Spring is the ideal season for HVAC cleaning. There’s no better time than now to give your air conditioner a meticulous rinse and wash. From the harsh freezing hail to the heavy drizzling rain, your outdoor air conditioner has probably seen better days. After months of enduring through the volatile weather conditions, your AC unit could benefit from some rigorous cleaning and general maintenance.
There are numerous benefits for cleaning your air conditioner regularly. This cleanse ensures the air conditioner functions at its highest level of efficiency, without any clogs or debris. In addition, cleaning the AC helps to preserve the longevity of the HVAC equipment. When the air conditioner parts are well-maintained, you should encounter fewer problems overall and the number of necessary repairs will decrease.
Follow these best practices on how to clean an air conditioner properly:
1. Turn off the air conditioner’s power
Before the cleaning commences, always turn off the power as a safety precaution. Start by shutting off the power on the exterior condenser and compressor. Next, turn off the power at the breaker box, which is usually situated inside your house. It can get messy and dangerous if you clean an air conditioner that is still running, so make sure you turn off the power completely.
2. Clear away natural debris from the AC
During winter, it is unlikely that you went outside and cleaned the air conditioner in midst of the freezing temperatures. This means your AC unit has gone through many months without any proper cleaning. The signs of neglect will be evident in the air conditioner’s exterior appearance. Your AC unit had been struck by the brunt of harsh winds and storms, so don’t be surprised if it’s completely covered with branches, leaves, or dead insects.
Before you start cleaning inside the air conditioner, get rid of all the natural debris surrounding the unit’s exterior. Otherwise, they will obstruct your cleaning processes. Clear away the leaves, twigs, grass, pine needles, and any other nature’s remnants from the air conditioner.
3. Be proactive with air conditioner cleaning
Cleaning an air conditioner isn’t exactly an enjoyable task, and many homeowners feel reluctant to do this type of work. A common excuse to avoid the maintenance work is that the air conditioner looks clean enough, just because you can’t see any natural debris. However, never assume that your air conditioner is clean based on its exterior appearance.
Some debris are small and covert, so they may evade your detection at first. You may not even realize how dirty your air conditioner is until a closer examination. If you have vines, bushes or flowers growing nearby, pollen may find a way to infiltrate your air conditioner. The same goes for mould spores and dust particles. All these pollutants are barely visible, but they can block the AC unit from pulling in air and reduce its efficiency.
You should take a proactive approach towards cleaning your air conditioner. Instead of using your pure instincts to decide if the AC is clean or not, establish a regular cleaning schedule. At the start of every spring season, you can follow this schedule to make sure the air conditioner stays clean.
4. Clean the air conditioner fins
The fins are a part of the condenser that moves heat away from the air conditioner. You can use a vacuum to remove dirt from the fins, and then give them a thorough spray with the garden hose. If the fins are very dirty, there are fin cleaning sprays specifically designed to remove the more persistent debris.
Once you’ve cleaned the fins, take a look to see if any of them are bent. Bent fins can cause a reduction in air flow, leading to decreased efficiency. Contact a professional air conditioner repair service if you need help to straighten the air conditioner fins.
5. Clean the air filters
The air filter captures the pollutants and hazardous particles that go through the AC unit. As a result, the filter quickly becomes clogged with dust and dirt. When the air filter is too dirty, it will obstruct regular airflow and cause a decrease in efficiency.
Air filters can be replaceable or reusable. Replaceable filters are usually made from a papery material, whereas reusable filters are made from a rubber or metal material. You should try to change replaceable air filters twice a year. If your AC unit has reusable filters, you should aim to clean them twice a year.
To clean the filters, wash them gently with dish soap and lukewarm water. The filters tend to be delicate, so make sure you handle them carefully to avoid damages.
6. Clean the air conditioner drain line
In addition, you should clean the air conditioner’s drain line. As the evaporator unit cools and dehumidifies the air from outside, it produces a liquid that runs through a thin plastic pipe to a drain in the floor of your basement. Over time, mould and algae have the potential to plug up the drain.
