increased Energy Savings

Smart thermostats are much easier to program than other thermostats. Most smart thermostats come with an easy-to-use app that allows you to set schedules throughout the day from your phone or tablet. If you’re at work, your home’s temperature doesn’t need to be as warm, otherwise, you’re paying to heat an empty house. If you love coming home to a nice warm house, you can set up a schedule for the heating system to start raising the temperature during your commute. By lowering your temperature while you are away you’ll notice the energy savings right away on your utility bill.

2 – Easy To Monitor Energy Usage

Smart thermostats record data regarding household energy consumption. This information can be viewed by logging into the corresponding mobile app or online portal. The data provided by switching to smart thermostat models can help you visualize the positive impacts of energy conservation and help you identify areas where improvements can be made.

3 – Geofencing

Instead of programming a schedule yourself, many smart thermostats offer geofencing technology to ensure your home is always at the perfect temperature when you arrive. Using your mobile phone’s location and making observations of your schedule, the thermostat can identify when you are headed home and make temperature adjustments just before arrival to return your rooms to a comfortable temperature when you walk in.

4 – Maintenance Reminders

Switching to a smart thermostat model helps you stay on top of maintenance and repairs. Your smart thermostat constantly monitors HVAC system energy use and can detect changes in consumption. Through the thermostat face or mobile app, it can alert you to the need for maintenance such as filter changes, or notify you when energy consumption has increased, which can indicate a malfunction that requires HVAC repair.

5 – Remote Access

Do you have teenagers that stay home alone and adjust the thermostat without permission? With remote access, you can get mobile alerts to see when your thermostat’s temperature settings have been changed. Then, from your phone, you can change them back. If you go on vacation and forget to adjust the thermostat before you leave, with your phone, you can lower the temperature on your smart thermostat to help you save energy while you’re away.

Smart Thermostats from Novak Heating & Cooling

If you’re thinking of installing a smart thermostat in your Hiawatha area home to save money by reducing energy costs, give Novak Heating & Cooling a call! We offer a great selection of new smart thermostats to ensure compatibility with your home’s HVAC system and provide the comfort control and convenience you desire. Contact us today to learn more about how a smart thermostat can help lower your home’s energy usage.

A lot of people don’t know what is the difference between air ducts and air vents, and it’s an understandable mistake. While these terms are often used interchangeably, there is a big difference between the two. Novak Heating and Cooling explain the key differences between air ducts and air vents so you can better understand how they work and how to care for them.

What Are Air Ducts?

The ductwork of a forced air HVAC system is responsible for delivering the conditioned air throughout the building. The ducts are typically made of sheet metal or similar material that is sturdy enough to withstand the pressures of the airflow. The size of the ducts can vary depending on the layout of your home. Ducts are often insulated to help reduce noise and prevent heat loss. In some cases, the ductwork may also include a system of baffles or dampers that help to regulate the flow of air.

When your furnace or air conditioning is running, there is a fan inside the HVAC unit that blows the air through a network of distribution ducts, where it is then distributed evenly throughout the house.

Return ducts play an important role in your home’s HVAC system, too. They are the air ducts that carry air from your home back to the furnace or air conditioner.

What Are Air Vents?

The air vents of an HVAC system are the openings through which air is delivered into the room. The size, shape, and location of the air vents are determined by the design of the HVAC system. The most common type of air vent is the floor vent, which is designed to deliver air into the room at a low level. Other types of air vents include ceiling vents, wall vents, and register vents.

The air vents in your home are an important part of your HVAC system. They help to circulate air throughout the house and keep the temperature regulated. The return vents allow stale indoor air to enter the return ducts and cycle back to the HVAC unit. The air is then warmed or cooled by the HVAC system and pushed back out through the distribution ducts and vents. Supply vents blow conditioned air out of them. Supply vents are often high on walls or near the ceiling. This process helps to ensure that the air in your home is clean and comfortable.

How to Clean Air Ducts and Air Vents

Many people don’t realize how important it is to keep their air ducts clean. Over time, dirt, dust, and other allergens can build up in the ductwork, and when the furnace or air conditioning kicks on, these contaminants are circulated through the home. The build up can cause low air flow to particular rooms and create hot and cold spots throughout your house, not to mention indoor air quality issues like respiratory issues, headaches, and fatigue.

