When winter hits in Virginia, you don’t want to be counting on an old, unreliable heater to keep you and your family warm. While we may not be setting country-wide records for most frigid winter temperatures, it gets more than cold enough to put a lot of strain on our heating systems throughout the winter season. That is why the right time to schedule any necessary heating repairs is the moment that you suspect there is a problem to begin with.
Or, at least, the moment after you rule out any obvious causes of the problem(s) that you can fix yourself. While we want to stress that actual heating repairs demand the attention of a professional HVAC contractor in Crozet, VA, there are some issues that can cause trouble but which are not really problems requiring professional attention. We want you to understand the difference between them, and some common causes of heating issues to begin with. So read on!
Check These Potential Causes First
Filters, circuit breakers, and thermostats. Check them before you pick up the phone. These devices and components can be behind your heating problems, and may not require a professional to resolve the issue. Let’s talk first about filters.
You need to change your air filter yourself every 1-3 months. Yes, even if you schedule routine heating maintenance. Why? Because a dirty filter restricts airflow. If you use a forced air heater, like a furnace or heat pump, a dirty filter can cause it to overheat and short cycle. That wastes energy, negatively affects your comfort, and causes excess wear and tear that can result in damages.
If you notice that your heater is not cycling on, or if cool air is coming from your vents, check your thermostat, too. You may have it set to cooling mode still, if you use a heat pump. It may be in a “fan-only” mode. You could even have set the temperature so low that it’s not kicking on when you get cold.
If your heater is not doing anything at all, check the thermostat. It’s possible that the breaker for the circuit that your heater runs on is tripped. If so, you can get your heater back online with the flip of a switch. If this keeps happening, though, definitely call a professional. There could be an electrical issue at play.
When to Call for Help
In pretty much any other case, really. In addition to a frequently tripped breaker, you should consider problems like a very noisy operation, very high heating costs that don’t align with previous years, or a heater leaving cold spots throughout your home as signs of trouble worth contacting a professional about.
Anything from leaky ductwork to loose components and refrigerant leaks in heat pumps could be to blame. Never wait for your system to break down entirely before scheduling professional heating repairs. Your system is most likely to do so when it’s working its hardest—meaning right when you need it the most!
We can’t control the weather outside of your home, but we can control the weather inside your home. Schedule service with Mack Morris Heating & Air Conditioning today.