Frequently Asked Questions

Most residential AC systems need professional service once a year, ideally in spring before the Central Texas cooling season kicks in. Annual AC maintenance keeps your system running efficiently, helps prevent mid-summer breakdowns, and keeps manufacturer warranties valid. A typical visit includes coil cleaning, refrigerant checks, and electrical component testing.

The most common causes are a clogged air filter, a tripped breaker, low refrigerant from a leak, or a frozen evaporator coil. Try replacing the filter and making sure vents are open and unblocked. If cool air doesn’t return, turn the system off and schedule professional AC repair to prevent further damage.

With Austin summers working systems hard, a well-maintained central AC typically lasts 12–15 years. Annual service and regular filter changes push lifespan toward the upper end. If your system is over a decade old and needs frequent repairs, it’s worth a professional evaluation to weigh repair versus replacement.

Standard 1-inch filters should be replaced every 30–90 days — homes with pets or allergy sufferers often need monthly changes. Thicker 4–5 inch media filters can last several months. Clean filters improve airflow, protect your equipment, and support better indoor air quality.

A musty odor usually points to mold or mildew in the system or ductwork. A burning smell can indicate an electrical issue that needs prompt attention, and a rotten-egg smell may signal a gas leak — leave the house and call your utility right away. Any persistent odor is worth a professional inspection.

Full wrap covers aren’t recommended — they trap moisture, invite pests, and promote rust. AC units are built to handle the elements year-round, especially through mild Central Texas winters. If you’d like protection from falling debris, use a breathable cover that shields only the top, and remove it completely before running the system.

Short-cycling is usually caused by an oversized system, a dirty filter, a refrigerant problem, or a thermostat located in direct sunlight or near a heat source. It accelerates wear and drives up energy bills. A professional diagnosis will identify the underlying cause so it can be corrected.

Furnaces and heat pumps should be professionally serviced once a year, ideally in fall before the first cold snap. Annual furnace maintenance keeps the system safe and efficient and catches small issues before they become breakdowns. Gas furnace visits include a critical heat exchanger safety inspection.

The most common culprits are a thermostat fan set to “ON” instead of “AUTO,” a clogged filter, or an ignition or pilot light problem. Switch the fan to AUTO and replace a dirty filter first. If the problem persists, schedule professional furnace repair.

A brief burning or dusty smell at the first seasonal startup is normal — it’s dust burning off the heat exchanger and should fade within a few hours. A strong, lingering, or plastic/electrical smell is not normal and warrants immediate professional inspection.

A furnace creates heat by burning gas or using electric elements, while a heat pump moves heat from the outdoor air into your home — and reverses in summer to cool it. Heat pumps work especially well in Central Texas’s mild winters, giving you heating and cooling from one system.

Gas furnaces typically last 15–20 years, and heat pumps 12–15 years with proper maintenance. Annual service and regular filter changes extend lifespan. If an aging system heats unevenly or needs frequent repairs, a professional furnace replacement evaluation will help you plan ahead.

Uneven heating usually traces back to blocked vents, leaky or undersized ductwork, poor insulation, or an incorrectly sized system. Check that furniture and rugs aren’t blocking vents or returns. If the problem persists, a technician can evaluate your ductwork and balance the airflow.

Confirm the thermostat is set to “Heat” with the target temperature above the current room temperature, then check that the furnace switch and circuit breaker are on. Replace a dirty filter — heavy clogging can trigger a safety shutdown. If it still won’t run, schedule professional furnace repair.

Twice a year: the cooling side in spring with AC maintenance, and the heating side in fall with furnace maintenance. Regular maintenance keeps efficiency up, extends equipment life, catches problems early, and preserves warranty coverage.

Most Austin households find a good balance of comfort and efficiency at 78°F in summer and 68°F in winter, then fine-tune from there. The closer your setting is to the outdoor temperature, the less your system has to work. Programmable and smart thermostats make it easy to ease off while you’re asleep or away.

Rising bills often trace back to the HVAC system: a clogged filter, leaky ductwork, low refrigerant, aging equipment, or longer runtimes during Texas heat waves. Start with a fresh filter — the most common and easiest fix. If bills stay high, a professional efficiency check and duct inspection can pinpoint the cause.

