Air Conditioner Tune Up Portland Downtown Portland Oregon

How to solve common HVAC issues



There is nothing worse than waking up cold in the middle of the night.


Its one thing if you simply need to pull the conceal. Its an entire various concern if your furnace is working poorly or not working at all.


With a little do-it-yourself experience you can fix and fix your heating system yourself. Your finest bet though is to have an upkeep check list for your heating unit to avoid the issue.


Today I have something that will make you seem like you have the knowledge to take on some heater repair work.



Whether you have a standard gas heater or a high efficiency gas heater understanding how your furnace/heating system works is very important. You need to understand the basic functions of the device so you know what to search for when there is something incorrect.




Check your thermostat to make certain it is turned on.



It may sound ridiculous but check the thermostat to ensure it is set on "heat" which it is set at least five degrees above room temperature level. You may be stunned how many service calls are made without examining this!


Here are a few thermostat checks to perform yourself:


Examine the battery on the thermostat. You might need to change the batteries on your thermostat. If your houses thermostat unit operates on batteries be sure you are altering them at least when a year or as needed.


Some thermostats are wired to the houses electrical system while others utilize batteries. How is yours powered? Often those that utilize batteries will flash a low-battery sign when they require a replacement.


Open the thermostat and gently blow any dust or debris that may have blocked it.


Ensure the date and time is proper on electronic or programmable models - the system may be on a timer.


Examine the breaker. If on switch off the breaker and examine the fuse for the heater.




Heater is not producing heat - try to reset the Circuit Breaker


Here are any variety of small reasons that this might happen. First verify that the thermostat is set to "Heat." Then try moving the dial up or down a couple of degrees to examine if a visible distinction is felt.


If there is no outcome check to see if maybe a circuit breaker or fuse was tripped or blown.



Go to your houses breaker panel and look for the circuit that manages the furnace. Youre looking to see whether its thrown to the "Off" position or whether its in the middle.


Manually evaluate the breaker. Turn it back and forth.


Ensure it is remaining in the "On" position.


This will reset the breaker. If this does not do the technique you have an issue with either the electrical wiring in the circuit or the breaker itself.



The heating system is not producing enough heat. Inspect and change a blocked filter.


A heating system that struggles to produce heat is a various matter from one that has in some way quit working.


In the case of a poor-performing furnace that doesnt warm the house adequately first ensure that the air filter is tidy and in good condition if not new.


This is an easy but important part of heater upkeep. Among the most typical factors to have a furnace not working is a clogged up filter. It likewise occurs to be the simplest upkeep task.


Replacing your furnace filter routinely is a quick and simple job and goes a long method in securing HVAC components and improving your inside air quality.


Find your filter - Some heaters have their filter in the consumption. This probably appear like a grate in a flooring ceiling or wall. Other filters reside in the heater itself.



Check your filter - You can tell if the time has actually concerned alter it by holding it approximately the light. If no light shines through the filter needs changing. A dirty dirty smell from the vents when the blower switches on is another great indication you should change your furnace filter.


Replace your filter - Make sure your heater is switched off. No air needs to be coming out. Inspect the instructions your filter points. Filters are made to trap matter blown from one direction. Installing your filter upside-down can decrease its efficiency.


Cleaning up the debris that develops on your filters will aid with the flow of air. When your air filter is obstructed your air handler should work harder to compensate for the blockage of air circulation. In addition to increasing your utility costs the reduced air flow through your heating & cooling system can trigger your heat exchanger to get too hot and turn off too quickly.


Filters clean the air headed into the furnace and the heated air returned into your home. A dirty stopped up filter limits the airflow eventually causing heat and pressure to build up in the furnace.


Newer more effective furnaces are delicate to the issue and will typically shut down prior to a filthy filter triggers more difficulty. For other units the heater will continue to run however with less heat output and decreased efficiency.




Security turn on a furnace door


If your heater is not running one of the very first things you ought to do is examine the safety switch on the heater door. A heater door security switch prevents the fan and burner from beginning while the access panel is gotten rid of.


Heaters have a security switch that pops out when the door is gotten rid of. The door needs to remain in location for the switch to be triggered and for the heating system to run.


If you discover you need to install a brand-new safety switch follow the step by step guidelines on How to Install a Furnace Door Safety Switch.


Shut the power off. Prep the blower door. Wire the security switch. Check and test the installation.





Keep the location around your heating system clean and unblocked


This might appear like an apparent suggestion however often house owners with hectic lives forget to focus on areas of their house like the basement.


A basement can become messy which in turn can lead to the location around the heating system being filled with miscellaneous possessions and debris. Not only does a tidy heating system function much better it looks much better.


Prevent saving flammable compounds or products near your heater. Crowding your furnace can cause unexpected fires significant damage to your home and risk to your household and pets.


Nevertheless convenient it may appear to just "save it there" for the summer consider the chance that you may well forget any items youve left on or near your heater. Dont take chances offer your furnace the space it requires to operate securely.


Furthermore vacuum and tidy frequently around your heater. While you may have gotten rid of any and all flammable items from the area bear in mind that dust and lint can build up and create a fire danger. An excess amount of dust and lint can also cause your filter to become clogged up faster than normal needing more frequent replacement.