If you notice the drain is flowing slowly, you’ll need to unplug it. This can be done by applying a wet/dry vacuum on the end of the drain line. Keep vacuuming until the clog and any excess moisture are cleared from the drain.
As the winter season fades into a distant memory, many homeowners are starting to embrace the warmer weather. In the upcoming weeks, the sun might shine brighter, the days might feel longer, and the temperature might get a lot hotter. Eventually, there comes a time when the summer weather becomes too hot to endure. At this point, you’ll want to turn on the air conditioner and cool down from the sweltering heat.
Unfortunately, what if your AC won’t turn on for some reason? No matter how many times you tinker with the power switch, the air conditioner still doesn’t seem to be running. As frustration sets in, you may feel completely perplexed by why the air conditioner isn’t working. In some cases, you may need to contact an air conditioner repair service to find out what has gone wrong.
To help you troubleshoot this issue, below are the six possible reasons why your AC won’t turn on:
1. Your AC won’t turn on because there’s too much dust and dirt.
A likely reason why your AC won’t turn on is because of its poor upkeep. Dirt, dust, and debris all tend to quickly accumulate within an air conditioner system. When the AC unit is clogged with filth, this will affect its ability to operate efficiently or properly. If you haven’t been cleaning the air conditioner for a long time, there are probably excessive amounts of muck and grime within the unit.
Several air conditioner parts are especially vulnerable to dust and dirt, such as the air filters. Since this filter is designed to remove harmful pollutants from the air, it may become dirty rather easily. An unclean filter will obstruct the regular air flow of the AC system, potentially leading to equipment failure. To avoid this, you should make a habit of cleaning or changing the air filters on a regular basis.
2. Your AC won’t turn on because it’s too old & rusty.
Air conditioner problems become more frequent with growing age. The parts may deteriorate, the components can break down, and the equipment will naturally wear out over time. Once an air conditioner is more than ten years old, the risks of equipment failure will increase considerably. As the unit gets older and older, you may need to contact an AC repair service with alarming frequency.
Keep in mind that certain air conditioner parts may have less longevity than others. For instance, every air conditioner component might be working perfectly, all except for the dying condenser fan motor. If this is the case, it doesn’t mean you need a whole new AC unit. You can just replace the motor (or any specific part causing the problem) and the AC might turn on again after this fix.
3. Your AC won’t turn on due to the ice buildup.
Even though the winter season seems so long ago, this may not be your last encounter with frost and ice. You might feel surprised to find a buildup of ice inside your AC unit, particularly around the evaporator coils or the lines outside. The ice usually forms if the air filter is clogged or there is low refrigerant in the system.
This inefficiency means the AC does not have enough warm air passing the through the coil. As a result, the coil becomes colder than usual, which drops the temperatures below the freezing level. This causes internal parts of the coil and lines to collect ice all the way to the outside unit.
4. Your AC won’t turn on due to a thermostat problem.
A thermostat serves as the control panel for the air conditioning system. If your AC won’t turn on, the problem might potentially be traced back to this device. Some common thermostat problems include outdated software, faulty components, electronic glitches, and insufficient battery power. For troubleshooting, you can test the thermostat and check to see if all the settings are working properly.
5. Your AC won’t turn on because of the home’s wiring problem.
The problem with your air conditioner may not be an isolated incident. Inspect whether you can turn on the other electronics and appliances in your household. If several items do not have power either, this could signify an underlying issue with your home’s wiring system.
When the wires are broken or damaged, this may prevent sufficient power or communication from connecting to your household equipment, including the AC unit. You will need to contact an HVAC technician in order to resolve this issue.
6. Your AC won’t turn on due to a tripped circuit breaker.
A tripped circuit breaker can be the reason why your AC won’t turn on. As a safety measure, circuit breakers are supposed to shut off when they receive an overload of electricity. This often happens when too many appliances are being used at once, or an old appliance is hogging too much electricity. If there was a recent thunderstorm, the sudden power surge may have also tripped the circuit breaker.
