The holiday season is here, and with that comes cozy nights in, your favorite trilogy queued up, and a cup of hot peppermint cocoa in your hands. The last thing you want is to be interrupted mid-movie-climax by a failing heating system. That’s why it is important to understand the warning signs that your heater is headed towards a breakdown.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your heating network is in need of repairs:
If you have a furnace, a flame lights the main burner of your heating system. This is called the pilot light. If this light begins to flicker, your thermocouple (the part responsible for keeping your gas valve open and on) may be malfunctioning. If this device is not in working order, you are receiving an intermittent gas supply, lending to your insufficient heating. Have a professional heating specialist adjust your thermocouple to restore adequate heating to your home.
Your heater operation should be relatively silent. The occasional rumble when you turn your system on and off is completely normal; however, any ruckus beyond that is a sign your system needs a tune-up. From screeching and clanking to banging and popping, these sounds all indicate that your system needs attention. You may have a loose or broken part bouncing or rolling around within your appliance that needs securing.
If your comfort controls are not in working order, your heater will not perform. Before you call in the big guns, check to make sure your thermostat is set to the correct heating function. If you have a programmable thermostat, pre-set schedules can sometimes override manual inputs, interfering with your indoor climate goals. If you have determined that your heat setting is correctly dialed in, and you are still not receiving any hot air throughout your home, contact your local heating experts for further instructions.
If your heating network was installed over ten years ago, it may be time for an upgrade. Systems have a ten to fifteen-year lifespan and will start to dwindle in their later years. Not to mention, the technology of your current system is not up to today’s’ energy standards, costing you due to your unit’s high energy consumption. Replacing your heating system will decrease your utility costs and increase your heating effectiveness and efficiency.
Have cold spots throughout your home? Your heater may be the wrong size for your space. If your heater is undersized, it won’t have the necessary power to provide even heating. An oversized heater will not complete heating cycles, further leading to a frustrating fight with your home thermostat. Your system must be sized based on your square footage in order for it to function as intended.
Are you constantly contacting your repairman due to heater malfunctions? If your heating system technician is now your friend on Facebook, it may be time to throw in the towel and go with an upgrade. If you have spent almost 50% of the cost of a new system on repairs alone, installing a new system will be well worth the expenditure, as your repair costs will outweigh the price of a new system install over time.
For your heater repair or replacement, contact Rawhide Electric Services at (360) 382-1180! We are here for your comfort convenience this holiday season! Schedule your appointment as soon as possible to get back to doing what matters most—spending time with your loved ones.
Our goal is 100% customer satisfaction with every job we take on. Because of this, we go above and beyond for our customers, offering the highest level of quality, service, and customer care.