When your heating system doesn’t seem to be cutting it anymore, there are a variety of factors that can lead to inadequate performance.
From a faltering component to the system’s design, there are numerous variables to examine. As such, proper diagnostic methods are essential. In this week’s blog post, we at Dublin Heating & Air will explore some of the most frequent issues behind furnaces that can’t keep up with the most frigid winter days.
Shutting Off Your Thermostat
Often, it’s a smart idea to turn off your unit when you aren’t going to be home for a while, or you’re on vacation. This can save you money on your heating bill. With that stated, we do not recommend turning it off altogether when it gets freezing outside. Leaving your furnace off entirely during the winter makes it much more difficult to get it back up again and going strong. This is hard on your furnace. And it can destroy your pipes! When it’s freezing outside, most people know that leaving on at least a little heat will save you from damaging or destroying your pipes. The customary rule of thumb or “temperature alert threshold” for freezing pipes is around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dirty Furnace
First off, it’s always advisable to maintain a minimal five-foot perimeter of space around your furnace. We strongly suggest you abide by this precaution because your furnace has a fire inside it. That’s how it keeps your house heated! So keep that area outside of it clean and remember, just because the exterior of your furnace looks clean does not mean that the interior is clean. When you’ve had your furnace off for several months, there’s a good probability that it’s dusty in there. Thus, this is another reason you should have a professional take a look before turning it on for the winter.
Lack Of Regular Servicing
To keep your furnace healthy and running great for years to come, annual furnace tune-ups are a must. When we come out for these tune-ups, we complete a list of things needing to be inspected, cleaned, and taken care of regularly. We examine the system’s voltage, the pipes, and we take a look at your filter to make sure it’s clean for the coming season, among other things.
An Undersized Unit
If a furnace is too small, it can exhaust itself and no longer be able to proceed. This leads to faster breakdown times in addition to not providing sufficient heat to keep you warm inside your home. The easiest step to determine if your unit is too small is to turn up your thermostat and see how long it takes to reach the exact temperature.
An Oversized Unit
Having a furnace that’s too large isn’t a healthy thing either. A larger unit manages to overwork itself negatively concerning your comfort level. The best symptom of this is when you notice your house is getting hotter than what you would desire it to be. It can also mess with the ductwork from the unit going into the home.
Keep Your Vents Clear
This goes along with maintaining a clean and clear unit. It’s important to keep stuff off of your vents. When vents become blocked in any way, it can impact how the group gets air. It needs to breathe. If your furnace is incapable of breathing, it will shut off completely.
If you continue to have any issues with your furnace this winter season, please call Delaware Heating & Air today at 740-227-8302 or schedule an appointment online now at https://www.delawareairandheat.com/schedule-now/.
