Have you ever tried to fix the cause of one problem, only to realize that the problem was due to something else entirely? Sometimes it happens to homeowners with their home heating. In particular, here are three unexpected causes of common heating issues:
Short-Cycling
There’s nothing wrong with a cycling furnace. Furnaces will run a heating cycle for about 15 minutes, in which they’ll gently blow hot air all around the home. That air will settle for a bit, and soon after, another cycle will initiate.
Repeat this a few times over the next hour and you’ve got yourself a warm and cozy home!
Repeat this a few times in the next 60 seconds and you’ve got yourself a serious problem.
When the furnace rapidly turns on and off, it’s called short-cycling. The reason it’s such a problem is threefold:
- It causes your heater to run longer than usual, thus increasing your heating bill.
- The startup cycle is especially stressful to the furnace’s components.
- It will cause repairs and breakdowns to come much sooner.
Fixing short-cycling may be as easy as changing out an air filter, or it could be as drastic as needing to replace the entire furnace. Before you make any big decisions though, call up a local furnace repair expert in Delaware and have them take a look.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
You could spend several hours troubleshooting your furnace, only to find out that your furnace was perfectly fine—the real problem was the thermostat all along! After all, the thermostat is the brain of the HVAC system. Anything you tell it to do, the furnace will do. A malfunctioning thermostat means you won’t be able to get your furnace to operate properly at all.
Some of the reasons your thermostat might be acting funny includes:
- Time for new batteries: The thermostat is connected to the HVAC system through the wall, but the thermostat relies on a set of batteries to memorize programs and to function. Pop off the faceplate and try putting in a new pair of lithium batteries.
- Dust and dirt: Dust can find its way inside the thermostat, and that can prevent it from getting a proper temperature reading. Simply wipe off the dust and give it another try.
- Bad placement: New installation? If thermostat was placed in direct sunlight or too close to a warm spot, such as the kitchen, that can cause problems.
- Programming issue: You may be locked into the wrong schedule or using the “fan mode” instead of “auto.” Give us a call and we can help walk you through it.
Cold Spots
Does it seem like one or two rooms of your home just never get warm like the rest of the house? You may have what’s called a cold spot. These rooms will stubbornly refuse to change temperature, often lagging it behind the other rooms by a few degrees. It has nothing to do with your heater itself, but it could be due to:
- Duct leaks: If air is lost through the ducts, it might not make it all the way to some rooms.
- Insulation: That room may need new insulation installed to retain heat better.
- Direction of the sun: This room might be on a side of the house that sits in the shade all day.