Start with regular filter changes, system and ductwork cleaning, and humidity management. Higher-rated filters, media air cleaners, and ventilation upgrades cut down on dust, odors, and allergens — including Austin’s notorious cedar pollen. Our team can recommend indoor air quality options matched to your home and any allergy or asthma concerns.

A well-maintained system lasts 12–15 years; gas furnaces can go longer. Rising energy use, frequent repairs, uneven temperatures, and a decade-plus age are signals it’s nearing end of life. A professional evaluation helps you plan replacement on your schedule instead of during an emergency breakdown — and financing options can make it easier.

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. In most homes it operates as one connected system — the furnace or air handler, the air conditioner or heat pump, the thermostat, and the ductwork all work together to move conditioned air through the house. Because everything shares ductwork, an issue in one area often shows up elsewhere.

Shut off the water immediately — at the fixture’s local valve or at your home’s main shut-off. Dry the area and move anything vulnerable to water damage. Once the water is secured, call us for professional leak diagnosis and repair.

In most Austin-area homes, the main shut-off is where the water line enters the house — often in the garage, near the water heater, or outside near the meter box at the street. It’s smart to locate and test yours before an emergency. Turning the valve clockwise shuts off water to the whole house.

Whole-house low pressure usually points to a failing pressure regulator, a hidden leak, mineral buildup in the pipes, or a municipal supply issue. If it’s just one fixture, a clogged aerator or cartridge is more likely. Professional testing can pinpoint the cause.

Watch for unexpectedly high water bills, the sound of running water when everything is off, damp spots or stains, and persistent musty smells. Check your water meter, avoid using water for an hour, and recheck — a changed reading indicates a leak. Slab leaks under the foundation require professional leak detection tools.

Traditional tank water heaters should be flushed once a year to remove sediment — especially important with Central Texas’s hard, mineral-heavy water. Buildup forces the heater to work harder, reduces hot water capacity, and shortens its lifespan. Tankless units benefit from annual descaling too. Our water heater services cover both.

Rapid hot water depletion usually comes from sediment buildup in the tank, a failing heating element or burner, or a broken dip tube. Austin’s hard water accelerates sediment problems. A tank flush may restore performance; if not, professional water heater repair — or replacement, for older units — is the next step.

Disposals handle soft food scraps best, with cold water running the whole time. Avoid grease and oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta, rice, and fibrous vegetables — all common clog causes. Never pour fats or oils down any drain; let them cool and toss them in the trash. If your disposal jams or your sink backs up, our plumbing team can help.

Slow drains usually mean a partial clog of hair, soap scum, grease, or food debris building up inside the pipe. A single slow drain often clears with stopper cleaning or a plunger. Multiple slow drains point to a deeper blockage that calls for professional drain cleaning.

Watch for multiple fixtures draining slowly or backing up at once, gurgling sounds when water runs, water pooling at floor drains, and sewage odors indoors. These point to a main sewer line blockage rather than a single-fixture clog. A camera inspection can confirm the problem before a messy backup happens.

We recommend avoiding them. Chemical cleaners corrode pipes over time, usually only partially clear the clog, and are hazardous to handle and store. A plunger or drain stopper cleaning handles many minor clogs; for stubborn blockages, professional drain cleaning is safer and more thorough.

Fit drains with screens to catch hair and food scraps, never pour grease or cooking oil down the sink, and run hot water after kitchen use. Flush only toilet paper — wipes, hygiene products, and paper towels don’t break down. Periodic professional drain cleaning keeps buildup from hardening into a blockage.

Recurring clogs signal a deeper issue: hardened grease and debris coating the pipe walls, venting problems, or tree roots invading the sewer line. When multiple fixtures clog repeatedly, the main line is usually the culprit. Professional hydro jetting scours pipe walls clean and breaks the cycle.

Odors come from food debris and buildup inside the pipe, or from a dried-out P-trap letting sewer gas drift back up — running water into rarely used drains refills the trap and often solves it. A lingering smell calls for professional cleaning, and widespread sewage odors may mean a sewer line issue that needs inspection.