The end of the winter doesn’t give us much respite from the cold, and this is a time when heating systems are at a greater danger of failing. The heater in your home has worked steadily since late fall, and even if you had regular maintenance done before winter, it still might buckle under all the labor it’s had to do as it nears the finish line.
The best way to avoid becoming trapped with a failed heater is to know the warnings the system is headed for serious trouble. You can then call for timely heating repair in Newtown, PA to rescue the system. In cases of older heaters, you may need to schedule a replacement—but at least you’ll be ahead of the problem!
Here are the warning signs you have a heater on the “emergency watch” list.
Uneven heating
A major warning that a heating system has started to lose its heating capacity is when it can no longer provide even heating through a home. You might have the comfort you need in the center of your house, but if family members have cold rooms, call for technicians to see about repairs right away.
Loud noises from the heater
We often mention strange noises from a heating system as signs it needs repairs. But when you have a heater that’s making a big racket, it’s likely rapidly cruising for a complete breakdown. We recommend shutting off the heater and calling for repairs—letting the heater run longer puts it at risk of greater damage that may end its service life.
A safety hazard occurs
Heating systems are designed to run as safely as possible, but no system can run 100% safely all the time. A common sign of a heater in decay is when safety mechanisms fail. If you have a gas-powered heater and recently had your carbon monoxide detectors go off, that’s as good a reason as any to have the system inspected right away. (Please have the gas company look into the issue first and let you know it’s safe to return to your house.)
Heater shuts down at odd times
File this under “generally unreliable performance.” If you’re still getting warmth from your heater “most of the time,” you’ll feel tempted to shrug off the problem at the end of the season. Please don’t do this, since you face the risk of the heater failing permanently or creating a safety hazard.
Unusual odors from the heater
If you have a gas heating system and you detect a rotten-egg smell, it’s likely a gas leak—a serious problem. Shut off the furnace right away and call for assistance. Also watch out for acrid odors that can warn of motors burning out. Dead motors mean a nonworking heating system.
General age
Heating systems can sometimes work past their estimated service lives. But we don’t advise you to attempt to push your heater this far if you’ve noticed the other problems above. Get repair technicians in fast and ask about whether it’s time to replace the heating system.
Contact Dowd Mechanical Heating & Air Conditioning for your heating needs. A Degree Above the Rest.
