The end of the winter is a reason to celebrate. You can still enjoy some of the pleasures of cold weather while also knowing that soon you’ll be able to bask in the warmth of spring and summer.
But this is also a time when you may need urgent heating repairs in Vancouver, WA. The reason is simple: the heater in your home has already gone through months of work, and this is when the build-up of strain may finally cause it to break. Even if you remembered to have maintenance in the fall, which significantly decreases the chance of the heating system needing repairs, this is the point in the year when the chance of something going wrong is at its highest.
To help you know when to call us to fix your heating system, we’ve listed some of the troubles that might strike as winter winds down:
The many, many, many problems of a clogged air filter
Answer this question honestly: Did you change the air filter for the HVAC system at least once during the season? If your answer is “no,” then the heater is in jeopardy of numerous problems because that filter is certainly clogged with dust, lint, dander, and other debris. This congestion restricts airflow through the furnace/heat pump, reduces your comfort, puts extra pressure on the blower motor, can cause a frozen coil in a heat pump, and plenty more. Go change the filter now if you haven’t!
Burnt-out motors
The wear and tear of a season of heating takes the biggest toll on the mechanical moving parts of a heating system—i.e. the motors. The motors will lose lubrication, accumulate dust, and face the danger of overheating and burning out. If you hear a screeching sound from the heater, it may be the motors on the verge of burning out. Please call for repairs ASAP before the motor fails and needs to be replaced.
Short-cycling
Numerous different problems can cause this malfunction, which is when the heater gets trapped in the start-up cycle and keeps shutting down before it can complete a full heating cycle. If you notice the heating system is turning on and off rapidly over an hour, something it didn’t used to do, the system is short-cycling. Not only does this warn you that something has gone wrong in the heater, but it’s also bad for the heater all on its own because of the strain it puts on components and energy it wastes.
Heating capacity decline/uneven heating
Your heating system may begin to lose its heating capacity at the end of the season. You’ll notice that the house isn’t getting as warm as it used to or certain rooms have cold spots. This can point toward a heater that’s starting to fail entirely (and if old enough, ready for a replacement) or one that has a specific repair issue. Call on our technicians: we’ll find out the problem and offer solutions.
Rely on Clawson Heating & Air Conditioning for all your heating repair needs. “Connecting People to Comfort!”