Three Common Problems that Affect Your Heating System

With winter just around the corner, it’s time to get your heating systems in order before the extreme weather hits the Greater Los Angeles Area. You should plan an annual maintenance and repair heating system check before the winter season arrives, leaving you stranded with a malfunctioning system and a cold house. While there are hundreds of things that could go wrong with heating systems, here are 3 common problems that affect your central heating unit and boilers the most:

Clogging of Filters

The filters of your furnace need to be replaced on a monthly basis if you want your heating system to perform efficiently and last longer. Dirty and clogged filters cause disruption in the flow of air, forcing your heating system to work harder. This unnecessary strain on the system affects its performance, causing untimely wear and tear. Monthly filter replacement is very important, especially during the winter when it’s extremely difficult to live without a functional heating system in place.

Control Problem with the Ignition

In the case that the ignition of your heating system and the furnace is not functioning properly, you will be getting low or no heat at all in winter. First, check the type of ignition used in your system. Is it an intermittent pilot or a hot surface ignition? In the intermittent pilot system, the ignition is electronically controlled and the gas pilot is ignited by a high voltage electric spark when you set the thermostat. The gas pilot then in turn ignites the main burners. The hot surface system, on the other hand, ignites the gas burner through a resistance heating element controlled electronically. If either type of ignition is not functioning properly, the furnace will not be able to light and provide heat.

Dysfunctional Thermostat

The thermostat is installed in the heating systems to let you determine how much heat you want it to produce and when. Again, if the thermostat fails to perform properly, you will start getting intermittent or no heat in your house. There can be two reasons for that. The thermostat might not be sending the right message to the ignition, which is responsible for lighting up the burners. Alternatively, the fans that force the hot air through the house might not get activated when you set the thermostat, causing heating issues.
The best way to avoid these problems is to follow a proper repair and maintenance schedule for your central heating system. Apart from the monthly filter replacements, you should always subject your heating system to an annual maintenance routine, ideally before the winter season. Especially if your heating system is more than 10 years old, the annual maintenance checks are extremely important.

This article was provided by American AC Heat Plumbing. Since 1981, American Air has been providing professional air conditioning and heating service and repair. Check out their $99 tune-up special – good for your air conditioner or furnace!