Heating & Air questions from Spring and Houston homes.

The most common causes are a dirty filter or coil, a clogged condensate drain that tripped a safety switch, low refrigerant from a leak, or a failed capacitor or fan motor at the outdoor unit.

Check that the thermostat is set to Cool, replace the filter if it is dirty, and make sure the outdoor unit is running and its fan is spinning. If it is still blowing warm air, turn the system off so it does not freeze up or damage the compressor, and call for a diagnosis.

Ice usually means poor airflow (a dirty filter, closed vents or a dirty coil) or low refrigerant. Either way, turn the cooling off and run only the fan so it thaws.

Running a frozen system can damage the compressor. Once it has thawed, replace the filter. If it freezes again, you need a technician to check airflow and refrigerant charge.

Around 12 to 15 years is typical in Greater Houston, sometimes less. Our cooling season is long and attic equipment sits in extreme heat.

Regular maintenance, clean coils, good airflow and correctly sized equipment all push that number up. Neglect and oversized systems push it down.

Consider replacing when the system is past about 12 to 15 years old, needs a major repair like a compressor or coil, uses R-22, or has needed repeated repairs.

A useful rule of thumb is to multiply the repair cost by the system’s age. If that number approaches the cost of a new system, replacement usually makes more sense. We’ll give you both options honestly. As one customer put it, we “don’t try to force you to get things you don’t really need.”

Short cycling is when the system turns on and off every few minutes. Common causes are an oversized system, a dirty filter or coil, low refrigerant, a thermostat in a bad location, or an electrical fault.

It wastes energy, leaves humidity in the air and wears out the compressor, so have it checked rather than living with it.

On the hottest Houston afternoons a correctly sized system may run almost continuously. That alone is not a problem.

It becomes a problem if the house keeps getting warmer, the air from the vents isn’t cool (roughly 15–20°F below the room temperature), or your bills jump. Then it’s time for a diagnosis.

Yes, for many homes. Our winters are mild, which is where heat pumps are at their most efficient, and the same unit does all the cooling in summer.

Homes with natural gas often keep a gas furnace for heat. Some pair a heat pump with a gas furnace as a dual-fuel system. We’ll compare cost and comfort for your house.

Heat pump air feels warm, not hot, typically 90 to 100°F at the vents, so some coolness is normal. The unit also runs short defrost cycles on cold, damp days.

If the house can’t hold temperature, there’s ice building on the outdoor unit that doesn’t clear, or the emergency heat light is on, call for service.

Call for service, keep doors closed and gather the household in one room, and use safe, approved heaters only.

Never use a gas oven, stovetop, grill or generator indoors or in an attached garage for heat. They can produce deadly carbon monoxide. Keep space heaters away from anything that can burn, and never leave them running unattended.

Once a year, ideally in the fall before the first cold front.

A heating checkup looks at the burners, flame sensor, ignition, safety controls, venting and the heat exchanger, and it is a good time to test your carbon monoxide alarms.

A light, dusty burning smell for the first few minutes of the season is usually dust burning off the heat exchanger or heat strips, and it should fade quickly.

If the smell is strong, smoky, electrical or doesn’t go away, turn the system off and call. If you smell gas (rotten eggs), leave immediately. Don’t flip switches. Call CenterPoint Energy or 911 from outside.

At least once a year, and in Greater Houston twice a year is better: the cooling system in spring and the heating system in fall.

Maintenance keeps efficiency up, catches worn parts before they fail in July, and protects your equipment’s lifespan. Ask us about maintenance plans.

Check basic 1-inch filters monthly and change them every 1 to 3 months. Change them more often with pets, allergies, construction dust or pollen season.

Thicker 4- or 5-inch media filters typically last 6 to 12 months. A filter that’s too restrictive for your system can cut airflow, so use the size and rating your system was designed for.

Usually the condensate drain line is clogged. In our humidity, an AC pulls gallons of water a day out of the air, and algae and sludge build up in the line.

Turn the system off to limit water damage. Many attic systems have a float switch that shuts the AC off when the pan fills, which is a sign the drain needs to be cleared. We clean the line, check the pan and test the safety switch.

A real tune-up checks the electrical parts and capacitor, measures refrigerant performance, cleans or inspects the coils, clears the condensate drain, checks airflow and the blower, and tests the thermostat and safety controls.

You should get a clear report of what was found, not a list of upsells.

Generally no. Units are built to sit outside, and a full cover can trap moisture and invite pests. If you have a heat pump, it runs in winter and must never be covered.

Keep the area around the unit clear of leaves, plants and debris year-round, with about two feet of clearance.

Keep indoor relative humidity below about 60%, ideally between 40 and 50%, to stay comfortable and discourage mold and dust mites.

