7 Warning Signs Your Heater Needs Attention Before Winter Hits

Heating systems rarely fail without warning. More often they give small hints for weeks, and those hints are easy to miss until the first real cold night turns one into an emergency. A tune-up in early fall costs far less than a no-heat call in January. Here are seven signs that your heater needs attention, in homes and in commercial buildings.

• Rising energy bills with no change in how you use the heat
• Uneven heating from room to room
• Weak airflow from the vents
• Frequent cycling, with the heater turning on and off every few minutes
• Strange noises such as banging, rattling or squealing
• Bad odors from the heater or the vents
• A flickering pilot light or a yellow flame

Signs your system is working too hard

A noticeable jump in your heating bill when your habits have not changed usually means the system is straining. Common causes are a dirty filter, dirty components, a thermostat that is off or equipment that is losing efficiency. A tune-up that covers the filter, cleaning, thermostat and a performance check often finds the cause.

Uneven heat and weak airflow point in a similar direction. If some rooms are warm while others stay cold, blocked or leaking ducts, a miscalibrated thermostat or a weak blower motor may be to blame. Weak air from the vents can also mean closed dampers, a dirty filter or, in a heat pump, a frozen coil. Start by checking the filter and making sure the vents are open, then call if the problem remains.

A heater that turns on and off every few minutes, known as short cycling, is under strain and wasting energy. Typical causes include a dirty filter, airflow blockages, thermostat trouble or a failing component. Left alone, it shortens equipment life.

Noises and smells you should not ignore

Banging, rattling and squealing are not normal. They can point to loose parts, worn blower bearings or a dirty or clogged burner on a gas furnace. A loud bang when the burners light is a reason to call promptly, not at your convenience.

A dusty, slightly burnt smell the first time you run the heat in fall is normal, because dust has settled on warm parts over the summer. It should clear within a short time. A musty, metallic or chemical smell is different, and can come from mold in the ducts, electrical trouble or exhaust problems. If you ever smell rotten eggs, which is the additive in natural gas, leave the building and call your gas utility right away.

The flame tells you something

A healthy gas flame burns steady and blue. A yellow or flickering flame suggests incomplete combustion, which can produce carbon monoxide. Treat that as urgent. Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of the home, test them in fall and have the furnace looked at right away.

What to do about it

A few steps in early fall catch most problems before the cold arrives:

• Replace the filter and check that vents and registers are open
• Run the heat for a short test on a mild day, so a problem shows up before you need it
• Test carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries
• Schedule a heating inspection and tune-up

Commercial buildings follow the same logic with higher stakes. A restaurant, shop or office that loses heat during business hours loses customers or productive time along with it, and rooftop units or split systems that sit idle all summer often reveal their problems only when they start up in the fall. A walk-through of the equipment in September or October is a small cost compared with an emergency call during the first cold snap, and a technician can also check that the control settings still match how the building is used.

Do not wait for the first freeze. ACT Heat & Air services furnaces and heat pumps for homes and businesses across the Yakima Valley, Ellensburg and the Tri-Cities, and our office is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Call (509) 388-2997 to schedule maintenance. If your heat goes out outside those hours, our 24 hour emergency service is there.