Air Conditioner Tune Up West Portland Park Portland Oregon

How to fix common heating & cooling problems



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


Its something if you simply need to pull the conceal. Its an entire various issue if your heating system is working badly or not working at all.


With a little do-it-yourself experience you can troubleshoot and repair your heating system yourself. Your best choice though is to have an upkeep check list for your heating system to avoid the problem.


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



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




Inspect your thermostat to ensure it is switched on.



It might sound silly but inspect the thermostat to guarantee it is set on "heat" which it is set at least five degrees above room temperature level. You might be stunned how numerous service calls are made without checking this!


Here are a couple of thermostat checks to perform yourself:


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


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


Open the thermostat and gently blow any dust or particles that may have clogged it.


Make sure the date and time is right on electronic or programmable designs - the system may be on a timer.


Inspect the breaker. If on shut off the breaker and check the fuse for the heating system.




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


Here are any variety of minor reasons this might happen. Initially verify that the thermostat is set to "Heat." Then attempt moving the dial up or down a couple of degrees to check if a visible difference is felt.


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



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


By hand evaluate the breaker. Flip it backward and forward.


Make sure it is remaining in the "On" position.


This will reset the breaker. If this does refrain from doing the technique you have an issue with either the electrical wiring in the circuit or the circuit breaker itself.



The heating system is not producing sufficient heat. Examine and change a clogged filter.


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


When it comes to a poor-performing heating system that doesnt heat up the house sufficiently very first ensure that the air filter is tidy and in great condition if not brand-new.


This is an easy but important part of furnace upkeep. One of the most common reasons to have a heating system not working is a clogged up filter. It likewise happens to be the simplest upkeep task.


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


Locate your filter - Some heating systems have their filter in the intake. This probably appear like a grate in a flooring ceiling or wall. Other filters reside in the furnace itself.



Inspect your filter - You can inform if the time has actually concerned alter it by holding it as much as the light. If no light shines through the filter requires altering. A dirty unclean odor from the vents when the blower switches on is another excellent indication you need to alter your furnace filter.


Replace your filter - Make sure your furnace is shut off. No air must be coming out. Examine the instructions your filter points. Filters are made to trap matter blown from one direction. Installing your filter upside-down can lower its effectiveness.


Cleaning up the debris that develops on your filters will aid with the flow of air. When your air filter is clogged your air handler must work harder to make up for the blockage of air circulation. In addition to driving up your energy bill the reduced air circulation through your cooling and heating system can trigger your heat exchanger to overheat and turn off too rapidly.


Filters clean the air headed into the heater and the heated air returned into your home. A filthy stopped up filter restricts the air flow ultimately causing heat and pressure to develop in the heating system.


Newer more effective heating systems are sensitive to the issue and will typically shut down before an unclean filter causes more trouble. For other units the furnace will continue to run but with less heat output and lowered effectiveness.




Security turn on a furnace door


If your furnace is not running among the very first things you must do is examine the security turn on the heater door. A heater door safety switch prevents the fan and burner from beginning while the access panel is eliminated.


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


If you discover you need to install a new safety switch follow the action by action instructions on How to Install a Furnace Door Safety Switch.


Shut the power off. Preparation the blower door. Wire the safety switch. Examine and test the setup.





Keep the location around your heater clean and unblocked


This may seem like an apparent suggestion but often house owners with busy lives forget to focus on areas of their home like the basement.


A basement can end up being messy which in turn can cause the area around the heating system being filled with various possessions and debris. Not just does a clean furnace function better it looks much better.


Avoid saving flammable substances or materials near your furnace. Crowding your heater can cause unexpected fires considerable damage to your house and danger to your family and family pets.


However practical it may appear to merely "store it there" for the summer consider the possibility that you might well forget any products youve left on or near your furnace. Dont take opportunities offer your furnace the space it needs to operate securely.


Additionally vacuum and clean routinely around your furnace. While you may have eliminated any and all combustible items from the location bear in mind that dust and lint can build up and develop a fire risk. An excess quantity of dust and lint can also cause your filter to become clogged faster than usual requiring more regular replacement.