One of the most important parts of maintaining a home is making sure the heating system works and is in generally good condition. Half (50%) of all home heating fires occurred in December, January, and February, and many of them can be attributed to lack of maintenance and upkeep, especially during the time of year that they are the most heavily used. A heating repair service can always help you, but it’s good to know what some common furnace problems are before you call:
1. Lack of Maintenance: If you let furnace maintenance and inspection fall to the wayside, small problems could get very serious in a very short time. These routine inspections are preventative in the same way as are your trips to the doctor for check ups. Twice-a-year inspections also reduce the likelihood of soot build up in the burners, which usually are the result of poorly adjusted gas valves, so make sure to invest the time and energy in this every year.
2. Dirty Filters: Dirty filters, clogged with dust and debris, can seriously reduce airflow and make a furnace work much harder to circulate hot air. Damaged and dirty filters have been known to damage the limit switch, which controls the fan.
3. Electrical ignition or pilot control issues: Thermocouple problems — drafts or clogs in the appliance — could result in an unlit pilot light, which in turn can make it difficult to heat up any given space.
4. Thermostat issues: A faulty thermostat can not only result in bad comfort levels, but can end up costing you a lot of money in energy bills. Thermostats are key in helping control your heating costs. For every two degrees you lower your thermostat, you can save approximately five percent on your heating costs. While you sleep, thermostats should be turned down or turned completely off (health permitting), so a faulty one could interfere with this type of energy planning.
5. Continuously running blower: If your blower is continuously running, there may be an issue with the limit switch.
From heat and air repair to HVAC system maintenance, it is important to have a solid relationship with a reliable AC repair and furnace repair company. Your heating repair service will be your home’s best friend for many years to come!