Air Conditioner Maintenance Brooklyn Portland Oregon

How to fix common heating and cooling problems



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


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


With a little do-it-yourself experience you can repair and fix your heater yourself. Your best choice though is to have a maintenance check list for your heater to prevent the issue.


Today I have something that will make you seem like you have the understanding to deal with some heating system repair work.



Whether you have a conventional gas furnace or a high effectiveness gas furnace understanding how your furnace/heating system works is necessary. You require to understand the basic workings of the home appliance so you understand what to try to find when there is something incorrect.




Examine your thermostat to ensure it is turned on.



It might sound ridiculous however examine the thermostat to ensure it is set on "heat" and that it is set at least five degrees above space temperature. You may be stunned the number of service calls are made without checking this!


Here are a couple of thermostat checks to perform yourself:


Inspect the battery on the thermostat. You may need to change the batteries on your thermostat. If your homes thermostat unit operates on batteries make certain you are altering them a minimum of as soon as a year or as needed.


Some thermostats are wired to your houses electrical system while others use 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 carefully blow any dust or debris that may have clogged it.


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


Examine the breaker. If on turn off the breaker and examine the fuse for the heating system.




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


Here are any variety of minor reasons this might take place. First confirm that the thermostat is set to "Heat." Then try moving the dial up or down a few degrees to inspect if a visible distinction is felt.


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



Go to your houses breaker panel and search for the circuit that manages the heating system. Youre aiming to see whether its tossed to the "Off" position or whether its in the middle.


Manually test the breaker. Turn it back and forth.


Ensure it is remaining in the "On" position.


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



The furnace is not producing sufficient heat. Examine and alter a stopped up filter.


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


When it comes to a poor-performing furnace that does not warm the home sufficiently first make sure that the air filter is tidy and in good condition if not new.


This is a basic but important part of furnace upkeep. Among the most common reasons to have a furnace not working is a clogged up filter. It also occurs to be the easiest upkeep chore.


Replacing your heater filter regularly is a quick and basic job and goes a long method in securing HVAC parts and enhancing your inside air quality.


Locate your filter - Some furnaces have their filter in the intake. This more than likely appear like a grate in a flooring ceiling or wall. Other filters reside in the heating system itself.



Inspect your filter - You can tell if the time has concerned alter it by holding it approximately the light. If no light shines through the filter needs changing. A dusty unclean smell from the vents when the blower turns on is another excellent indication you ought to change your furnace filter.


Change your filter - Make sure your heater is turned off. No air ought to 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 minimize its effectiveness.


Cleaning up the debris that develops up on your filters will aid with the flow of air. When your air filter is blocked your air handler should work harder to make up for the clog of air flow. In addition to driving up your utility expense the reduced air flow through your heating & cooling system can trigger your heat exchanger to overheat and shut off too rapidly.


Filters clean up the air headed into the heater and the heated air sent back into your house. A dirty clogged up filter limits the air flow ultimately causing heat and pressure to develop up in the heater.


Newer more efficient heaters are delicate to the issue and will often shut down before a dirty filter triggers more trouble. For other systems the heater will continue to run but with less heat output and decreased performance.




Security switch on a furnace door


If your heater is not operating among the very first things you need to do is inspect the security switch on the heating system door. A heating system door safety switch prevents the fan and burner from coming on while the gain access to panel is removed.


Furnaces have a safety switch that pops out when the door is removed. The door needs to be in place for the switch to be activated and for the heating system to run.


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


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





Keep the area around your heater clean and unobstructed


This might appear like an apparent suggestion however often property owners with busy lives forget to take note of locations of their house like the basement.


A basement can end up being cluttered which in turn can result in the location around the heating system being filled with miscellaneous ownerships and debris. Not just does a tidy furnace function better it looks better.


Prevent saving flammable substances or materials near your heating system. Crowding your furnace can lead to unexpected fires significant damage to your house and threat to your household and family pets.


However convenient it may appear to simply "keep it there" for the summer season think about the chance that you may well forget any items youve left on or near your heating system. Dont take opportunities give your heater the room it requires to run securely.


In addition vacuum and clean routinely around your heating system. While you might have gotten rid of any and all combustible products from the location bear in mind that dust and lint can develop and produce a fire threat. An excess quantity of dust and lint can also trigger your filter to become clogged up sooner than typical needing more frequent replacement.