An HVAC system can provide significant comfort, especially during the more extreme times of the year in terms of heat, humidity, or cold. You will want to keep your system working as well as possible, and that means asking for HVAC service promptly when something is wrong. How can you tell when repairs are necessary? Check for these four indications something might be wrong.

Increased Energy Consumption

Before you get too worried, make sure you're not looking at a bill that has simply gone up. Once you've checked for a rate increase and ruled that out, check the rate of consumption for electricity or natural gas. If you're seeing an uptick on either front, the next consideration is whether recent weather might explain it. Once you've determined the increased consumption isn't due to extreme weather, you should contact an HVAC system service provider.

Noises

As an HVAC system gets older, it will likely get a bit noisier. However, it shouldn't become unbearably or even noticeably louder over time. If the problem has reached the point that you're slightly annoyed or concerned whenever the heat or A/C kicks on, that's probably a sign you should call an HVAC repair technician.

This is particularly true if you hear metallic sounds. If the noise sounds like metal crunching or scraping, there may be a mechanical component failing.

Smells

Your HVAC setup should blow relatively clean-smelling air. If there is any funkiness, that's at least a sign an HVAC service professional should check and possibly replace the filters. The issue could be worse, though. For example, a failing air conditioning component might not be removing enough humidity from the air. This could lead to increased mold levels in your house, which you might notice as a slightly musty smell.

Also, all mechanical smells are bad. If something from the vents smells like grease or oil, that is almost certainly a bad sign.

Poor Operation

The operational capability of an HVAC setup will usually decline with age or heavy use. If the system has reached the point where you're noticing delayed actions, reduced outputs, or just plain failures to come on, that's not good. The issue could be as simple as a problem with the thermostat or one of the control units. However, there could also be mechanical or electrical failures that require HVAC system repair work. In extreme cases, you may need to replace several components or the whole system.

Contact an HVAC service provider to learn more.