The second half of February is here, and we’re already experiencing warmer weather. But we can’t count on it remaining like this all the way through to the middle of spring. There may still be some chilly surprises ahead, and that means your heating system needs to be prepared to come back on.
Here’s something to keep in mind when it comes to late-season comfort: your home’s heating system has seen a great deal of work during the past few months, and this accumulation of stress can create performance issues and even a breakdown. Heating technicians are often extremely busy during this time of year answering emergency repair needs for homeowners. To help you avoid scrambling to find emergency service when your heater suddenly won’t heat, we’ve listed a few problems to be on the watch for.
- Dirty burners: If you use a gas furnace (the most common type of residential heating system), it can develop grime and dirt across its burners. This makes it harder for them to draw enough oxygen to ignite, leading to the burners firing late and creating a “booming” sound. You shouldn’t attempt to clean the burners on your own: professionals must detach the burners and handle the cleaning job.
- Overheating blower motor: An essential component for any forced-air heater is the blower fan that sends air around the heat exchanger or the electrical heating elements and then into the ventilation system. Strain on the motor that powers this fan can lead to a non-functioning heating system when it causes the motors to burn out. Loud mechanical noises and acrid smells from the vents can warn you that the motor is overheating. Call for repairs right away.
- Thermostat miscalibration: No matter what type of heating system your home uses, the heater needs a thermostat to control it. If the thermostat begins to sense false temperatures at the end of winter, it may cause your home to be too warm or too cool. HVAC technicians can trace issues with your heating system to the thermostat if it’s causing the trouble, and then fix it.
Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning serves Oakhurst and Fresno, CA with excellent heating repair. There’s still time to enroll in our contest to win a $2,000 cash refund on a qualifying new system. Replace a complete residential system and you’ll automatically be entered into a drawing on March 15, 2016. Call us for more details.