To fix this issue, inspect the breaker box, specifically the breaker connected to the AC unit. If you discover the breaker has tripped, reset it and then try turning on the AC again. If the breaker shuts off again, there may be an underlying issue and you should contact an HVAC technician.
Observing the air quality is important when we spend a lot of time inside our homes. Since the human body benefits from breathing in fresh air, we want to ensure the indoor air quality is as safe and clean as possible. When the air quality is poor, there could be a lot of dust, allergens, and bacteria passing through your home. This may lead to a myriad of health problems in the long term, especially among those with respiratory conditions.
Fortunately, there are many natural ways to purify the air in your home. You just need to make a couple of simple adjustments that will increase the overall indoor air quality. Once you have adapted to these changes, the air quality should improve and you will start breathing in fresher, purer air inside the house.
Here are the ten best ways to purify the air in your home:
1. HVAC maintenance
The HVAC system sets the primary foundation of the indoor air quality inside every home. When the HVAC units are properly maintained, they ensure that clean air is regulated throughout the home at maximum efficiency. A faulty HVAC system will have the opposite effect, causing inefficiencies that may obstruct the circulation of clean air in your home. For the best indoor air quality, you should schedule regular appointments for HVAC inspections.
2. HEPA filters
Commonly referred to as HEPA filters, High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filters are an excellent way to help purify the air in your home, especially if you are an allergy sufferer. HEPA filters are able to remove more than 99% of all airborne pollutants 0.3 microns or larger. They are capable of killing airborne germs and particles that can trigger allergy symptoms.
If you’re wondering how you can incorporate HEPA filters into your home, these could be found in some air purifiers, HVAC systems, and vacuum cleaners.
3. UV lights
Another way to purify the air in your home is with the use of UV lights. You can choose to have an ultraviolet light installed in your HVAC system, which will help to kill microbes as they pass through the system. UV lights will kill growths in the air resulting from high humidity levels. They can be beneficial for allergy sufferers, as well as those living in hot, humid areas.
A UV light will kill bacteria and mould spores before they get blown into the system. Along with a UV light, you will still need to use a high-quality air filter for the best purifying results.
4. HRV and ERV
HRV and ERV, which stand for Heat Recovery Ventilator and Energy Recovery Ventilator, can both be beneficial for improving the air quality in your home. They were created to remove stale air from the home, while bringing in fresh air from outside.
If you live in a colder climate, the heat recovery ventilator (HRV) will retain heat inside the home, while bringing in fresh air. For those living in climates with hot humid summers, the Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) reduces the amount of moisture entering your home. And for those living in dryer climates, the ERV reduces the amount of moisture leaving your home.
5. High MERV filters
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, also known as MERV, is a measurement scale to report the effectiveness of air filters. The scale ranges from 1-16, and most residential HVAC systems will use air filters with a rating from 7-12.
Using a media cabinet with a high MERV filter is another great choice if you want to purify the air in your home. They are installed in the return duct of your forced air heating or cooling system. The media air cleaner can trap tiny particles including pollen, dust, and dander, making them a great choice for allergy sufferers.
6. Purify the air with essential oils
When used properly, essential oils can be one of the best natural ways to purify the air in your home. Some types of essential oils can help to fight bacteria, mould, fungi, and other nasty intruders that lower the indoor air quality. Tea tree oil and cinnamon oil are two of the most powerful essential oils with positive results.
To employ the essential oils, you will need an oil diffuser. This elegant device acts like a humidifier, dissipating an essential oil-laden steam within the room. Over time, the diffuser will help to purify the air in your home. Instead of a diffuser, you can also add a few drops of the essential oil into a bowl of warm water, letting it slowly evaporate into the room.
7. Use house plants to purify the air
Plants are an effective way to purify the air in your home. The best house plants are known for detoxifying the air, which can kill airborne germs in your household. Some popular house plants for air purification include the aloe vera, the weeping fig, the snake plant, and the ever-popular spider plant.
