With the excitement of the winter holidays comes the potential problems with your home heating system. Whether you live in a warm or colder state, it’s crucial to be aware of common HVAC problems.
This allows you to stay a step ahead in preventing them from happening. Not only that, but you can also know the tell-tale signs when you’ll need a heating system repair. Read below to learn more about the top 8 heating system problems your HVAC can have and keep warm this winter.
1. Switching Problems with Your Home Heating System
One common issue with your HVAC unit is a switching problem with your heating systems. Sometimes, your furnaces won’t turn on after you switch your thermostat to heat. Most homeowners believe that furnace trouble is a sign of a failing or a dead HVAC system.
However, it’s important to note that this problem doesn’t mean that your heat pump’s life is about to end. Often, the switching problems come from minor issues. Causes can range from your unit being unable to receive any power to opened doors.
Heating equipment and gas furnaces need electricity to regulate their motors. If there’s no power reaching your heating system, your furnace will not be able to activate properly.
2. Fast Clogging of Your Air Filters
Not doing a routine replacement on your air filters can affect the way your heating systems work. Because screens pull in contaminants from indoor air, you may encounter blocked airflow. This is more likely to happen during winters due to the increasing use of your heating systems.
The frequent usage of your heating units is the most common reason for clogged air filters. However, there are other issues that can clog your filters and cause you to replace them sooner.
The dirt near your air vents often introduces more contaminants to your air filters. A heavy influx of indoor pollution from cooking fumes and pet dander can also clog your filters faster. When that happens, the best solution is always to make a routine air filter change to avoid mildew growth.
3. Your Heater’s Blowing Cool Air
When you have a heater blowing cool air, that is often a sign for you to go call on for your trusted HVAC technician. In addition, the cool air usually signals that there are some leaky ducts. These are what affect the air temperature coming from your vents.
Apart from the possibility of leaking ducts, you can also consider the following to cause the cooler air coming from your heating systems.
Thermostat
Sometimes, your thermostat may not be set at the right temperature. Make sure to check the settings of your thermostat and see if it’s set on auto instead of the fan on. When you’ve checked on this, and the air is still cool, you may need to check on your filters.
Air Filter
Another reason for your heater to blow cold air is because of a clogged air filter. If the air filters are full of dirt and debris, your heating units will have performance issues. This is what makes it blow cool air.
4. Control Problems with Your Thermostat
Another common issue you can run into is the control problems with your thermostat. If you’re having trouble setting the temperature, you may need to troubleshoot your thermostat. Digital thermostats can have a problem with batteries, so it’s best to get them changed.
When this doesn’t work, you can try resetting it to the manufacturer settings.
5. High Humidity Levels Inside Your Home
Winter air is often dry, but during winter, the humidity levels inside your home may rise. This causes mold or mildew to grow and damage your home. There are common HVAC issues you may need to address when this happens.
One of the usual mishaps is trouble with your humidifiers. Because winters are the driest season, many families make use of whole-house humidifiers.
Do you have a whole-house humidifier that isn’t working correctly? There may be an extra release of humidity in the air that’ll affect the moisture buildup.
6. Rising Energy Bills
Did you know that in 2020, 10% of the US’ total electricity consumption comes from HVAC units?
Your electricity bills can vary every month, but only to some extent. If you’re paying a much higher heating bill, it may mean that you need to get your heating system checked.
HVAC equipment often gives off higher bills when there are grimy air filters. Faulty or wrong thermostat programming may also call for a professional’s aid.
7. Noisy Heating System
When furnaces or heat pump systems run, it’ll always make some sort of gentle, blowing noise. If your heating systems produce louder and more unusual sounds, you may be looking into a possible repair situation.
Loose panels and motor-bearing issues often result in a noisy heating system. Access panels may have gone out of place because you missed a screw, or you made a mistake replacing it.
8. Little to No Heating System Maintenance
Many homeowners think of doing home heating system maintenance as an afterthought, which is wrong. Doing a regular maintenance checkup and cleaning is necessary. By doing this, you’ll be able to avoid encountering problems with your unit.
The lack of maintenance can cause not only a hefty penny from premature repairs and higher utility costs. This can also affect the level of comfort you can achieve in your home.
The Top 8 Home Heating System Problems You Can Encounter
Preparing your HVAC units for the upcoming winter is always about maintenance. While there are still some home heating system problems that you can encounter, it won’t be as problematic.
Knowing these problems will help you avoid more costs and discomfort. It’s always best to prevent problems from happening rather than finding out the best solutions to fix them. If you’re anywhere between Forney and Maybank, contact us today for all your HVAC needs now.
