Ohio weather can be unpredictable, and winters can be especially bad sometimes. It’s a good idea to make sure your furnace is in perfect working order before the weather turns bad. You don’t want to have to deal with a disruption in your home’s heating system at the worst possible time. If your furnace doesn’t seem to be working as well as it should be in the cold weather, one of the following issues may be keeping it from working properly:
1. Your system needs a thorough inspection and cleaning
Throughout the summer months, your furnace collected dust, dirt, and other debris while it sat unused. If it isn’t cleaned out, that gunk can clog your system and interfere with it being able to heat your home adequately. Call Xenia Heating and Air at (937) 708-8451 for an appointment to get your HVAC system in top working order right away.
2. Don’t turn your furnace off
Once you have started using your furnace for the winter season, you can turn it down when the weather is mild, but don’t shut your heating system off entirely. The weather will turn ugly again, and if your system has been off, it will take longer for it to get started again, meaning that it will take longer for your home to get warm and comfortable. Another danger is that if the temperature drops below freezing while your heating system is off or working to re-heat your home, your water pipes could freeze and burst, causing considerable damage to your home.
3. Your house needs a different-sized furnace
If your home has a furnace that is too small, it will become overworked trying to heat your entire house. The motor will burn up and ruin your HVAC system. Check to see if this could be the problem by increasing the temperature on your thermostat five degrees higher than usual. Watch the time to see how long it takes to reach the higher temperature. If it takes a long time for your house to get warmer, or if it fails to reach the temperature at all, then the furnace is likely too small to be as effective as it needs to be at heating your home.
If your house gets too warm regardless of the temperature your thermostat is set on, then you likely have a furnace system that is too large for your home. If this is the case, your home will remain consistently too warm, and the high temperatures can damage your homer’s ductwork, and you will have to spend a good deal of money to have it repaired or completely replaced.
4. Your HVAC’s fan isn’t working properly
Inadequate airflow from your furnace into your home will keep it from being warm and cozy when cold weather arrives. If there is a problem such as a broken blower fan, a dirty air filter, or ductwork that has been damaged, the heated air cannot circulate throughout your home. Check the most accessible possibility first: take a look at your furnace’s air filter and change it if it is dirty. If this isn’t the problem, give us a call so that we can schedule you for an appointment and have one of our expert HVAC technicians come out and inspect and repair your heating system.
5. You may need an updated thermostat
If you notice your furnace running nonstop but your home isn’t getting any warmer, your thermostat may need to be replaced with a more modern, updated model. You can test to see if this is the issue by increasing the setting on your thermostat by five degrees and listening for the heat to start up. When it does, listen for a click and then check to see if heated air is coming from the heating vents. If there is no warm air coming into your home, it is time to update your old thermostat. There are more effective and efficient models available, and our expert HVAC technicians can advise you as to which one would be best for your specific needs. Programmable thermostats can control the temperature setting in your home day and night, whether you are home or not, so you can just set it and forget it. This will save you money on your energy bills as well as keeping your home comfortable and inviting.
Xenia Heating and Air wants to help make your home as comfortable as can be for you and your family during the winter season. Give us a call at (937) 708-8451 or visit us online at https://www.xeniaheatingandair.com/schedule-now/. We will be happy to answer any of your questions and schedule an appointment for you with one of our fully trained HVAC professionals for a comprehensive inspection and thorough cleaning of your entire HVAC system. We’re here to serve our valued customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.