The spider plants are especially popular due to their low maintenance. These plants can also reproduce themselves, giving you extra plants that you can then hang throughout your home. For the best air purifying results from house plants, you should place a plant about every hundred square feet. While you do have to maintain these plants from time to time, their air purification benefits could last for many years to come.
8. Eliminate mould from your home
Mould releases harmful spores into the atmosphere of your home, which will severely impact the indoor air quality. These spores are detrimental to our health and can be a huge problem for those with respiratory problems.
You should conduct a diligent search for mould at least once a year. Mould can often be found in basements and bathrooms, appearing in the dark and damp spots where the spores grow unhindered. If you detect the presence of mould in your home, you should eliminate it with urgency.
9. Air out your new furniture
Chemicals can often be found in the most unsuspecting places, even within the new furniture that you bought for your bedroom or living room. Whether it is a new couch or a new chair, some furniture pieces are stuffed with volatile chemical compounds that will release into the air of your home. You don’t want these chemicals to foul the indoor air quality.
There are several ways to work around this problem. Firstly, you can place the furniture in the garage for a week to let the chemical compounds dissipate into the air. Secondly, you can place the furniture near a window to increase air circulation. Finally, you can buy from ecofriendly furniture manufacturers that minimize the use of harmful chemicals in their processes.
10. Use natural air purifiers in your home
There are many natural air purifiers with positive detoxifying effects on the indoor air quality of your home. One example is beeswax candles, which can eliminate the dust and toxins in the air. These candles are also smokeless, so they shouldn’t aggravate any respiratory problems as other candles might.
Another great natural air purifier is the Himalayan salt lamp. These pink-orange salt lamps work well as air purifiers, soaking up toxins and other pollutants to purify the air in your home. You can keep a salt lamp on your desk and another near your bedside table, which will improve the air quality as you work and sleep respectively. As an added bonus, these salt lamps will work whether they are switched on or not.
With the arrival of spring, there are many activities that we can do to prepare for the new season. One of the more practical activities is to get our HVAC systems ready for spring. Since you will need air conditioning when the temperature gets warmer, you want to make sure your HVAC system is in great condition.
It would be wise to schedule a seasonal maintenance appointment with a professional HVAC specialist, especially if your system is getting old. If you can’t remember the last time a contractor performed preventative HVAC maintenance, this is an indication that you need to make a new appointment. Maintenance will not only help you stay cool when the summer heat arrives, but it will also help you save money on energy bills and costly repairs.
In addition to scheduling a maintenance appointment, you should follow these eight helpful air conditioner and HVAC tips for spring:
Tip #1: Clean leaves and debris around the HVAC unit.
Spring is the perfect time to clean up the debris, dead leaves, and tree branches that have accumulated around the air conditioning unit. During the winter, you probably didn’t check up on the HVAC system when the outdoor temperature was so cold. As a result, your air conditioning system could have a lot of dirt and dust build-up over these past few months.
When your air conditioning unit is dirty and clogged, this could reduce the overall efficiency of the HVAC equipment. In some potential cases, this could even cause critical damages to your air conditioner. You should remember to clean up your AC unit at least a few times throughout the season. Due to the frequency of storms and strong winds during spring, a lot of debris can potentially infiltrate your air conditioning unit.
Tip #2: Be careful about vegetation that grows around the HVAC unit.
Gardening is a popular activity during the spring. As a gardener, an important HVAC tip is to be mindful of the vegetation that grows around your air conditioning unit. This includes any flowers, crops, bushes and small trees planted near the air conditioner. Make sure these plants do not touch the air conditioning system.
Ideally, the vegetation should not grow within two feet of the air conditioner. The AC unit needs to pull in air to cool down the home properly, so you don’t want the equipment to be obstructed by anything nearby. If this is a problem, it is recommended that you trim a few plants or relocate them elsewhere in your garden.
