Having a home requires a great amount of diligence when it comes to property maintenance. That is why it is important to schedule days to look around the home and conduct any cleaning or maintenance you're able to. One of the larger ticket items to keep an eye on during the cold is your HVAC/main heating system. Sometimes, it's really hard to pinpoint any issues your heating system might be having when you're taking a look at it, for instance, if it's blowing cold air. Let's take a look at a couple of reasons why your furnace could be blowing a cool breeze when you're in need of heat.
Going Down The List
One of the more frequent areas of concern can arise in a home’s HVAC system. Because a furnace is a vital component of keeping a home warm and stable, it is important to pay attention to any signs that would indicate there is a problem. But what is the first item to look at that controls a furnace?
Thermostat: Check the temperature, is the wrong degree set at the moment while it's on? Check the batteries, is the display faded? The unit might be in need of new batteries. Check the fan switch, is the fan set to ON, OFF, or AUTO? If it's set to ON, it will just be blowing the air around the home without any increase in heat. Check the temperature around the thermostat, compare thermometers with the unit to the one you may have in your hand. If the temperature of your thermostat is off compared to the one you're holding, you may be in need of a new thermostat.
The weather is never certain living in New England. It can be a bit tricky when it comes to gauging the climate. The weather in the spring and fall can also see lots of temperature fluctuations.
Your Ductwork: Think about your home and how the air travels through it. All the air ducts that connect your furnace's warm air to all of the rooms. There could be a slight chance that something has come loose and the warm air is escaping through gaps in the duct on it's way to one of your colder rooms.
Pilot Light: Check your pilot light! If the ignition system is faulty, your furnace will not operate correctly.
Air Filter: A dirty air filter will restrict the path of airflow into the furnace itself, if it overheats because of the strain from a clogged filter, the burners could shut off, thus turning off the furnace.
Some of the more notable signs that can be a precursor to a furnace having functional difficulties can include:
• Unregulated Temperature Extremes
• Cold or Cool Air Comes Out of the Heating Components
• Furnace Makes an Unusual Sound
• Uneven Heating and Cooling in Different Rooms
Each of these can be a sign of a malfunctioning unit. Sometimes, this shows there is a need for minor adjustments to the system gauges. Other times the system may need a few replacement parts like a new thermostat installation or a new heating coil. In some circumstances, simple cleaning and resetting the system can fix the problems.
However, if any of these problems arise, it is important that the system is checked and repaired as soon as possible. Letting a system continue functioning in a faulty way will only cause more extensive repair problems to arise.
Proper HVAC Maintenance and Repairs
One of the best ways to ensure maintenance and repairs for an HVAC system remain manageable is through an annual maintenance contract with Morris Heating & Air Conditioning. Our HVAC contracts offer an annual cleaning and check-up of the HVAC system. A good time for annual cleaning and check of your HVAC system would be anytime between late spring and early fall.
When the Morris Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning technicians come out for these services, they can usually readily spot potential problems and worn parts early enough for easy replacement. Once a problem is detected early it can readily be repaired before it becomes a costly repair problem.
Early detection of HVAC problems often allows for on the spot repairs as long as there are no special parts needed for the repair. If the problem can be repaired on the spot, then homeowners will experience very little if any, downtime in their HVAC system. With the weather in the Ipswich area, this is always the best solution.