Professional air duct cleaning can help to remove these contaminants and improve indoor air quality. The process is simple: a specially trained technician will insert a powerful vacuum into the ductwork and remove all the buildup. In most cases, the entire system can be cleaned in just a few hours. And best of all, regular duct cleaning can help to extend the life of your HVAC system. This service should be performed every 3 to 5 years or more often if needed.

To keep your system running smoothly and prevent the spread of contaminants in your home’s air, it’s important to clean your HVAC air vent covers on a regular basis. The frequency with which you need to clean them will depend on the type of system you have and the characteristics of your home, but in general, it’s a good idea to do so at least once a month. Here’s how:

• First, start by vacuuming the area around the vent cover to remove any dust or debris that may have accumulated there.
• Next, remove the vent cover and use a mild soap and water solution to clean the vent cover itself.
• Be sure to rinse it thoroughly afterward.
• Once the cover is dry, you can put it back in place.

Professional Duct Services in Cedar Rapids, IA from Novak

The bottom line is that air ducts and vents are not the same things, and it’s important to understand the difference in order to maintain a healthy home environment. If you have any questions about your ventilation system or would like to schedule a duct cleaning, please contact Novak Heating, Air, and Duct Cleaning today.

Winter is definitely coming, which means it’s time to start thinking about buying a new furnace. If you’re like most homeowners, you have a lot of questions about how can I just buy a furnace and what the process entails. Novak Heating and Cooling explains the steps for buying a new furnace, so you can be prepared for what’s to come.

The Furnace Buying Process

If you’re not familiar with the process, you may be surprised that buying a new heating appliance for your home is much different than buying any other kind of appliance. You can purchase a new furnace by yourself from a retailer, but it’s always best to buy a new furnace from a licensed HVAC contractor. Not only will they be able to recommend the best model for your needs, but they’ll also be able to install it correctly and ensure that it meets all the necessary safety standards. In the long run, buying a new furnace from a licensed and reputable HVAC company will save you money, hassle, and peace of mind.

Size of the Furnace

When looking for a furnace replacement, it is important to keep in mind that the process will vary somewhat depending on the specific company you work with. First, the contractor will need to size the furnace according to the square footage of your home and the number of BTUs (British thermal units) required to heat the space. This information will allow you to choose the proper size furnace. A furnace that is too small will have to work harder to heat your home, while a furnace that is too large will be less efficient as well.

Fuel Source

When purchasing a new furnace, you might also want to consider the fuel sources available. Many homes have a natural gas furnace, but if you are looking to move away from burning fossil fuels, you might want to consider an electric furnace. It’s important to consider the heating bills you can expect as well as the furnace cost. Gas furnaces are typically cheaper to operate than electric furnaces, but you will need to have a gas line installed if you don’t already have one.

Efficiency Ratings

Heating your home can be a big expense, so it’s important to choose a furnace that is both energy efficient and economical to operate. With so many factors to consider, it’s important to do your research before purchasing a new furnace. Newer furnaces are much more efficient than older models, so it’s worth considering an upgrade if your furnace is more than a few years old. A high-efficiency furnace might be a tempting option to lower your energy bills in the long run, but the higher the energy efficiency of a new furnace, often the higher the furnace costs. Talk with your HVAC system technician about a reasonable budget that you can expect to spend on a new heating system.

Consider a New Air Conditioner, Too

When shopping for a new furnace, it’s important to think about cooling equipment, too. Installing a new furnace and air conditioner at the same time has a number of benefits for homeowners. When both units are new, they will be matched to work together more efficiently than when one is new and one is old. There will be less guesswork on when you’ll need to replace your HVAC systems down the line because they will both be the same age.

Second, buying both units at the same time can save you money on labor costs and return trips for a second installation date. Finally, installing both units at the same time can save you time and hassle as everything is done all at once. By replacing both units at the same time, you can avoid inconvenience.

Professional Furnace Installation from Novak

When you work with an HVAC professional, you can rest assured that your new furnace will be installed properly. Following complete installation, your HVAC installer will perform a combustion efficiency test to ensure that the furnace is operating safely and efficiently. Finally, they will walk you through how to operate the furnace and answer any questions you may have.

Start Your Search for a New Furnace For Your Cedar Rapids, IA Home

The best way to learn about your options and find the perfect furnace for your home is to contact Novak Heating, Air, and Duct Cleaning to schedule a consultation. We can provide you with a quote for installation and answer any questions you may have about furnaces and even air conditioners.