Tip #3: Replace the dirty air filters
The air filter in your HVAC system is intended to improve the air quality inside your home. The air filter works by trapping dust, pollen, and other allergens throughout your home. If the air filter is dirty, this means your air conditioner will not function as effectively as it should.
You should ideally check the air filter once a month. If you have a disposable filter, you can replace the dirty filter with a new one. If it’s a reusable filter, simply wash the filter and put it back into place.
Tip #4: Test the HVAC system.
Spring is an ideal season to test your HVAC system after a long period of inactivity. You want to make sure the system runs properly before the scorching summer temperatures arrive. During the testing phase, let the HVAC system run for an hour. Then, check if you notice anything unusual inside and outside of your home. If there are any issues, you still have plenty of time to schedule for an air conditioner repair before the summer season starts.
Tip #5: Install a new HVAC system.
When was the last time you bought a new HVAC system? If the purchase happened a long time ago, it may be time to consider upgrading your current HVAC system for this spring season. An old air conditioner could cost you more in maintenance and repair costs than the price of getting a new one installed. A new air conditioning system comes with many benefits, including reliability, energy efficiency, and a better overall performance.
Tip #6: Check the condition of your air ducts.
Another HVAC tip for spring is to inspect the air ducts around your home. The ducts may be clogged with dust and debris, which can decrease the efficiency of the HVAC system. You may also notice there are cracks or leaky joints in the ductwork. Call a professional HVAC contractor to assess the damage and find out what repairs need to be done.
Tip #7: Install a programmable thermostat.
A programmable thermostat is a useful device that will make it easier to regulate the temperature inside your home. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat yet, it could be a good idea to have one installed during spring. There are many benefits of a programmable thermostat, including a feature to monitor the temperature when nobody is home.
If you already have a programmable thermostat, spring is the perfect time to review your settings. Based on your preferences, adjust the thermostat to ensure your home stays comfortable as the temperature increases.
Tip #8: Close your windows and doors when the AC is on.
Even before summer arrives, you may notice the temperature getting a lot warmer outside. If you don’t enjoy the sweltering heat, it may be necessary to turn on the air conditioner a bit earlier during the spring. When the air conditioning system is running, you should keep all the windows and doors closed. This prevents the hot and humid air from entering your home, which could be counterintuitive to the effectiveness of your HVAC system.
Finding the best humidity level in your house can be a delicate balancing act. When the humidity levels are too high, the air will feel uncomfortably wet and stuffy. You will begin sweating more, but the air is so humid that your sweat does not evaporate quickly. The high humidity environment will force your body to work harder to cool off, which leads to excessive sweating.
There are negative consequences with prolonged periods of high humidity. You may experience allergy flare-ups, respiratory problems, and sleep interruptions. In addition, you may notice the gradual growth of mould and mildew within your surroundings. Once these fungi begin to grow, they will only continue until your humidity problem is properly addressed.
A hygrometer can read the humidity levels and measure the amount of moisture in the air. The ideal indoor humidity level should be around 30% to 50%. If the rating exceeds this range, you need to find effective ways on how to reduce the humidity in your house.
Below are seven ideas on how to lower humidity and bring it down to an acceptable level:
1. Use a dehumidifier to lower humidity in the house.
A dehumidifier is an absolute necessity on how to reduce high humidity in the house. The dehumidifier will help to remove excess moisture as the air passes through the device. Once the air reaches you, it will feel cooler and drier as a result.
In addition, the dehumidifier can help to reduce some of the common allergens in the air, such as dust mites, mould spores, and mildew. The powerful device can also make your home smell better by reducing any musty or rotting odours. With the dehumidifier running quietly in the background, you will end up with healthier indoor air quality throughout your house.
2. Fix any leaking pipes around the house.
Leaking pipes lead to excess moisture and condensation, which are common culprits for the high humidity around the house. Check your pipes, faucets, and plumbing fixtures for any possible leaks. You should also check your gutters, which are one of the likeliest sources of indoor water leaks.
