3 Common Winter Heating Problems And Solutions
Your HVAC unit provides the heating and indoor air quality needed to keep your home warm and comfy throughout winter. Problems with your home unit can lead to escalating energy bills and insufficient heating, which is why you need to prepare the heating system for the colder weather well in advance by scheduling an inspection with a heating contractor. This article will look at several problems you are likely to encounter with your HVAC unit this winter and how to fix them.
Dry air
Your home is likely to experience dryer air during winter. This is because the heating system often dries out the air as it heats your interior spaces. Cold, winter air is also a lot less moist than warm summer air, so you could experience problems such as dry skin and irritations in your eyes, nose and throat due to low humidity. Dry air can also cause wood paneling and furniture to warp or crack.
Ensuring your ambient indoor humidity increases during winter will not only prevent such problems, but can also make your rooms warmer and more comfortable. A good way to do this is to install a humidifier to inject some water vapor into your home. Your HVAC contractor can incorporate a humidifier into the heating system so that moisture is evenly distributed around your home via your forced air system.
Inconsistent room temperatures
If you notice that temperatures in your home are low despite your furnace working continuously, you may want to check your home for drafts. Gaps below your garage door can be sealed using weather stripping, while holes in the walls and attic can be covered using insulating foam to prevent heated indoor air from escape into the outdoors.
Uneven air flow could also cause inconsistent heating in some rooms. This can be remedied by having an HVAC professional vacuum your registers and returns so as to remove obstructions that could be limiting the amount of heated air getting into certain spaces.
Sudden heat loss or cycling heat
If your heating system suddenly stops working, be sure to check the fuse box for a tripped circuit breaker that could be cutting power to the furnace. If the furnace is fully powered, have your HVAC contractor from a company like Arc Electric & Air Conditioning & Heating Inc inspect the system for a malfunctioning pilot light or ignition system.
Cycling heat could also be a concern during winter, where the HVAC unit turns on and off frequently at it shuts off after heating up too quickly. The likely culprits are often a clogged blower or dirty filters that obstruct the flow of air to the furnace, so have a heating expert clear up any dirt and other debris in these areas.
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