Your furnace keeps your home warm and cozy in the cold of winter, and here in Portland, OR, it will be called upon to perform every day throughout the chilly season. When problems arise with your heater, you want to get them fixed as soon as possible, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry. But before you pick up the phone, make sure that the issue isn’t just a part of the system’s normal operation, and that you’re dealing with a legitimate issue instead of one that just appears to be one. Non-issues surrounding your furnace come in many forms, but here’s a few examples to give you an idea what we mean.
Slow to Start Up
If you turn on your furnace, you may notice that it doesn’t start the fan right away, and that there’s a period of silence before the heat kicks in. You may be worried about a problem with the ignition or electrical system, but in truth, it just needs time to heat up the air to sufficient levels. The burners ignite when you turn on the heat, but it takes time to warm the heat exchanger and raise the temperature of the air. If the heater doesn’t seem to turn on right away, just give it a few minutes.
No Pilot Light
If you’re accustomed to an older furnace with a pilot light, you might be inclined to check yours and make sure it’s lit. If you don’t see it, it may cause some concern. Newer systems, however, don’t rely on pilot lights. Instead, they use electronic ignition switches, which are safer and more reliable.
Higher Thermostat Settings Mean Faster Heat
Many people erroneously believe that a higher thermostat setting means that the home will heat up faster, and set their thermostats higher than they need to deliberately in order to “speed up” the process. When it doesn’t happen, they feel that something is wrong. In truth, most heaters have just two settings – on and off – and raising the thermostat doesn’t do anything but make the system run longer.
If you have a problem with your heater, give The Clean Air Act, Inc. a call!