If you identify a leak, wrap the exposed pipe with insulation. Your goal is to minimize moisture and prevent condensation from infiltrating your home through these openings. While the smaller leaks could be difficult to detect at first, some of the possible signs include stained drywall, wet spots, and inconsistent water bills.
3. Use your air conditioner to reduce humidity.
Your air conditioning system can be used to lower high humidity levels in the house. An air conditioner works by introducing cool air and removing warm air simultaneously. During the process of absorbing heat, the air conditioner also removes some of the moisture from the air. This makes the air less humid as a result.
In order to maximize its effectiveness, make sure your air conditioner is functioning properly and maintained regularly. The air filter should also be frequently cleaned. Using the air conditioner to regulate your humidity levels is recommended in summer, but you will need alternative solutions during the cold winter months.
4. Open the windows to lower humidity levels.
If you need a quick and temporary way to lower the humidity in your house, an open window could prove to be useful. The act of opening a window isn’t going to eliminate humidity altogether, but it will help to improve the air flow. The increased circulation will be effective in evaporating more moisture, so you should notice less humidity in the air.
5. Limit the amount of plants in your house.
When you have many indoor plants in your home, high humidity is more likely to occur. As lovely as plants are, they do release a lot of moisture into the air. In order to control the humidity levels, you can either move the plants outside or limit the amount of plants within your indoor spaces. If you keep the plants inside, place them in a room with proper ventilation.
6. Use your ventilation fans in the kitchen and washroom.
Many modern homes are built with ventilation fans in the washrooms and exhaust fans in the kitchens. Use these fans wisely to reduce the excess humidity in your house. These fans are designed to extract damp air from the area. If you leave the fans powered on for a while, this will help to reduce the humidity levels in your home.
7. Dehumidify a room with charcoal briquettes.
Using charcoal briquettes is an interesting way to lower the humidity levels. Take a few clean charcoal briquettes, put them in a basket, and place these strategically around the high humidity sections of your home. Since charcoal can absorb a lot of moisture, the briquettes will be effective in reducing humidity over time. They can be replaced every few months for maximum impact.
Does your thermostat drop below its set temperature frequently? This can be a frustrating problem when your home’s temperature and your thermostat’s settings do not seem to match. No matter how much you adjust the thermostat, the temperature always falls short of the optimal level, resulting in a colder house than anticipated.
A functioning thermostat will regulate the right amounts of warmth and coolness in our homes. Quite understandably, we expect the thermostat to regulate at a consistent temperature that corresponds with our predetermined settings. If the thermostat drops below the set temperature, this brings into question whether the HVAC system works or not.
There could be numerous reasons why your thermostat drops below the set temperature. Some problems are simple to fix, while others will require more professional HVAC expertise to decipher. Below are eight common explanations about why the thermostat drops below a set temperature:
Reason #1: Your thermostat is improperly calibrated.
As with any piece of technology, the thermostat may become faulty from time to time. This affects its ability to assess the temperature accurately. Due to these technical glitches, the thermostat could indicate a lower (or higher) number than the actual temperature.
To fix this problem, follow the instruction manual to ensure the thermostat is properly calibrated. The calibration process may vary between different thermostat models, but it should be simple and straightforward to perform. Every thermostat will require calibration, regardless of whether you have a manual model or a digital version.
Reason #2: Your thermostat is broken and needs to be replaced.
Sometimes, a thermostat is so completely broken that no amount of calibration will fix it. You will know your thermostat is malfunctioning if it causes your heater to turn on and off at inappropriate times. This is one of the most common warning signs that your thermostat could be broken. Other warning signs may include a non-responsive thermostat that won’t turn on or power off properly.
If you have a broken thermostat, the HVAC professional may be able to fix your device depending on the problem. Otherwise, you will have to replace the broken thermostat with a new version instead.
Reason #3: The outdoor unit is broken and not running properly.
