It’s the time of year where you’re starting to use your heating system more and more. This should be causing an increase in your comfort, but what if all you discover is that you’re not as comfortable as you think you should be? Let’s say you’re running your heater a reasonable amount of time, but it doesn’t seem to be improving your home’s temperature? This definitely means that something is amiss.
If this sounds familiar to you, you’re right to be concerned. There’s a good chance that something is wrong, internally, with your heater. When problems like this crop up, it means it’s time to give our professional a call. Our trained technicians can accurately identify the source of your heating system problem, and address it in a timely manner. Read on to learn what you should be on the lookout for.
Your Energy Bills Are Increasing
Alright, so it makes sense that the more you use one of your HVAC systems, your energy bills will increase. After all, your HVAC systems actually account for half of all your home’s energy use. But what we want you to look out for is if they’re increasing far past what they were last year, or what your neighbors are paying. A drastic increase like this usually means that something in your home is working inefficiently, and if this increase coincides with your heater use, it’s a good chance that your furnace or heat pump is to blame.
You Hear Strange Sounds
Nobody knows better than you and your family do the normal sounds of operation your furnace or heating system makes. So if something sounds “off,” something probably is off. For instance if you hear a clicking you’ve never heard before and it’s an older furnace, this could be the sign that you have a cracked heat exchanger. This could potentially allow harmful carbon monoxide exposure in your home, so this is at least one sound you don’t want to ignore.
Other sounds that could indicate you need heating repair include screeching, squeaking, or really anything outside of what you normally hear the system do.
There’s an Acrid Smell
If you just turned on your heater for the first time, a couple of hours before reading this blog post, then there’s likely little to worry about. You’re probably smelling dust buildup burn off of the coils and burners of your heating system. This is more common if you haven’t had maintenance done on the system yet, since a thorough cleaning is part of this service.
What is abnormal , however, is if you continue to smell this for hours or for days. It could mean there is an electrical problem and you have wires smoldering. Your furnace does have a safety feature that if something like this occurs, it will shut off. However, this isn’t something you want to take any chances on. Please give us a call right away if you discover this issue with your heating system, whether it’s a gas-powered furnace or an electrical heating system.
For professional Loganville, GA HVAC repairs and much more, contact Wall Heating & Air Conditioning!