Round Rock, Texas

AC and heating repair in Round Rock

AC blowing warm air, or heat that will not come on? Text me what you see and what the thermostat says. I’ll help you find a licensed local HVAC company and get the visit arranged.

Text Terry about your AC or heat

OnHand Home is not an HVAC company. I help you find one, and you get their business name before you agree to anything. There is no charge for my help. You pay the HVAC company for the work.

What the work involves

HVAC means heating, ventilation and air conditioning. In most Round Rock homes one company works on all of it: the outdoor unit, the indoor coil, the furnace or air handler, the thermostat and the ducts. Some companies do repairs only. Some also sell and install new systems.

A repair visit starts with a diagnosis. The technician checks the thermostat, the airflow, the electrical parts and the refrigerant side. Then they tell you what is wrong and what the fix costs. Many companies charge a diagnostic fee for that first visit. Ask what it is and whether it counts toward the repair.

Some jobs are not repairs. A new outdoor unit or a new furnace is a replacement, and it has its own page. If the tech says the system is worn out, ask for the repair price and the replacement price in writing, side by side.

Why Round Rock homeowners call about AC or heat

The AC runs but the air from the vents is warm or only slightly cool
Water drips from the indoor unit or pools near it
Ice or frost on the copper line or on the indoor coil
The outdoor fan or compressor does not start, or the unit buzzes
The system short-cycles: it starts, stops and starts again
One room stays hot or cold while the rest of the house is fine
The furnace does not light, or the heat pump blows cool air in winter
A burning smell, a loud rattle or a squeal when the system starts
Your electric bill climbs and the house is no more comfortable

Gas furnace or heat pump: what the symptoms tell you

Heating works differently in different houses. Tell me which kind you have, and the HVAC company can come ready.

Gas furnace. It burns gas to make heat. Common complaints are no heat at all, a furnace that starts and shuts off, or a smell when it runs. Gas and combustion mean extra safety rules (see below).
Heat pump. It moves heat with the same outdoor unit that cools in summer. A heat pump that blows cool air in winter, or ices up outside, needs a technician to look at it.
Not sure which you have? Send a photo of the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The labels usually say what each one is.
Repair or replace? A single failed part on a newer system is usually a repair. Repeated repairs on an old system are a reason to ask about replacement.

What changes the price

Repair prices depend on the failed part and on how hard it is to reach. Ask for the price in writing before the work starts.

The diagnostic fee, and whether it counts toward the repair
Which part failed: a capacitor or a contactor is a different job from a motor or a compressor
Refrigerant work, which depends on whether there is a leak and what type the system uses
Whether the part is on the truck or has to be ordered
The age of the system, since older systems can need parts that are hard to find
When the visit happens. Evening, weekend and peak-heat visits can cost more.
Any City permit, if the job needs one

Questions to ask the HVAC company

Use these to compare quotes side by side.

What is your TDLR license number?Texas requires HVAC contractors to hold a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. You can look it up yourself.
Is there a diagnostic fee, and does it apply to the repair?This fee is the most common surprise on an HVAC bill.
Will you give me the repair price before you start?A written price for the agreed work keeps the visit simple.
What exactly failed, and can you show me?A good technician can show you the part or a photo of it.
Is this a repair that fixes the cause, or only the symptom?A frozen coil can come from a dirty filter or from a leak. The fix is different.
Does this job need a City permit, and who gets it?The City of Round Rock lists a standalone HVAC permit. Ask whether your job needs one.
What warranty do you give on the part and on the labor?They are often different. Ask who to call if the problem returns.
If the system is old, what would replacement involve?You do not have to decide on the spot. A written number helps you compare later.

Safe first checks before you call

These checks need no tools and no opened panels. Do not open the furnace, the outdoor unit or the electrical panel covers yourself. If anything below looks unsafe, stop and call a professional.

Thermostat: confirm it is on, set to cool or heat, and set to a temperature that should start the system. Check that the display has power.
Filter: look at the air filter. A filter caked with dust can block airflow. ENERGY STAR advises checking or changing filters once a month.
Breaker: look at the breakers for the AC and the furnace. If one has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call.
Vents: make sure the vents are open and not blocked by furniture or rugs.
Ice: if you see ice on the unit, turn the system off at the thermostat so it can thaw. Then call.

Seasonal tune-up

A tune-up is a check done before the season, not a repair. ENERGY STAR recommends a contractor check cooling systems in spring and heating systems in fall. Demand for AC work in Round Rock peaks in summer, so spring is the easy time to book.

Ask what the tune-up covers, in writing. A real tune-up usually includes cleaning, checking electrical parts and testing the controls.

Gas furnace safety

A gas furnace can make carbon monoxide (CO). CO has no smell. The CDC lists furnaces as a CO source and says to have fuel-burning appliances serviced every year. CPSC urges a yearly professional inspection of fuel-burning heating systems.

Put battery-operated or battery back-up CO detectors near every sleeping area. Never heat the house with a gas oven.

If the CO alarm sounds, or you feel dizzy, sick or have a headache, get everyone outside to fresh air and call 911. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 from outside. OnHand Home is not an emergency service.

Round Rock and Texas notes

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation requires a license for contractors who install, repair or maintain air conditioning, refrigeration or heating systems. TDLR has a public license search.
The City of Round Rock lists a standalone residential HVAC (mechanical) permit. The City page does not say which repairs need one. Ask your contractor.

What happens after you text

You text meSay what is going on, add a photo if you can, and include your ZIP code. The message is already started for you, and you can change it.
I ask a question or twoI check the details an HVAC company will need and confirm you are in our area. We are starting in Round Rock.
I look for an HVAC companyI check who can take the job. You get the business name before you agree to anything. If I cannot find someone, I tell you.
They quote and do the workThe HVAC company confirms the time and the price with you. You pay them for the work. I follow up afterward.

Tell me what is going on.

Text me a short description and your ZIP code. A photo helps.