If you’ve lived in the St Augustine area for even just a year, then you know that our “winter” season is almost laughable to our friends up north in New England and the New York area. Still though, this is even more reason for us to want to spend as little as possible on our heating systems. One way to ensure this is the case is to invest in routine annual maintenance. Maintenance allows our technicians to thoroughly inspect, clean, and adjust the components that need it inside your heating system, which will help the system perform as efficiently and effectively as it’s meant to, for as long as it’s meant to (10-15 years). This all means lower heating bills for you!
Maintenance can help you avoid up to 85% of the repairs you might ever need in your heater’s lifespan, by enabling us to catch small wear and tear problems before they grow into bigger repair emergencies. Of course, this doesn’t mean you’ll never have a repair need in between maintenance sessions. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of a heater in disrepair. Read on as we uncover some of the most common!
Loud/Unfamiliar Sounds Coming from the System
Sometimes, it can be hard to pinpoint when you have a heating system problem if it’s not actually getting in direct way of your comfort. Strange sounds, for example, don’t typically send people into an immediate panic. In fact, you might even just brush it off if you heard a slight rattling or something like that. If it’s not impacting how warm the air is that’s coming through your vents, do you really need to address it?
Well, yes. The thing is, it might be the sign of something that can soon grow into a much bigger problem. For example, a buzzing noise might be the sign that something is wrong with the electrical connections, which could eventually lead to a fire hazard. A screeching sound may mean you have a worn-out fan belt that could break at any moment. Popping or banging can be the sign of a dangerous problem with your burners.
Higher Than Average Utility Bills
We get it, high utility bills are something nobody wants to deal with, especially a Florida resident who feels like they should get a bit of reprieve during the cooler months where they don’t have to use their air conditioners! We agree.
So if you look at your utility bills and discover they’re higher than your energy bills were this same time last year, don’t take this at face value. This often means that something in your home is working inefficiently, and your heater could very well be to blame. After all, HVAC systems make up for half of a home’s entire energy use!
Short-Cycling
Short-cycling is a process where your heater turns on and shuts off rapidly, never actually completing a full cooling cycle. While a furnace should run in 15-minute increments, 2-3 times an hour, you’ll likely hear a short-cycling furnace come on double that time in an hour. This is not only the symptom of an existing problem but can cause further problems for your system.
When you need reliable, professional heating repair in St Augustine, FL, look no further than Climate Masters. Contact us today!
