When the heat shuts off or cool air stops flowing, you can be left with a home that’s less than comfortable and an inopportune problem on your hands. Fortunately, JDL HVAC is here for speedy repairs on both heating and cooling systems, as well as ventilation systems. We work with furnaces, boilers, and air conditioner units of all makes and models, so you’ll only need to keep one number around when your HVAC falters: ours.

Give us a call if you need to have your heating or cooling system fixed — we’d be happy to take a look. JDL HVAC proudly provides service locally throughout Odenton, Laurel, Severna Park and the surrounding area — take a look at our full service area here in Maryland. Find out for yourself why JDL is the area’s Top Rated Local® HVAC specialist! You can also continue reading to learn more about common heating and cooling problems that we encounter.

Common Heating Problems

From a failed blower fan to a pilot light that’s gone out, we can pinpoint the problem at hand, and get to work providing you with the repairs you need to turn the heat back on. As we mentioned, we work with furnaces as well as boilers, and we provide service for all brands. Plus, if it’s time to replace your unit (instead of repairing it), we can do that too. Below, we’ve listed a few common heating problems that homeowners experience, so that you may be able to troubleshoot your current situation.

Furnace Issues

  • Pilot light failure: If you have a gas furnace it is outfitted with either a pilot light or an automatic ignition. If you have a pilot light, it should remain lit throughout the season, ensuring that the burners have a flame source when your thermostat triggers the gas to turn on at the furnace. If your pilot light goes out, you may simply need to reignite it — be sure to let any airborne gas clear out of the room, and then follow the directions in the owner’s manual or on the furnace itself. If you can’t ignite your pilot light on your own, then you may have a pilot line that is gunked up, or you may have another issue along the gas line — we’d be happy to take a look to locate the problem.
  • Ignition failure: Automatic ignition systems are designed to create a small electrical arc near the furnace burner which serves as an ignition source to create a flame once the gas is on. However, these systems are liable to fail if there is an electrical issue, or if any of the failsafes integrated into the system have been triggered. Count on JDL HVAC to fix or replace your automatic ignition.
  • Blower fan failure: The blower fan pulls fresh air from the outdoors through your heating system, pushing it through the ducts of your home. If your blower fan isn’t working, then your home will be cold, yet your furnace will work overtime (since the thermostat will remain on), and it may overheat, triggering a failsafe. If you don’t feel heat coming from your vents, and you can’t hear the fan running when the furnace clicks on, then your fan may have failed. We can suss out the source of the issue, whether it’s an electrical failure, or the motor itself is burnt out.
  • Erratic temperature fluctuations: Erratic fluctuations in the temperature of your home may be an indication of a variety of issues. You may have a poorly calibrated thermostat. You might have burners that are gunked up. Or, as we mentioned, your blower fan may be cutting out — among other problems. We’ll pinpoint the problem at hand.
  • Poor heat: Similarly, you may have poor heat production out of your furnace, which may be caused by any number of problems. You may have a dirty air filter, your burner may be gunked up, or you may have issues with your ventilation system. Count on us to find the source of the issue.
  • Complete furnace failure: Like any other appliance, furnaces eventually fail. If you have a furnace that is between 15 and 40 years old, then your furnace may be at the end of its service life. Eventually, your energy bills will raise, you’ll have frequent repairs, and you may hear strange noises coming from your furnace — all of which are indications that your furnace is nearing complete failure. We can replace your furnace with a new unit, and we’d be happy to recommend a unit that is well suited to the demands of your house.

