Learning Center
HVAC Learning Center
Straight answers about heating, cooling, and air quality from the Ares Comfort Systems team — so you can make confident decisions about your home comfort.
Learn
Understand what's happening with your system.
Why Is My AC Blowing Warm Air?
Cool setting, warm air? The five most common causes, what you can check safely, and when to call a pro.
Furnace Won't Turn On? 6 Things to Check
No heat on a cold morning is stressful. Here's a safe checklist and the warning signs that mean 'call now.'
Hot & Cold Spots: Causes and Fixes
One room's an oven, another's a freezer. Why even temperatures break down — and how ductless can fix it.
Is Your Home's Air Making You Uncomfortable? An IAQ Guide
Allergies worse indoors? Constant dust? The real drivers of indoor air quality and how to fix them.
AC Short Cycling: Why Your System Keeps Turning On and Off
Rapid on-off cycles waste energy and shorten compressor life. The five common causes and what's safe to check yourself.
Water Leaking From Your AC? What It Means and What to Do
A puddle under the air handler is a warning, not a disaster — if you act fast. What causes it and what to shut off.
Furnace Blowing Cold Air? Here's What's Happening
The blower runs but the air is cold. The five usual suspects, which checks are safe, and which are technician territory.
Strange Furnace Smells, Decoded: Dusty, Musty, Burning or Rotten
Not every furnace smell is an emergency — but two of them are. A calm guide to what each odor means and what to do.
Ice on Your Heat Pump: Normal Frost or Real Problem?
Frost on the outdoor unit is often normal — steam clouds included. Here's how to tell healthy defrost from a real failure.
Thermostat Screen Blank? How to Get Heat Back Tonight
A dark thermostat screen means no power, not necessarily a broken furnace. Here's what to check safely before you call — and what to leave alone.
Why Is My House So Humid? (A Pacific Northwest Problem)
Sticky rooms, foggy windows, that damp-basement smell — why Western Washington homes trap moisture, and the ladder of fixes from ventilation to dehumidifiers.
Mini-Split Not Heating? A Ductless Troubleshooting Guide
Before assuming your ductless system is broken, check the remote's mode, wait out defrost, and look at the filters. Here's the full checklist, in order.
Evaluate
Weigh your options and make a confident call.
Why Are My Energy Bills So High?
If your bills climb every season, your system may be aging, leaking, or short-cycling. How to find out.
Repair vs. Replace: When to Upgrade Your HVAC
Facing a big repair? Use the age, cost, and comfort test to decide between repair and replacement.
SEER2, HSPF2 and EER2: What Efficiency Ratings Actually Mean
The 2023 switch from SEER to SEER2 changed the numbers, not the equipment. What each rating measures, where the diminishing returns kick in, and how the PNW changes the math.
Single-Stage vs Two-Stage vs Variable-Speed HVAC: An Honest Comparison
All three staging types will heat your house. The honest question is how much the extra comfort and efficiency of two-stage and variable-speed are worth to you — especially in a mild PNW climate.
Heat Pump vs Gas Furnace in the Pacific Northwest: The Real Comparison
Western Washington is arguably the best heat pump climate in America. Here's the real comparison — costs, comfort, cold snaps, and when gas still makes sense.
Why HVAC Sizing (Manual J) Matters More Than Brand
Homeowners agonize over brands. Pros know the real question is sizing. What a Manual J load calculation measures and why 'like for like' replacement repeats old mistakes.
MERV Filters, UV Lights, ERVs and Air Cleaners: What's Actually Worth It?
The IAQ industry sells gadgets. The science says there's a right order: source control, filtration, ventilation, then purification. Here's the honest ladder — including the wildfire-smoke angle.
How to Read Your Electric Bill for Heat Pump Savings (Tacoma Power, PSE & Co-ops)
Your utility name and your winter-vs-summer kWh gap tell you more about heat pump savings than any online calculator. Here's how to pull both off your bill.
Act
Know what to expect when you book service.
What an HVAC Tune-Up Actually Includes
Maintenance is the cheapest way to avoid breakdowns. Here's what a proper tune-up should cover.
HVAC Install Day: Exactly What to Expect, Hour by Hour
From the confirmation call to the thermostat walkthrough — the full sequence of a professional HVAC installation, and the short list of things to have ready.
HVAC Permits in Pierce, King and Thurston Counties: What Homeowners Should Know
Who issues HVAC permits in the South Sound, why skipping one is a resale time bomb, and why the permit process should never be your problem to manage.
Wildfire Smoke Season Prep for South Sound Homes: A Practical Checklist
Puget Sound smoke events arrive with little warning between June and October. A pre-season checklist and a during-smoke playbook for keeping your indoor air clean.
The Seasonal HVAC Checklist
Two 20-minute homeowner routines a year prevent most emergency calls. Print it, stick it on the garage wall.
Spring — Get Cooling Ready
March – May, before the first warm stretch
Do it yourself — 20 minutes
- Replace or wash the air filter (check size printed on the frame)
- Clear leaves, cottonwood fluff and debris 2 ft around the outdoor unit
- Rinse the outdoor coil gently with a hose (power off first)
- Test the system on Cool for 15 minutes before you actually need it
- Check that air blows cold and every register is open and unblocked
- Confirm the condensate drain drips outside while cooling runs
What the professional tune-up covers
- Refrigerant charge verification against manufacturer spec
- Capacitor, contactor and electrical connection testing
- Evaporator coil inspection and condensate treatment
- Blower wheel cleaning and airflow (static pressure) measurement
- Thermostat calibration and safety-control test
Fall — Get Heating Ready
September – October, before the first cold snap
Do it yourself — 20 minutes
- Replace the air filter (a heating season on a dirty filter trips limits)
- Test the system on Heat for 15 minutes — first-fire dust smell is normal
- Replace thermostat batteries if it takes them
- Vacuum supply and return registers; confirm none are blocked by furniture
- Clear the area around the furnace — nothing stored against it
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (fresh batteries)
What the professional tune-up covers
- Heat exchanger inspection (the CO-safety check — never skip it)
- Burner cleaning, ignitor testing and flame-sensor service
- Gas pressure and combustion analysis
- Heat pump: defrost cycle and reversing valve verification
- Condensate and venting inspection on high-efficiency furnaces
Want both tune-ups handled automatically? See our maintenance plans or call (253) 327-7002.
Lost in the jargon?
SEER2, static pressure, MERV, reversing valves — every term defined in plain English in our HVAC glossary.
Still Have Questions?
Our factory-trained team is happy to help — no pressure, just honest answers.