The weather has turned cooler in the last few weeks, and with summer finally owner, homeowners are firing up their heating systems to keep their homes warm. That makes the autumn the ideal time to spot the signs that your heating system might need repairs. Not only are you using the system for the first time in a while, but if there’s trouble, you still have several weeks to get it treated before the weather gets too much colder.
Only a trained technician should attempt to formally diagnose a heating problem, let alone conduct repairs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spot the symptoms. Many signs are quite common, and can be caused by a wide number of possible issues. You don’t need to know what those issues are to realize that something’s wrong.
Watch that Air Flow
Furnaces depend on moving heated air through the ducts in order to warm your home. When trouble arises in the ducts, such as a breach or a divot in the duct, it can slow the flow of air through the system. Sometimes similar problems can occur when the fan motor is having trouble, the fan belt is broken, or the fan blades themselves. Regardless, it means that the air is moving the way it should, which forces the system to work harder than it should: elevating both the monthly costs of running the system and the strain on other components.
Low Heat Is a Problem
You can probably guess that a furnace that only blows cold air is a problem. But the same principle holds true if the air is warm, just not as warm as you’re expecting. It could mean anything from a breach in the ducts to a set of clogged burners, but the problem is the same. The system will work harder than it should to heat your home, which raises both the monthly costs and the chances of a repair considerably
Safety First
Sometimes, you don’t need to guess to determine that there’s a problem with the heater. It simply won’t turn on. In most cases — assuming the issue is with the heater itself and not a loss of electrical power — that usually means a safety issue. Most modern heaters will refuse to turn on if there’s a gas leak, for example, in order to prevent the gas from spreading. The same thing will happen if the hot air backs up into the system because of a clog or the like. Many systems will turn off before the heat has a chance to damage components in the system. The good news is that you know there’s a problem very quickly. The bad news is that you’ll still need to have it addressed.
If you spot any of these signs, don’t attempt to resolve them yourself. Instead, turn off the system and call in a repair service to get it taken care of the right way.
For quality heating repairs throughout the Estacada, OR area, call on the Clean Air Act, Inc. every time!