When your heater breaks down and stops working, there were likely signs leading up to the breakdown. By paying attention to the early signs that something is wrong, you can often prevent a heater malfunction completely. The trick is knowing what to watch and listen for.
When you notice unusual things happening with your heater, it’s time to schedule heating repair in Springtown, TX. You may not even know what is wrong with your heater, but we can help figure it out. Keep reading to learn more about common signs that something is wrong with your heater and what they might mean.
Loud Sounds
Your heater won’t be totally silent when it operates, and depending on how old it is there’s the potential that it could be loud-ish. Older heaters may make more noise as part of normal operation, but it should never make loud or alarming sounds. Newer heaters should be even quieter during heating cycles.
But no matter what type of heater you have or how old it is, you should have a good idea of what sounds are normal. When you do begin to hear sounds that your heater doesn’t usually make, consider that a red flag of something wrong. If you have doubts or concerns, give our team a call to ask about the sound(s) you’re hearing and schedule an appointment for service.
Lack of Heat
Your heater should always produce hot air—not warm or lukewarm. If you hold your hand up to any vent in your home while a heating cycle is operating, the air should be hot. Specifically, hot air is important because it is mixing in with significantly cooler air to meet in the middle for warmth. If your heater is losing the ability to provide hot air then something is wrong with the components inside.
You may find yourself setting the thermostat temperature higher and higher as you struggle to keep your home warm. Many homeowners think it’s normal to lose some heating capacity over the years but it isn’t. Your heater should provide a consistent level of heat for your home year after year.
Unusual Heating Cycles
It’s also possible to notice a difference in how your heater operates. A heating cycle should last 10 to 15 minutes on average. This means that your heater turns on and blows heat into your home for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. You can expect to have two or three of these cycles each hour. If your heater turns on and off every few minutes then something is happening to trigger heating cycles to end early.
This is usually a safety feature designed to prevent a problem inside the system like overheating. It’s equally possible that your heater is turning on and staying on for much longer than 15 minutes at a time. Both of these scenarios are putting a lot of strain on your heater and using more energy than usual.
Contact Don’s AC Service, Inc today to schedule an appointment for your heating needs this winter!