If the thermostat is working properly, then the problem may lie within your HVAC system. A broken outdoor unit could lead to less efficiency in your heating and cooling systems. Since the unit doesn’t operate at its full potential, you may get weaker power and lower temperatures as a result.
The prospective problems with HVAC units tend to be diverse and complex, ranging from a defective valve to a faulty run capacitor. Unless you have the technical expertise, you will need professional technicians to troubleshoot the HVAC system. Depending on the diagnosis, further repairs or a full system replacement may be necessary.
Reason #4: The temperature is too cold outside.
Winter can be an intensely cold season with plummeting temperatures. If the outdoor temperatures drop too much, your heat pump may experience a loss of efficiency under these extreme weather conditions.
Most heat pumps are built with a supplemental heating system that kicks in to give it extra power during the cold. However, the outdoor temperature could drop to a point where your heat pump is simply not powerful enough. In other words, the warmth that it generates cannot sustain against the coldness of winter.
Reason #5: The outdoor unit is frozen and covered in ice.
Along with the cold temperatures, snow and ice are quite prevalent during the winter season. During a snowstorm, the coil of your heat pump might be covered in a layer of ice. If these coils are completely blocked by ice, the heat transfer between the refrigerant and the outside air cannot occur. As soon as these coils are cleared, you can expect your desired temperature to come roaring in again.
Reason #6: Your furnace isn’t the right size.
When a furnace is inappropriately sized, this could cause heating issues inside a home. A furnace that is too small may not have the power to reach high temperatures. Conversely, a furnace that is too large may warm the air so quickly that it overheats faster than the thermostat expects.
Reason #7: Your home isn’t adequately insulated.
Warm temperature has a way of escaping from poorly insulated homes. The easiest way to check your home insulation is to feel the interior ceilings, walls, and floors. If they are warm and dry during winter, this is a good signal. If they are damp or cold, you haven’t applied enough insulation.
Reason #8: There are leaking ducts in your home.
Your HVAC system is significantly impacted by the leaking ducts in your attics, crawlspaces, and basements. When there is a leak, the heated air will escape through these openings and never arrive at their intended destination. The leaky ducts will create cold spots, heat losses, and uneven temperatures throughout your home.
An overheating furnace can be problematic, especially during the winter months. When a furnace overheats, the whole system could just shut down abruptly at any unanticipated moment. Worst of all, you may have a difficult time getting the furnace started again, leaving you hopelessly stranded in the freezing cold.
There are several pre-emptive warning signs of a furnace overheating. The most common signs include a burning smell from the vents and inexplicable noises coming from the furnace unit. If these are recurring symptoms, you should call in the HVAC specialists as soon as possible, since the overheating furnace can be potentially life-threatening.
As a homeowner, you may want to investigate why your furnace is overheating. Once you recognize the root issues, you can take proactive steps to stop your furnace from overheating again. Below are six reasons why your furnace is overheating and how to fix these potential problems:
Reason #1: Your furnace is overheating because of its age.
Most furnaces are built to last for up to twenty years with regular check-ups and maintenance work. If you just purchased your home, you may not know when the last check-up was done or even how old the furnace is. When a furnace has significantly aged, it could start overheating just weeks or months after you take possession of your new house.
You should have your furnace checked by a professional to ascertain its age and general condition. If you know that your furnace is reaching the twenty-year mark, start looking into options for purchasing a new furnace. In most cases, you will be better off buying a new furnace instead of maintaining an old furnace that is likely to overheat.
Reason #2: Your vents are the problem.
You may have closed several vents in order to control the temperature in various rooms of the house. If you have too many vents closed, this could potentially cause your furnace to overheat. Since the hot air is trapped with no place to go, it will put a lot of undue pressure on your furnace system. To prevent this, open your vents and turn down the thermostat.
In some cases, your vents might be open, but there is something else potentially obstructing the passage. This has the same effect as a closed vent and may cause the furnace to overheat. You will want to contact a furnace repair professional to look more closely into this problem.
Reason #3: The inner workings of your furnace have failed.
