From Installation Faux Pas To DIY Hijinks, Here Are Some HVACs Having A Rough Go Of It

A heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make in your home – but sometimes that investment comes back to bite you. Whether through normal circumstances, poor installation or attempted DIY solutions that just don’t work out, HVACs can have crazy misadventures, too. 

Here we’ve collected some of the wackiest stories we’ve heard, both to entertain you and to remind you it’s always a good idea to have Comfort First Heating & Cooling come out to check over your system so you don’t wind up on next year’s list.

1) Aw, Rats…

There’s having an HVAC system that’s not properly sealed up – then there’s having one that is wide open for business with a flashing “VACANCY” sign on top. One person found they had the latter when their AC stopped working correctly and they discovered a family of rats had built an entire nest inside their outdoor unit. Between chewing up wiring, damaging filters and maybe worse, it’s easy to see why they were having issues. 

It also reinforces how important it is to make sure that your outdoor unit is installed correctly – any place where it goes into your home has the potential for allowing unwanted visitors.

2) Well, There’s Your Problem…

After some renovations to their home, including some new carpeting, one individual couldn’t figure out why suddenly his heater was keeping his entire home warm – except the living room. Technicians couldn’t find any issue with the unit itself, and there seemed to be proper ductwork that would carry heat to that room. 

Then they discovered the issue – the new carpet had been installed over top of the living room’s floor register. It might have created a nice warm spot for pets to sleep, but it was doing nothing to help the ambient temperature in the room.

3) Round & Round It Goes

Speaking of heat registers, one home had one installed in the most unfortunate place – right next to the furnace’s cold air return. What does that mean? You guessed it – the warm air was being blown into the room – then almost immediately sucked back in to the very furnace that warmed it in the first place. 

This self-defeating cycle not only wouldn’t keep the room heated, but it’ll cause monthly power bills to overheat as the furnace continually runs. It’s like a real estate agent will tell you – location, location, location!

4) What Exactly Is That Filtering?

One individual couldn’t help but notice that the air coming from their air conditioner always seemed to be dusty and dirty. When calling in an HVAC technician, one of the first questions asked was if they had recently changed their air filter. The homeowner insisted that he had just a couple of weeks before. 

When the technician arrived to check things out, they pulled the filter and discovered the issue. While the homeowner had definitely changed the filter, the one he’d installed was completely missing the filter material – it was just the cardboard “frame” of a filter and nothing else. On the bright side, the filter itself would have never gotten dirty.

5) What’s In A Name?

Having your ducts properly sealed is an excellent step to help keep energy costs down and to keep your indoor air clean. However, it’s important to do the job right – and just because something is called “duct tape” doesn’t mean it’s the right tool for the job. 

One homeowner decided to attempt a DIY solution to duct sealing by covering every square inch of his duct work in duct tape. You hate to think of how many rolls they went through. While it may have looked good and sealed, duct tape is no substitute for a proper sealing, even if the Mythbusters have proven it can do pretty much everything else.

Leave It To The Professionals

Though some of these stories were clearly the result of one installer or another cutting corners or just not paying attention, it’s still important to have someone you can trust take care of your HVAC system so it’s ready for the long haul. With our comprehensive maintenance agreements, Comfort First Heating & Cooling will keep an eye on your system so you never find yourself on one of these lists. If you’ve got any questions, call us at 800-279-4822 today!