Whole home dehumidifiers are extremely helpful for managing airborne moisture and creating a comfortable living space. Should you leave a dehumidifier on all the time, or run it sparingly? Novak Heating and Cooling explains the signs you need a dehumidifier, how often to run a dehumidifier, and when to turn it off for the season.

Signs You Need a Whole Home Dehumidifier

High indoor humidity levels can lead to a number of problems inside your home. If you’re constantly dealing with these issues, it is time to install a whole home dehumidifier. Here are some signs that indicate you need one:

• You can see condensation on your windows.
• Your walls or ceiling are discolored.
• You notice a musty smell when you walk into your home.
• You experience more allergy symptoms inside the home.
• You have mold or mildew growing on surfaces.
• Your woodwork and wood furnishings are warping.

If any of these sounds familiar, don’t hesitate to give us a call. The team at Novak will be happy to help you choose the right dehumidifier for your home and get it installed quickly and easily.

Should You Run a Dehumidifier All the Time?

Maintaining the relative humidity level in your home is important for both your health and the condition of your house. Excess moisture can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can cause respiratory problems. On the other hand, not enough moisture can cause dry skin, sore throats, and static electricity.

Whole house dehumidifiers are installed as part of a home’s HVAC system, and they can be used in conjunction with your air conditioner or furnace. Dehumidifiers work by drawing in moist air and passing it over a series of coils. As the air passes over the coils, the moisture is condensed and collected in a container or water tank. The dry, filtered air is then pushed through the HVAC system for conditioning and then into the rooms of your home.

Should you keep your dehumidifier running all the time? In order to achieve the ideal indoor relative humidity levels of 35 to 50 percent, it is recommended that you run a dehumidifier for 12 hours a day. A humidistat will help to ensure that the unit doesn’t overly dehumidify your home, and it will also keep the unit running as necessary throughout the day to maintain the desired humidity level.

When to Turn Off the Dehumidifier

Many homeowners use dehumidifiers to help manage indoor moisture levels, particularly during the warmer months of the year. However, it’s important to know when to turn the unit off. Once temperatures drop to around 65 degrees, it’s best to turn the dehumidifier off. Doing so will help prevent moisture from freezing on the dehumidifier’s coils, which could damage your unit.

While you may not need to run your dehumidifier during the colder months, it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on the relative humidity in your home. Excess moisture can lead to mold and mildew growth, so be sure to ventilate any bathrooms and kitchens well. Mold and mildew growth are common causes of poor indoor air quality. If you discover moisture problems during the winter, your dehumidifier can be used when needed to help eliminate excess humidity.

Whole Home Dehumidifier Installation in Cedar Rapids, IA

Whole home dehumidifier installation can help improve your indoor air quality and protect your home from moisture damage. It’s important for homeowners to know how to properly operate their whole house dehumidifiers.

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of high humidity, it’s time to call in the professionals. Novak Heating and Cooling serves Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Robins, and North Liberty, Iowa, and will provide you with a quote for installing a whole home dehumidifier in your home so you can start enjoying the benefits of better indoor air quality today.

Fall is officially here, and with it comes the need for fall maintenance on your home. One task you don’t want to forget is your heat pump fall maintenance! Here are a few tips on when to schedule your routine heat pump maintenance and why this service needs to be performed. Schedule maintenance now for your heat pump to make sure it is in good condition before winter hits!

Why Do Heat Pumps Need Service in the Fall?

While the outdoor unit of your heat pump system may look like an air conditioner, it actually performs both heating and cooling functions. In the winter, it takes heat from the outdoor air and transfers it indoors. In the summer, it does the reverse, taking heat from your indoor air and releasing it outdoors.

Because it has to work year-round, a heat pump needs to be serviced twice per year, in the spring and fall. This helps to ensure that it is operating efficiently and effectively. While most homeowners can perform some basic maintenance tasks themselves, such as changing the air filter, it is important to have a professional technician perform a complete inspection and preventive maintenance on the heat pump two times per year. By taking care of your heat pump, you can help it last for many years to come and maintain your system’s energy efficiency.

When to Schedule Heat Pump Fall Maintenance

As the weather starts to cool down, it’s important to think about maintaining your heat pump. While it’s tempting to wait until the end of fall to schedule your routine maintenance service, there are actually several good reasons to do it earlier in the season.

When the weather conditions are milder in early fall, it is easier and less disruptive to service your heat pump. Additionally, servicing your heat pump at this time of year ensures that it will be in good working condition when you need it most – once that first chilly day arrives. Schedule heat pump maintenance early in the early fall gives you a chance to get ahead of any potential repairs that might be needed. By taking care of heating and cooling systems maintenance early, you can help ensure that your heat pump will be ready to keep you comfortable all winter long.

A heat pump is a vital part of your home comfort system, so it’s important to keep it running smoothly. Some benefits of heat pump maintenance include improved efficiency, extended equipment life, and increased comfort. By scheduling a heat pump maintenance visit early in the fall, you can help ensure that your heat pump is running at peak performance. This will not only save you money on your energy bills, but it will also keep your home more comfortable. So don’t wait – contact our team today to schedule fall maintenance for your heat pump.

Schedule Heat Pump Fall Maintenance Today

The HVAC system for your home is a big investment, so it’s important to do what you can to keep your system running as efficiently as possible. That’s why we recommend scheduling heat pump fall maintenance with an experienced HVAC technician from Novak early in the fall – before the weather starts to get too cold. We can help you make sure everything is in good working order before you need it most and ensure that your family stays comfortable all winter long. Contact us today to schedule maintenance for your heat pump!

Many homeowners do not realize that heating and cooling systems require regular maintenance. They don’t think it is necessary and don’t want to spend money on it. But, in the long run, regularly getting your furnace serviced will save you money.

Think of your furnace like a car- you need to take care of your car in order to keep it running. If you let your furnace go unattended for too long, it could lead to a damaged furnace or even a broken down system. Which leaves you with a cold home and a pricey repair. Avoid the trouble of a broken down or damaged furnace. Call Novak Heating, Air, and Duct Cleaning to service your furnace and make sure it’s in its best condition.

Benefits of Furnace Maintenance

Aside from just keeping your furnace running, there are many benefits to getting your furnace regularly maintained.

• Keeps your heating system running efficiently
• Ensures safety of home and family
• Fewer breakdowns and repairs
• Lower utility bills
• Extended lifespan

Consequences if You Neglect Furnace Maintenance

There are some serious risks if you continue to neglect your furnace by not getting it professionally serviced.

Monitoring for Leaks

Every furnace has a heat exchanger that removes poisonous gasses from your home. When the temperature in the furnace changes, the heat exchanger expands and contracts. Over time, this can cause cracks to appear in the heat exchanger, allowing carbon monoxide to escape into your household. If you don’t have your furnace inspected at least once a year, these cracks can go unnoticed and you could be faced with a very dangerous situation.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

It does not take long for your air filter to become clogged with dust, debris, and mold. If the air filter can no longer keep particles out, your furnace and air ducts will become coated with these particles and begin circulating throughout your home. It is critical to get your furnace serviced in the fall because more dust will circulate right after you turn your heater on.

Repairs and Breakdowns are More Likely

Furnace breakdowns can also be caused by not regularly getting your furnace serviced. With the proper care and maintenance, most furnaces are designed to last 15 to 20 years. If they are neglected of the proper care and maintenance, there will be increased wear and tear and dirty and rusty parts can cause them to fail long before their expected life span. This can lead to major unnecessary repairs and expenses.

What Can You Expect From a Furnace Service Appointment?

When you choose to set up a furnace maintenance appointment, Novak will show up on time, and work efficiently to make sure your furnace is restored to peak performance. A thorough inspection is conducted to detect any damages or anything that could lead to damages and make sure your furnace is in tip-top shape. During your furnace maintenance appointment, our experienced HVAC technicians will:

• Clean and calibrate the thermostat
• Lubricate the moving parts
• Clean and adjust burners and controls
• Check for leaks in the heat exchanger
• Clean and adjust the pilot assembly
• Vacuum the furnace interior
• Check belts and adjust the tension
• Clean and adjust the fan control
• Inspect or replace your air filter if needed
• Check carbon monoxide levels when your furnace is running

Contact Novak Today for Furnace Tune-Up Service!

Skip out on all of the extra repairs and costs of severely damaged or broken down furnaces and contact Novak Heating & Cooling once a year, especially in the fall. Avoid all of the major consequences that will happen to you and your furnace if you don’t.

Many people worry about the quality of the air outside, but unfortunately, there’s not much the average person can do to stop polluting factories or improve air quality outside. As a result, people spend more time indoors to stay away from the outdoor air pollutants, but indoor air can be much worse than outdoor air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, common organic indoor air quality pollutants can be 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor air. However, as a homeowner, you can actually work to improve the air quality in your home.

Air purifiers are a tool that can be used to sanitize the air in your home ridding it of common indoor air pollutants that can make you sick. If you have allergies and a respiratory illness like asthma, an air purifier could make your home a much more comfortable place. The team at Novak Heating, Air & Duct Cleaning explains how air purifying works, so you can determine if an air purifier is really worth it for your home.

How Do Air Purifiers Work?

There are a few kinds of air purifiers on the market. Be careful when shopping for an air purifier, as some can emit ozone which is an indoor air pollutant and could be harmful to your health.

Many air purifiers use ultraviolet (UV) light to sanitize the air. UV light breaks down the molecular particles in common pathogens to prevent them from circulating through your indoor air anymore.

Novak offers the iWave air purifier, which does not use UV light. Instead, it uses a filter that creates bi-polar ionization to create equal parts of positive and negative ions. This breaks down pathogens into healthier particles like oxygen and water by removing hydrogen molecules. Without these molecules, pathogens like mold and bacteria will have no energy and then die. Ions band small particles like dust and pollen together so they become big enough to be trapped in a filter.

Air purifiers are low maintenance and easy to use. Your HVAC technician will inspect your air purification system during your annual maintenance appointment. The iWave is also unique in that it cleans itself and does not require any replacement parts.

Common Indoor Air Pollutants

Even if you are sure that your home is spotless because you clean it every single day, there are still indoor air pollutants circulating in the air. Common pollutants include:

• Pollen
• Pet dander
• Pesticides
• Viruses, mold, bacteria
• Aerosols and cleaning products
• Furniture and cabinetry contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Smoke and cooking odors
• Building materials and paints

Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollutants

Some pollutants enter your home whenever you open a door or window, others sneak in from cracks in the walls of your house. Most are products and things you’ve purchased. Mold and mildew tend to grow in damp, windowless rooms, like bathrooms and kitchens. Your garage probably contains paint and gasoline cans that pollute your indoor air. If you tried to rid your home of all the air pollutants, you’d end up with a home void of furniture and cleaning materials.

Although it might seem like you’re bringing in more pollutants, a good thing to do is to cycle the air through your home by opening windows and doors. Ventilation is key to removing indoor air pollutants, however, it’s not always possible in extremely cold or hot weather. That’s why an air purification system is worth it because it provides an additional tool to create clean air in your home and remove toxins and pathogens from the air without needing to ventilate your home on a regular basis.

Whole House Air Purifiers vs Room Air Purifiers

Many people think of air purifiers as one freestanding appliance, these machines only can help a small area of your home, like an individual room. While you might want to invest in one of these machines for your newborn child’s room or a particularly messy room, these appliances tend to need frequent filter changes and don’t have a long lifespan.

A whole house air purification system is installed directly into your HVAC system. They require little to no maintenance and provide clean air for your entire home, not just one room. Many people who have a whole house air purifier installed love the quality of their indoor air. They find it helps make the air more breathable, especially if they have allergies or asthma.

Call Novak For Whole House Air Purifier Installation

If you want to start breathing cleaner air in your home, talk to Novak about your home’s indoor air quality. We can perform an indoor air quality assessment and talk to you about your home’s air issues and common pollutants. We’ll recommend the best equipment to noticeably improve your home’s indoor air quality. Schedule an appointment with Novak today.

Air duct cleaning is a professional service that removes dust and debris from deep within your home’s duct system. There are many benefits to this service, but homeowners often wonder what happens during an air duct cleaning appointment. Novak Heating and Cooling explain the professional duct cleaning process as well as the benefits it provides your household.

What Happens During Duct Cleaning Service?

What happens during duct cleaning service isn’t a mystery, but the process may be a little different than you imagine. When you set an appointment to have your air ducts professionally cleaned, expect the service to last a few hours. The larger a home, the more time it will take to clean all the ducts and vents throughout the residence. All you need to do to prepare for your air duct cleaning appointment is to make sure your duct cleaning team has easy access to the supply and return vents throughout your home.

When your duct cleaning team arrives, they will first inspect your home’s entire ductwork system. These professionals will examine the access points and look into the duct system to assess the condition and determine what happens during duct cleaning, as far as which cleaning methods are used. Camera inspection equipment may be used to look deep into the air duct system and visualize those inaccessible areas. Any damage or leaks can be fixed at this time so the air ducts shouldn’t be filled by outside sources like rodents or insects anymore.

Air duct cleaning isn’t a job anyone can do, you need professional equipment. A vacuum system and collection unit are used to trap debris from the ducts and remove them from your home’s HVAC system without causing a mess. The duct system is placed under negative pressure to prevent debris from blowing out into your living areas.

Brushes and other professional tools are used to reach into the ducts and loosen debris from the interior duct walls. Ducts and vents on both the supply and return sides of the system are cleaned and debris is vacuumed out. Compressed air may also be used to remove particles from inside the ducts.

Once the inside of the ducts are complete, the vacuum system is detached and removed from your home. Vent covers are cleaned and the HVAC system is inspected for proper operation.

Benefits of Professional Duct Cleaning

A duct cleaning visit from a professional HVAC company like Novak offers many benefits for homeowners in the Cedar Rapids area. Key benefits of professional duct cleaning service include:

• Improve indoor air quality, by removing particle pollutants that can recirculate in the home’s air.
• Increased energy savings, due to the removal of debris that can accumulate and stress HVAC system components, causing them to consume more energy. You may even notice lower energy bills following your air duct cleaning appointment.
• Protection for your HVAC equipment, as potentially harmful debris is kept out of the equipment’s interiors when you have your air ducts cleaned. This debris can increase wear and tear and increase your HVAC system’s energy consumption.
• Cleaner living areas, as duct debris are completely removed and no longer able to recirculate back into your rooms where dirt and dust buildup can come to rest on surfaces, causing them to appear dirty.

Schedule Duct Cleaning in Cedar Rapids

Now that you are aware of what happens during duct cleaning service, take time to schedule an appointment for your Cedar Rapids area home. Contact Novak Heating and Cooling today and request duct cleaning service from our skilled team.

During the hot and humid summer months in Iowa, the last thing you want is for your heat pump to stop working. When you notice that your heat pump isn’t cooling your home like it usually would, one of the first things you should do is to inspect your outdoor unit. If you find that your unit is covered with frost, you might be confused. Why is it so hot, but my heat pump looks like an ice cube?

Novak Heating, Cooling, and Air Duct Cleaning has the answers as to why you have a frozen heat pump in the summer and what you can do to fix it. Usually when your heat pump is freezing, it means that something is not working properly. Sometimes defrosting your heat pump will solve the problem, but other times you may need to call a professional HVAC company for help.

Common Causes For Your Heat Pump To Freeze In The Summer

Even if it’s hot outside, it’s not uncommon for your heat pump to have ice build-up. There are many common causes for frozen heat pumps, but these are the most common.

Insufficient Air Flow

Take a look at your outdoor unit and make sure that there is nothing blocking it and cut back any weeds or grass growing too close to it. Debris and grass clippings can clog up your heat pump system can prevent air from flowing through the unit.

But more often than not, poor airflow issues are caused by dirty air filters. Your air filter should be changed every 90 days to maintain good air quality in your home. If you’ve noticed that you have a frozen heat pump, you could have a clogged air filter. Try changing your air filter to see if that helps prevent ice accumulation.

Dirty Evaporator Coil

Your heat pump works by using refrigerant to transfer heat out of your home in the summer months. If this coil becomes dirty it can impact the ability to cool your home. Every year, schedule your heat pump tune up with the team at Novak. We’ll clean your HVAC system to make sure its ready for spring, and that includes your heat pump’s evaporator coil. Scheduling this annual maintenance appointment will help prevent heat pump freezes from happening in order to prevent any unnecessary heat pump repair.

Low Refrigerant Levels

Refrigerant is a chemical that turns hot air into a liquid in order to transfer it out of your home. It should only be handled by a heating and cooling professional. Refrigerant is not like oil in your car, it does not need to be replaced or refilled regularly, unless there is a leak somewhere in your system. If you notice pools of liquid outside your outside unit when its frozen, its might not be melted water. Call Novak for heat pump repairs.

What To Do If Your Heat Pump Freezes?

If you’ve changed your air filter and your heat pump is still frozen, there are a few things you can do to try to thaw it out.

• Shut off the heat pump: The refrigerant is what is causing your heat pump to accumulate ice. Shut off the heat pump and see if the warm temperatures help to melt the ice.
• Turn on the fan: You can speed the process along by turning on the fan on the heat pump without it cooling your home. Check your thermostat to turn the fan on, and make sure the temperature is not set to cool.
• Use Defrost Cycle: It’s not uncommon for heat pumps to gain ice on them during the cold months, and that’s why they have a defrost mode. You can also use the defrost mode to help melt the ice on your heat pump in the summer too.
• Call an HVAC Company: If you’ve done all of these steps, and the ice hasn’t melted off in a few hours, or if the ice melts, but then reforms once you set your heat pump to cool again, then it’s time for some professional help. Contact the team at Novak to take a look at your heat pump to see what the problem is.

Call Novak To Fix Your Frozen Heat Pump

The heating and cooling professionals at Novak are experts at fixing heat pumps. Heat pump issues don’t just go away on their own, and ignoring them for too long can make issues worse. Novak offers 24 hours emergency service, so you aren’t without cool air on the hottest summer days. Call Novak today for help.

The outside unit or condenser is the biggest part of the air conditioning system. In this equipment cabinet are the compressor, condenser coils, and condenser fan. What should you do if you find the AC outside fan not working? Novak Heating, Air, and Duct Cleaning shares common malfunctions that can cause your outdoor fan to fail, how to check it, and when to call for air conditioning repairs to fix it.

How to Tell If Your AC Fan Isn’t Working

You may suspect you have an outside AC fan that is not working if your cooling system isn’t keeping your home comfortable. To figure out whether this component is the issue or not, listen to your condenser unit as it runs and peer through the top grate of the outdoor unit to monitor the fan.

You may notice that the fan doesn’t run but the compressor does. Or, the fan and compressor both fail to start. The fan could be operational, yet slow to start. Each of these circumstances indicates a problem with your AC unit not working correctly.

Causes of Outdoor AC Fan Failure

If you find your outside AC fan not spinning as it should, these are the most likely reasons behind it.

1. Motor Malfunctions

The fan in your outdoor unit connects to a condenser fan motor which turns the blades. Because the motor has to endure a lot of vibrations and heat, bearings inside the AC fan motor wear down as time goes on, especially if the unit is not properly maintained. AC fan motors that are malfunctioning result in poor system performance and fans that either doesn’t run at all or work very slowly, often with a burning smell. You need to call your HVAC company to come to inspect the air conditioning unit and make repairs.

2. Belt Problems

If your condenser unit is older, it may very well have a fan belt that links the fan to the motor. Belts are designed to slip on and off of their pulleys with ease, which makes them susceptible to depreciation over time. A loose belt can easily slip out of position, which means the components are no longer connected which can make your AC unit fan stop spinning. This often happens due to wear and tear affecting the belt.

Belt issues are usually a DIY fix. Turn off power to the unit at the circuit breaker, remove the top grate and fan components to access the belt and pulleys, and slide the belt back around the pulleys. The mere presence of a belt drive in your condensing unit means the system is old, and it’s time to think about upgrading your air conditioner. Newer versions of air conditioner units do not use belts; instead, they use direct drive components to automatically connect the fan and motor.

3. Bad Contactor

The outdoor condensing unit holds the compressor and fan motor, which both receive power from the contactor. The contactor is an electrical switch and it can go bad with age. If the contactor fails, the fan motor won’t receive any electricity and you’ll notice the outside AC fan not spinning.

In the case of a faulty contactor, it will need to be replaced. Contact your HVAC technician to replace the contactor and this will restore power to the air conditioning unit and start the fan spinning again.

4. Faulty Capacitor

The capacitor’s job is to store power used to operate the fan motor in the condenser unit. Occasionally, these components fail which prevents the fan motor from receiving proper power as the system runs. Have your HVAC technician replace the capacitor and this fix should correct the outside AC fan not working.

Call Novak for AC Repairs in Cedar Rapids

If you notice your outside AC fan not working, it’s important to solve the issue right away or you may be stuck without cool air in your home. Call Novak Heating, Air, and Duct Cleaning to schedule air conditioner repairs in Cedar Rapids.