The winters in northern Florida are short and mild, and now that it’s late February we can already start to look toward the time when the air conditioners in our houses will turn on and work steadily. However, there are still cool and rainy days ahead, with the temperature sometimes dropping into the 50s. Our heating systems aren’t ready to go into hibernation quite yet, and so it’s smart to make sure that they aren’t suffering from any major or minor repair issues. You don’t want to be caught by surprise when you try to turn your heater on at the end of the year and find that it doesn’t work just when you need it again.
Here are some heating repair issues you may need to address at this time of year:
Failing blower motor
Whether you have a furnace or a heat pump, it requires a blower fan to circulate the air through the ventilation system. This motor has probably already seen plenty of work during the last few months, and if it’s too worn down it may be in danger of a burn-out, in which case the motor must be replaced. Listen for screeching or shrieking sounds, or acrid odors from the vents, as these are early warning indicators of a motor that’s in trouble.
Miscalibrated thermostat
Over the season, a thermostat can start to lose its precision at sensing indoor temperatures, and even a few degrees of difference can mean some behavior from the heater that will leave your house drafty or overheated. Since the thermostat also controls the AC, you’ll want any trouble with it fixed as soon as possible.
Clogged air filter
You should change the air filter (or clean it if it uses a permanent filter) once a month during the winter. Unfortunately, it’s far too easy for people to forget to do this important job leading to a heavily clogged filter. This will cause a drop in air flow that will make the heater overwork. In the case of a furnace, a clogged air filter can also lead to too much heat getting trapped in the system, causing the furnace to shut down early, a situation known as short-cycling that is extremely damaging and will cause a massive spike in bills.
Don’t try to fix your heater yourself: call the heating repair professionals at Kool Breeze of Northwest Florida, Inc. We’ll help you out in Pensacola Beach, FL and the surrounding areas.