A furnace is a large machine with many parts, some of which are delicate. You may have an overheating furnace if the wiring or any mechanical component came loose, became broken, or simply stopped working. Without the technical expertise, it will be difficult for most homeowners to figure out exactly what broke inside the furnace. This is one of the few furnace repairs that you won’t be able to DIY.
Instead, contact a professional HVAC expert for assistance. The knowledgeable technician can inspect the furnace and quickly analyze which elements have failed. The technician can also identify potential weak links, allowing you to replace the parts and components before they break apart.
Reason #4: Your furnace isn’t being properly maintained.
Your furnace could be overheating due to maintenance issues. Think about the last time you had a furnace maintenance check-up. If these inspections haven’t been occurring on a regular basis, your furnace might have maintenance risks that could lead to the system overheating.
During these furnace inspections, the technicians can identify small problems that are easy to fix in the moment. If left unattended, these issues will escalate over time and cause more dramatic problems in the future. To avoid an overheating furnace, you should schedule regular check-ups about once a year.
Reason #5: Your furnace doesn’t have sufficient airflow.
Keep a close eye on the condition of your furnace’s air filter. If this component becomes too dirty, your furnace can quickly become coated with lint, dust, and other unpleasant materials. When this happens, your furnace may not be able to cycle the hot air as intended. Since there is limited air flow traveling through the furnace, this will lead to the risk of overheating.
Make sure the airflow remains as clear as possible by cleaning or replacing the air filter. This should be done each month. Be sure to replace any filters if they become damaged or too old to perform the job effectively.
Reason #6: Your furnace is short cycling.
Your furnace may start short cycling when the system shuts off before it can move through all the stages of heating. Short cycling often occurs if there is a issue with the heat exchanger or lack of air flow. Often these issues result in the furnace being controlled by its high limit switch and not the thermostat. When this happens, it stresses out the motors and other components of the furnace, which can lead to a furnace breakdown.
You may not even notice your furnace is short cycling at first, so be more attuned to when the system powers on and when it is suddenly turned off. Short cycling could be the result of a complex furnace problem, so you should contact a professional for a deeper diagnosis.
During the cold winter weather, we gladly seek refuge in the reassuring warmth of the indoors. Unfortunately, there are times when the temperatures drop so low that even your room doesn’t feel warm enough. You can try to increase your body temperature by wearing an extra layer of clothing, but this isn’t a long-term solution. There are much better ways to keep a room warm in your house.
If you find yourself shivering inside the house, this probably means your room temperature isn’t adjusted at an optimal level. You will need to come up with intuitive ways to increase the indoor temperature. The following are eight ideas on how to keep a room warm without wasting too much energy or too much money:
In recent years, home heating systems have drastically evolved since the days of the original humble fireplace. Back in the old days, the home heating options were quite basic and limited. It may be shocking to think that people didn’t use to have modern furnaces or smart thermostats in their homes, which are the home heating systems that we now take for granted.
Fortunately, technological advances have made our home heating options more efficient than ever. You are probably familiar with the traditional furnaces, but there are also new technologies designed to heat up specific parts of the house. When you combine these different home heating systems together, you can achieve the perfect temperature in every corner of your house.
The following are six of the most efficient home heating options that you can use during winter:
As winter binds us in its chilly grip, it’s important to have a water heater that works. Unfortunately, even the sturdiest water heaters are prone to malfunctioning from time to time. If you cannot fix the unit quickly, you will be left stranded in a house with no hot water for cooking, cleaning, and drinking. Without this precious hot water supply, winter is going to feel like a cold and miserable season for the next few months.
While it may seem daunting to repair the water heater by yourself, some of the common problems are quite small and fixable, even for novices. With the right knowledge, you should be able to perform the water heater maintenance and troubleshoot the basic issues. For the more perplexing complications, you can always contact the professional HVAC technicians for assistance.
To help you learn more about water heater maintenance, here are seven troubleshooting tips for homeowners:
