Furnace Not Keeping Up? Here Are 3 Things To Try Before You Replace It!
Your home's heating system should keep you warm and comfortable regardless of outside conditions. Contractors design heating systems by calculating your home's overall heating load, ensuring that your furnace can deal with all but the most extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, many systems may fall short of this ideal, and you might find that an aging system can no longer meet your heating needs.
Of course, replacing your furnace is a major investment in your home, and many people may not be able to afford a replacement in the short term. While some heating equipment may be so old that replacement is the only option, here are three things you can try to improve your home's heating without installing an entirely new furnace.
1. Schedule a Tune-Up
HVAC equipment can last surprisingly long, and older equipment can often provide adequate efficiency even as it ages. However, poorly maintained systems are more likely to fail, run inefficiently, or struggle to meet heating demands. Combustion-based furnaces, such as those running on natural gas or oil, are particularly vulnerable to efficiency problems as they age.
If you don't frequently maintain your furnace, problems such as build-up on the burners can impact the system's ability to burn efficiently. In addition to poor heating, you might notice your utility bills increasing. Scheduling a routine annual maintenance visit and tune-up may be all you need to get your system functioning effectively again.
2. Investigate Thermostat Issues
Your thermostats are part of your home's heating system, too! A residential furnace has precious little in the way of internal logic. Your furnace's control board helps it verify that it is safe to run, but the furnace will never decide when to turn itself on. Instead, your furnace relies on signals from your thermostat demanding heating.
A faulty thermostat can affect your heating in a few different ways. If the thermostat is reading temperatures incorrectly, it may stop demanding heating before your home before reaching the correct temperature. On the other hand, control faults may lead to erratic or inconsistent behavior. An HVAC technician can check your thermostats to determine if they're responsible for your heating woes.
3. Look for Common Signs of Faulty Parts
In many cases, furnaces may struggle to maintain the correct temperature not because they're too old but because one or more parts require repair. You can look for common signs of trouble, including short cycling, unusual noises, or a sudden reduction in air quality. Changes in furnace behavior that accompany a sudden inability to maintain heating are a good indication that you might need repairs.
Ultimately, taking care of your older furnace can help extend its life for many years, saving you from a costly replacement. If your furnace isn't keeping up, contacting a professional HVAC technician should always be your first step. You may find that some simple actions will get your system working well again without the expense of buying an entirely new furnace.
For more info, contact a company like Gordon Mechanical NV.
