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Home heating systems are designed to thrive through years of wear and tear. However, they’re far from infallible. They will eventually incur damage and will eventually need to be fixed.
The question is: what kind of heating problem might you encounter? There are many, but some of the most common heart problems include the following.
Inconsistent Heating
One problem to look out for is inconsistent heating. For instance, one room in your home might be 68 degrees Fahrenheit while the other is 72 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be attributed to a variety of factors but is commonly caused by dirty heating ducts.
See, over time, dust and other debris make their way into a duct system. In doing so, they block many of the system’s passageways, thus preventing air from flowing through them freely.
As a result, more air makes it into some rooms than into others, ultimately leading to temperature differences.
The fix to this problem is to clean your duct system. Though you can attempt to do this on your own, you would be better served by bringing in an HVAC specialist.
Drafty Windows
Do you feel large breezes coming through your windows on a regular basis? If so, you’re dealing with wind drafts. These occur more and more as windows deteriorate and can put tons of strain on a heating system.
If you feel drafts around your windows, there are a few things you can do. Temporarily, you can place insulative sheets over your windows. These will keep drafts to a minimum and will help take some of the strain off of your heater.
But if you want to get rid of this problem permanently, you’re going to have to replace your windows. New windows have stronger seals than do older windows. They let less air through, and therefore stop wind drafts in their tracks.
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Leaky Ducts
In order to transfer heat to different parts of your house, your furnace makes use of a series of ducts. Unfortunately, even when in great shape, these ducts lose a great deal of the heat that passes through them. When in bad shape, they can lose even more.
Why is this? Because ducts are leaky. They connect in different areas and contain cracks through which air can escape. And the longer ducts have been installed, the looser they become, allowing for even more leakage over time.
So, if you want to have the best energy efficiency possible, you need to have your duct system tightened and sealed on a regular basis. The less room there is through which air can escape, the more air there will be to heat your home.
Thermostat Issues
The thermostat is the brain of the heating system. It intakes information and tells the heater what to do. The trouble is . . . thermostats can go haywire.
For instance, if the wiring that connects the thermostat to the heater starts to deteriorate, it could have trouble communicating important information on a consistent basis.
Or, if the sensors within the heater become dirty, they could have trouble understanding what the thermostat is telling them to do.
This can result in a range of problems, from inconsistent operation to short cycling and much more. In any case, if you’re dealing with thermostat issues, call up your local heating repair company.
They’ll assess the problem and come up with a viable solution.
Dirty Filter
As was noted above, over time, dust and other debris make their way into heating systems. As such, in order to protect themselves, heating systems are equipped with air filters.
These filters catch a good deal of the dust and debris that come their way. However, they quickly become overrun. For this reason, air filters need to be changed every 2 to 3 months.
If you don’t change your air filter in a timely manner, your heater will suffer efficiency issues and might even have an early death. So, make sure you’re swapping out those filters on a regular basis.
Gas Leaks
If you get your heat from a furnace, you might, at some point, deal with a gas leak. This is the worst heating problem you could ever encounter. Not only does it indicate the need for a major repair but it also puts you in danger.
See, when gas leaks, it leaves the potential of combusting and causing an explosion. This could kill you, or at the very least injure you severely.
As such, if you ever smell gas in your home, you need to get out immediately and call 911. The authorities will come to your home and shut off your gas for you. Then, once the gas is shut off, you can bring in a heating repair technician to make the necessary fix.
Carbon Monoxide Leak
One last problem you need to look out for is a carbon monoxide leak. This can present itself with any heating system, from furnaces to boilers to pellet stoves and more.
It occurs when the flue pipe backs up and combusted chemicals are allowed to stream into the home.
Carbon monoxide is a highly dangerous compound. It can cause death in human beings before they even know what’s happening. And what’s worse: it’s difficult to detect.
As such, you need to have a carbon monoxide detector set up in your home at all times. This will beep if it detects even small traces of carbon monoxide. If you hear it beep, get out of your home and call 911.
The authorities will shut off your gas and ensure your home is safe to be in. Once they’ve decided that it is, you can call up your local heating repair technician for a fix.
Don’t Let a Heating Problem Keep You Down
You will experience a heating problem at some point. You can’t let it keep you down. Call up your local HVAC company and bring a specialist in for a repair.
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