If there are problems with your central heating system, it’s best to find out now rather than waiting until much cooler weather arrives. But what are the most common problems you need to be on the lookout for? And how will you know if your system is experiencing these problems? These, and other questions, are going to be answered in today’s post so keep reading to get the answers!
The Most Common Problems with My Central Heating System
And of course, if you are ever experiencing problems with your central heating system, we are here to help! At A/C Care Heat and Air, our factory-trained and certified technicians work hard to provide Stuart residents with fast and effective heating services at affordable prices.
Now, onto those common problems with central heating systems and what to do about them.
Your thermostat controls aren’t working
If your thermostat controls aren’t working, don’t panic! It could be something as simple as making sure you remembered to turn on the thermostat in the first place. If it’s on but the controls aren’t working, check that the breakers in your main electrical panel are not tripped.
If that’s okay too, does your thermostat take batteries and have you tried replacing them yet? Batteries okay?
If you’re still having problems with your central heating system after all of these steps, it’s time to call for help! Professionals can quickly diagnose the problem and get your system in proper working order again.
Your heating system is moldy
Believe it or not, mold is one of the most common problems not only in central heating systems, but throughout most HVAC systems.
But when you find mold in your furnace, you will need to address it right away. It can grow quickly and cause significant health and breathing problems before you even realize it’s a problem! This is just one reason regular inspections are so important.
If your heating system is moldy, follow these steps from Goodway Technologies for cleaning it:
- “Turn off your HVAC system.
- Everyone involved in this cleaning should wear at least an N-95 respirator
- Replace anything porous, such as filters or insulation that has become wet. Double-bag the waste using 6-mil or thicker plastic bags.
- Use wet vacuums to clean out any standing water.
- Use an EPA registered disinfectant labeled for HVAC use to clean non-porous surfaces (Ductwork, coils, plenums, pans, etc.) of mold, mildew, and other dirt. BIOSPRAY-TOWER ready-to-use disinfectant and mold cleaner will kill and remove mold, mildew, and odor-causing bacteria.
- Clean the HVAC evaporator coils using a mechanical coil cleaning system to remove any solid debris.
- As an added measure, isolate each section of ductwork you clean with bladders so the spores you stir up during cleaning don’t spread to other parts of the system or the building. Fog the area with an EPA-registered disinfectant.
- Apply a mold and mildew inhibitor to all components of the HVAC systems. Again, this must be EPA registered and specifically labeled for use in HVAC systems to limit risks associated with using the wrong chemicals and cleaners in HVAC systems.
- As a final step, HEPA vacuum anything that you cleaned up.”
If you’re not 100% confident that you can complete this exactly as described then it’s best to call the professionals at A/C Care Heat and Air.
It’s making strange noises
Another common problem with central heating systems is the funny noises they can make when something isn’t working right. You’ll often notice regular noises when it kicks on or off, but if you’re suddenly noticing new or unusual sounds, something could be up.
First try turning the system off and back on to this sometimes “resets” the system and can eliminate the noise your hearing. If the noise returns pay close attention to which piece of equipment you hear the noise from. Is it from the indoor unit or the outdoor unit? Finally if noise doesn’t go away it’s better to be safe and call the professionals at A/C Care Heat and Air to come take a look at what’s going on with your heating system.
Your system outside has smoke/steam coming out of it?
You most likely have a heat pump system. Heat pump systems use the refrigeration cycle to heat your home the same way it uses it to cool your home. Normally when your indoor unit is providing cold air inside the home your outdoor unit is hot air outside.
How a heat pump system works is it switches which coil is hot and which coil is cold, so now your indoor unit will start providing the home with hot air and the outdoor unit will be blowing out cold air. What happens with heat pumps as the outdoor temperature starts to get below 50* if the unit has to run for a while to heat your home the cold coil outside in the cold environment will start to freeze up.
This is normal! Your system will switch back into the cooling mode where the outdoor coil is once again hot and the indoor coil is cold when it does this several things happen. Your outdoor unit sends a signal to your indoor unit to turn on the electric resistance heater so you don’t start feeling cold air coming out of your vents.
Next your outdoor unit shuts off the outdoor fan motor, this way the hot refrigerant running through the coil can be more effective thawing the ice off of the coil. During this process you will see what looks like smoke which is actually just steam from the ice melting and water evaporating once the coil warms up enough your system switches everything back into the heating mode and the system resumes normal heating operation.
Are You Having Problems with Your Central Heating System?
If your heat pump or heating system isn’t keeping your home or business in Stuart or West Palm Beach is warm enough, give A/C Care Heat and Air a call today. No central heating system repair job is too complex or too simple for us to take on. We take pride in providing high-quality heating repairs at affordable prices, so call us today for heating service! Not looking for heating repair? We also offer heating installation, maintenance and AC repair.
Did you enjoy reading about common problems with central heating systems in this post?
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