Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling FAQs

Running out of hot water quickly can be due to several reasons, such as a water heater that’s too small for your household’s needs, sediment build-up in the tank reducing efficiency, or malfunctioning components like heating elements.

Regular maintenance can help prevent these issues.

For a clogged drain, start with simple solutions like using a plunger or a mixture of hot water, baking soda, and vinegar to break up the clog. Avoid chemical drain cleaners, as they can damage your pipes.

If these methods don’t work, it may be time to call a professional plumber in Wake Forest, NC, like Air Works Heating & Air.

A constantly running toilet is often due to a faulty flapper valve, which you can easily replace. Check the fill tube length and adjust the float to ensure the correct water level. If these fixes don’t work, it might be a more complex issue that needs professional repair.

Hard water contains high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Due to this, it can cause buildup in pipes and appliances that reduces efficiency.

On the other hand, soft water undergoes a treatment that removes these minerals. This also means that it’s gentler on your home’s plumbing system.

Low water pressure can result from clogged pipes, leaks, or problems with the municipal water supply.

Check if the low pressure is only in one area or throughout your home. Cleaning aerators or showerheads may help, but it’s best to consult a professional to diagnose and fix the underlying cause.

When your air conditioner or furnace malfunctions, there are steps you can take on your own before calling in a professional. Our technicians recommend:

• Check your thermostat to make sure it is on.
• Check to see if the light at the front of the furnace is green. If it is, continue to troubleshoot. If it’s red, then you need to call for repairs. Check to see if a circuit breaker was tripped.
• Inspect the filter and see if it needs to be changed.
• Make sure the furnace door is closed.
• Ensure the vents are free of leaves and other debris.
• If your air conditioner is acting up, check the condenser to see if it’s running.

If your unit is still not working after trying these steps, then call our pros at Air Works Heating & Air for appointments in Wake Forest.

Have you seen SEER ratings on air conditioners and wonder what these mean, or why they matter? Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is the ratio of cooling output of an AC over a typical cooling season, divided by the energy it uses in Watt-Hours. The minimum SEER for air conditioners is 13, but most modern units range from 13 to 21. The efficiency of your system can vary based on the size of your home or building, your ductwork, and other issues.

Ductless systems are energy-efficient alternatives to forced-air cooling systems. If you’re wondering if this unit is right for your property, consider the following:

• Your home doesn’t have a central HVAC system or ductwork installed.
• You want to heat or cool an area that’s not connected to your central system, like the garage.
• You want to install a system that doesn’t use ductwork.
• You want to control the temperature in specific areas of your home.
• You live in an area that doesn’t experience extreme hot or cold temperatures.

Determining when to replace your air conditioner can be a difficult decision. Fortunately, our technicians have some symptoms you can watch for that can indicate if it’s time for an AC replacement. Some of these can include the age of your unit (if it’s older than 15 years old), if it’s losing efficiency, and if it can properly cool your house or building to the desired temperature. You should also determine how many repairs your unit needs. If it needs several repairs or a costly fix, it can be more cost-effective to replace the unit with a newer model.

When buying a new air conditioner or furnace, one of the first things you need to determine is what size unit you need to properly heat or cool your property.

Some of the criteria our technicians use are the square footage of your property, the climate, the number of windows in your home or building, the quality of your insulation, the number of people living in the property, and other specific factors to your home or office.

If your air conditioner isn’t cooling your house to the temperature setting on your thermostat, it can signal several different potential issues, including needing more refrigerant. Schedule an appointment with our AC experts so they can investigate the problem and resolve it.