How to Avoid These Common Winter HVAC Concerns

When our cold Ohio winter weather settles in, you need to have peace of mind that your heating system is working safely and reliably. You can avoid problems that adversely affect your home comfort by knowing how to react to common winter HVAC concerns like these:

Uneven Heating

If some areas of your home feel too warm when the heating system is running, but others are too chilly, make sure that all your registers are fully open. Next, check whether the furnace filter is clogged and restricting the amount of output at the registers. If these tips don’t help, it’s best to have a pro look for other causes like duct leaks or damage, or unbalanced system airflow.

Frequent On—Off Cycling

If your heating system cycles on but shuts off quite quickly before it can heat your home adequately, you’re experiencing what’s known as “short cycling.” You’ll need to have a trained HVAC technician investigate the cause, which may be a damaged flame sensor, a faulty or poorly-located thermostat, or even over- or under-sized heating equipment.

Abrupt Loss of Heat

It’s a scary feeling when your heating system suddenly won’t cycle on, but it may simply be that the batteries in your thermostat have died and need changing, or the air filter is clogged and needs replacement. If you have a heat pump, you may need to remove a buildup of snow and ice on the outdoor unit that’s blocking heat transfer. If these fixes don’t solve the problem, it’s time to contact your HVAC pro for a diagnosis.

Gas or Combustion Fume Odors

If you can smell combustion or gas fumes in your home, call your heating contractor right away, then get out of the house until the cause is identified and fixed. Both kinds of odors are signs of serious problems, like a blocked vent system that’s backdrafting fumes containing deadly carbon monoxide, or a faulty valve that’s letting noxious, flammable gas leak into your home.

If you need expert help addressing winter HVAC concerns in your Lorain-area home, contact us today at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC concerns and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.