Boiler Issues

  • Lack of pressure: Boiler systems rely on a pressurized system to keep water flowing through the radiators. If you have a loss of pressure, your boiler and radiators may make strange noises, and you may have little to no heat flowing through the system. Turn off your boiler at the thermostat and reach out to your HVAC technician here at JDL to keep your boiler from causing further damage.
  • Leaky radiators, boiler, or pipes: A leak will lead to a loss of pressure, which can cause further problems for your boiler and radiator system. Again, shut off the boiler at the thermostat if you notice a leak. We can replace pipes, radiators, and even the boiler tank itself, if you’re experiencing leaks.
  • Lack of heat: A lack of heat is an indication that hot water isn’t reaching the radiators. You may have a leak, you may have a blockage in the pipes, or your boiler burners may be inoperable. We can assess the situation to find the problem at hand.
  • Kettling: Kettling is a serious issue that can occur when your boiler no longer circulates water throughout the radiator system. When this happens, your boiler can overheat and store steam, which can lead to a whistling sound (thus the term, “kettling”). If you hear whistling from your boiler, shut it off and call your HVAC expert.
  • Strange noises: Your boiler shouldn’t make much noise when it runs. It will make a slight whoosh noise as the burners ignite, and you may hear a bit of crackling and popping. Aside from that, you shouldn’t hear bubbling, clunking or other noises. If you hear loud noises from your boiler, you should have it checked.

Common AC Problems

When summer is at its height, your AC will click on several times per day — that is, until it doesn’t click on at all. If your air conditioner should break, or if it’s losing its efficiency, then you can count on the HVAC experts here at JDL HVAC to ensure that it’s operational once again. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common AC issues that folks experience, so that you may better understand the repairs that may be necessary — don’t hesitate to reach out to us if your AC isn’t working as it should.

  • Frozen evaporator coil: Your AC unit is equipped with an evaporator coil which saps heat from the air as the coolant evaporates inside the coil. This cooled air may then be pumped through the vents of your home. However, if your AC is constantly running, your evaporator coil may freeze over, which can damage the compressor. If you’ve noticed that your AC unit isn’t performing as it should, or you can observe frost and ice on your coil, then it should be serviced to ensure that it doesn’t work overtime — which can cause further problems.
  • Blower fan failure: If your blower fan is slow or inoperable, then cold air won’t reach the interior spaces of your home. We can fix or replace a blower fan that isn’t working as it should, so that your precious cool air moves through your home’s ducts as it should.
  • Erratic temperature fluctuations: Ideally, your AC system will keep your home temperature within a set range. If you have issues with erratic temperatures, then your AC system isn’t doing its job. You may have a thermostat issue, your fan may be inoperable, or your evaporator coil may be frozen over — among other problems.
  • Poor cooling: If your AC unit isn’t efficiently cooling your home (you may notice higher energy bills as well as little cool air from your vents), then you may have fan, coil, or even duct issues. We can pinpoint the problem at hand.
  • Complete AC failure or compressor failure: If your AC unit is at the end of its service life, it may fail entirely. Be wary that AC units tend to fail between 15 and 25 years of use. Your compressor (or condensor) may fail to condense evaporated coolant, which will bring the system to a halt. If you have a failed compressor, then it’s time to replace the whole unit, since compressor replacements are just as costly as a whole unit upgrade. You can count on JDL HVAC for a complete replacement, and we’ll haul away your old unit.

Other HVAC Problems

  • Thermostat and electrical issues: Your thermostat may be poorly calibrated, it may be placed in a bad position in your home, or you may have electrical issues which are keeping your AC or heating unit from coming on. If you suspect that you have thermostat or electrical issues, we’d be happy to take a look.
  • Duct inefficiency: Your ducts are liable to be inefficient, or they can get blocked over time. If air is leaking out of your ducts into the void spaces of your home (between walls and between the floors and ceilings), then it may be impossible to keep your home comfortable. We can inspect your ducts and ensure that they are intact, clear, and clean.

Reliable Repairs Are a Call Away

What sets us apart from other local HVAC specialists? We go above and beyond to provide all of the following perks and benefits for our clients:

  • Honest and reliable service
  • Same-day service
  • Professional, courteous, and clean technicians (shoe covers are worn upon entry of the home)
  • Respect for your home
  • Proper diagnostic equipment
  • Quality repair work
  • Exceptional customer service
  • Flat rate pricing
  • Discounts for senior citizens, law enforcement, and military
  • Recommendation on how to prevent breakdowns in the future

If you need a repair today, we’re just a call away. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, we’ll swing by to assess your HVAC system and provide you with a swift repair as soon as possible, so that your castle is comfortable once again. JDL HVAC proudly provides service locally throughout Odenton, Laurel, Severna Park and the surrounding area — call us to get started!