As the seasons begin to change here in Indiana, many homeowners turn to HVAC systems to ensure that their furnaces are running correctly. Nothing is worse than waking up on the season’s first cold morning to discover that your furnace is no longer working. There are some important maintenance tasks to tackle before cold weather arrives, which can save you from a lot of hassle and headaches in the months to come.
Sometimes homeowners immediately believe there is something wrong with their furnace---but it turns out that the thermostat is the culprit of their heating problems. If you set your thermostat yet still feel uncomfortable, there is a chance that your thermostat is failing---especially if it’s old.
Here are some other signs that your thermostat may be failing:
If you are experiencing any of these problems, it is best to have your thermostat checked by a professional.
Once your thermostat checks out, it’s time to get your hands a little dirty. However, it’s important to ensure that you’re working under safe conditions before you get started. If you’re working with a gas furnace, be sure to turn it off and disconnect any circuits leading to the unit. This is one of the top rules of HVAC services to avoid injury.
Next, check your filter to see if it has accumulated a lot of dirt. If you run your furnace with a dirty filter, it will ultimately decrease its efficiency. If you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, you may want to replace the filter every 30 days. Those who have pets or allergies benefit from changing the filter every 30-60 days, while everyone else can change the filter every 90 days.
The blower is typically located right behind the furnace filter. Dirt and debris that pass the air filter will make its way through the blower, and it is a bit of a process to clean this part of your furnace. You’ll have to clean the belt, pulleys, and the blower to remove all of the dirt. Don’t forget to remove the panels that cover the blower and clean those as well with a damp cloth.
As the days grow colder and winter's chill looms on the horizon, your home's furnace becomes a vital component in keeping your family warm and comfortable. However, like any mechanical system, furnaces require regular maintenance to ensure they operate efficiently and reliably. The question then arises: How do you know when your furnace needs to be serviced?
A failing furnace is something no homeowner wants to face. However, if you neglect to maintain your furnace or it simply becomes old, you’ll eventually need to turn to furnace repair to keep the heat running. Sometimes furnace repair can fix the problem, while other times you may need an entirely new furnace.
Noticing an abundance of dust making its way out of your furnace? It’s not in your head. There may come a time when your furnace blows out dust along with warm air. This can lead to a myriad of problems, including inefficiency, ignition problems, and safety easy. The fuel won’t burn efficiently when the burners are dirty, which may eventually cause a mini explosion.
An energy efficient furnace is designed to keep your energy bills in check---not send them skyrocketing during the winter. Unfortunately, these costs will be much higher than necessary if you haven’t repaired or replaced your furnace over a significant amount of time.
If you have energy efficient exterior elements such as upgraded replacement windows or even new weatherstripping, your utility bills shouldn’t continue to rise. However, an inefficient furnace can run a lot more than necessary, which will quickly deplete your bank account in the process.
Are you mystified as to why that guest bedroom is always colder than other rooms in your home? If you have a room or two (or three) that always feel cold compared to other areas of your home, this is a sign that your furnace may not be equally distributing airflow.
If your burner flame is yellow, this is a red flag that you need to call a furnace repair professional. A yellow frame shows that there may be poisonous carbon monoxide making its way through your home. Other signs of carbon monoxide from your furnace include streaks of soot around the furnace and an upward draft in your chimney.
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If you don’t have the time, experience, or confidence to maintain your HVAC system this fall, A Comfort Service can help. Contact us for your local HVAC service to help beat the upcoming chilly weather.