No matter what kind of heating system your home has, you'll want to be sure it is ready to last through the cold season. The primary step to keeping comfortable this winter is to prepare your heating system for lots of constant usage. With the chilly days of the end of the year right around the corner there is no better time to get your heating system checked out and running in good shape before you need every day. If your heat does break down in the middle of the night then here are 3 steps you can take before hiring the repairman:
- Check that your thermostat is set properly: It may be a good idea for you to pick a cool night to test your heating system to make sure you remember how to turn it on and off before you need it. There are many different types of digital and manual thermostats available and some of them are not easy to read.
- Make sure you have not overloaded a fuse: No matter what type of heating system you have some type of electricity is probably required. A single blown home fuse could stop your heat from turning on. You may want to call an electrician if your heat seems to pop a fuse more than once, because that could be an indicator of a larger and potentially more dangerous electrical problem in your home.
- Consult the instruction manual: Store the written operating instructions in a nearby desk drawer thats close to your thermostat. If you have an instruction manual for your thermostat then you should read that at the first hint of problems. If you do not, then you should probably think about writing down some steps to follow in case you need to tell someone else how to turn your heat on or off in an emergency.
If you are not comfortable with any of these heat troubleshooting tips, don't hesitate to call a heating professional. If you are stuck without heat in your home then play it safe and get to a building that does have heat or at try to use an electrical room heater as a temporary measure to stay warm. The tips above are just some of the many heater repair steps you can take.
Heating furnaces are complex machines that are built to keep you comfortable and run without problems for many years, but they do need repairs every now and then.
For more tips, visit the Home Improvement Depot website and browse around, they have quite a few great tips and guides for homeowners!
Safety is the main concern for needing an annual check. Carbon Monoxide exposure puts an estimated 15,000 people in to the hospital and kills 500 every year, according the CDC. Heating systems are the leading cause for this exposure.
The heat exchanger is a critical component that must be inspected thoroughly. Your heat exchanger functions as a barrier between your home and the gases and fumes produced by your furnace in addition to transferring heat from the flame of the furnace to the air circulating throughout your home. Over time your heat exchanger will develop cracks in this barrier. As the metal ages, it becomes brittle from the constant expansion and contraction through normal everyday use. If a heat exchanger should crack, carbon monoxide can leak into the air in your home and this is where the danger lies.
In addition to safety, an annual furnace inspection is a great way to protect your investment in the equipment, making it last longer and lowering energy bills. Furnaces may fail for a number reasons including a deficient air return, dirty filters, humidity, improper installation, improper venting, lack of sufficient air to combust, over firing of burners and having an undersized or oversized unit. These problems can exacerbate a worn furnace and can raise utility costs up to 20%. However, most issues can be prevented with annual routine maintenance performed by a licensed technician.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 states that any residential home owner can receive a tax credit up to $1500 for installing or replacing an existing furnace. So if you need to replace your furnace, now is the time to do it.
The energy efficient tax credit have no income limits. They are currently retroactive until January, 1st 2009 and expire December 31, 2009. In order to qualify Natural gas and propane furnaces must have a 95% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) and oil furnaces must have 90%.
Please consult your local professional heating and cooling professional to see how you can upgrade to more energy-efficient HVAC equipment to save both on your energy bills now, as well as on taxes next year. Also, don't forget to ask them about their maintenance and service plans for both heating and air conditioning equipment.
Don't be left in the cold. Please contact AJ Warren Service Company to perform Furnace, Heater repair and Service in Houston TX
Its that time of year again... we wake up cold in the morning and need to switch from air conditioning to HEAT on our wonderfully dormant Gas Furnace! I don't know about the rrest of you, but if I have done nothing to it in months... this is usually when my fingers are crossed! Read more