If your home feels clammy even when the temperature is right, the system may be oversized, the fan may be set to On instead of Auto, or you may need dedicated dehumidification.

Duct cleaning makes sense when there’s visible mold, debris or dust blowing from vents, after construction or renovation, or after pests have been in the ducts.

It isn’t a cure for every air quality problem. A good filter and sealed ducts matter just as much. We’ll tell you honestly whether your ducts need cleaning.

Usually it’s an airflow problem: a crushed, disconnected or undersized duct, a missing return, or a room that gets a lot of sun or sits over a hot garage.

We find the cause and fix it by repairing or rerouting ducts, adding returns, or balancing the system so every room gets its share.

They can, used for the right reason. UV air sanitizers are mainly used to keep the indoor coil and drain pan cleaner. HEPA filtration captures very fine particles and is usually added as a separate unit because full HEPA is too restrictive for most systems.

If allergies or asthma are the concern, start with a good-quality filter and sealed ducts, then add what makes sense for your home.

Yes. Ducts in a Houston attic run through some of the hottest air in the house. Leaks pull hot, humid attic air in and push cooled air out, which drives up bills and humidity.

Sealing, repairing or replacing damaged ducts, and keeping them well insulated, is one of the most effective comfort upgrades in many homes.

In our climate the attic is where most summer heat enters the house. Too little insulation means the AC fights that heat all day.

Adding insulation helps the system keep up, especially for upstairs rooms. Air of Texas also handles insulation installation and upgrades.

SEER2 measures cooling efficiency under updated federal test conditions; higher is more efficient. Since 2023, new central air conditioners installed in the South region, which includes Texas, must meet about 14.3 SEER2 for smaller systems and 13.8 SEER2 for larger ones.

Higher-efficiency equipment costs more up front but can pay off in Houston’s long cooling season. We’ll show you the trade-off.

HSPF2 rates a heat pump’s heating efficiency, and AFUE is the percentage of a gas furnace’s fuel that becomes usable heat.

Current heat pumps must meet at least 7.5 HSPF2. Gas furnaces range from about 80% AFUE to 95% or more for high-efficiency condensing models.

R-22 is no longer produced or imported in the United States (since 2020), so repairs that need refrigerant rely on limited, expensive supply.

A working R-22 system doesn’t have to be replaced today, but if it develops a major leak or compressor failure, replacement is usually the better investment.

New residential systems now use lower global-warming-potential refrigerants classified A2L, such as R-454B and R-32, under the EPA’s transition away from R-410A in new equipment.

Existing R-410A systems can still be serviced and repaired. A2L refrigerants require updated installation practices, and EPA rules require Section 608 certification for anyone who handles refrigerant. Refrigerant work is never a DIY job.

Set it as high as you’re comfortable with when you’re home, around 78°F is a common target, and a few degrees higher when you’re away.

Large swings (like turning it off all day) can backfire in our humidity because the house soaks up moisture and heat. A programmable or smart thermostat makes steady, moderate setbacks easy.

Most are, but heat pumps, two-stage equipment and older systems without a common wire (C-wire) need the right model and correct wiring.

We install and set up thermostats for your exact equipment so heating stages and emergency heat work the way they should.

Leave the house right away with everyone in it. Don’t flip light switches, use the thermostat, or start a car in an attached garage. Once you are outside and away from the house, call 911 or CenterPoint Energy’s gas emergency line.

Don’t go back in until the utility or fire department says it is safe. After the leak is handled, we can inspect and repair the gas appliance.

Get everyone out into fresh air immediately and call 911. Don’t stay inside to look for the source.

Once emergency responders have cleared the home, have your furnace, water heater and any gas appliances inspected before using them again. Every home with gas appliances or an attached garage should have working CO alarms.

Air conditioning and refrigeration contractors in Texas are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). You can look up any license on the TDLR website.

Air of Texas LLC holds TDLR license TACLA157848E. Texas contractor licenses are Class A (no size limit) or Class B (smaller systems), and technicians working under a contractor must be registered or certified with TDLR.

Many cities, including the City of Houston, require a mechanical permit for HVAC replacement, and the licensed contractor pulls it. Rules differ outside city limits.

Ask any contractor whether permits and inspections are included in their price.

Ask for the TDLR license number, whether they’ll do a load calculation instead of matching the old system’s size, what’s included in the price (permit, haul-away, thermostat, drain and electrical work), and what warranty covers parts and labor.

Get options in writing. A good contractor explains the choices and lets you decide.

No. Handling refrigerant requires EPA Section 608 certification, and refrigerant, gas lines, burners and high-voltage electrical parts are dangerous to work on.

Homeowner tasks are limited to changing filters, keeping the outdoor unit clear, checking the thermostat and breaker, and calling a licensed technician for anything more.