The coldest day of the year is coming soon. Will your heater stand the test for another season? If you have a regular maintenance plan setup, then you can be rest assured. However, if you wake upon that chilly morning and see your breath in the house, then you’ve got a problem. But before calling someone, check the eight points below using the diagram shown here.
1. Heat Pump – Here’s a previous post about how a HP works See if the fan is running. If not, make sure that the power disconnect on the wall next to it is turned on. Is the heat pump covered with ice or a very thick coating of frost? Then there is definitely a problem that needs the help of a professional HVAC service company.
2. Furnace Shut-off Switch – It seems silly, but it might be turned off. Check it just to be sure. You’ll laugh and feel relieved when you turn it back on.
3. Air Filter – We repeat this way too often. Dirty, clogged air filters is the most overlooked problems by the homeowner. Change the air filter if it looks dirty. If it doesn’t look dirty but you know you haven’t changed it in a long time then check to be sure there isn’t another filter somewhere. There should only be one filter for your system. If there is no air filter at all, then there is likely a problem that needs the help of a service company.
4. Fuel Valve – If you have a gas or oil furnace, make sure the main shut-off valve in the fuel line is open. If it is closed, reset the furnace by shutting the power off for a few minutes, opening the gas valve, then turning the power back on.
5. Furnace Flue – All gas or oil burning furnaces have an exhaust pipe, or flue. Make sure it didn’t get disconnected. Then check where it comes out of your house. Is anything clogging it, like a dead animal or a bird’s nest? Clear it of any obstructions.
6. Air Vents – Inspect all the air vents in your home. Make sure none of them are blocked. If you blocked some of them on purpose because you are trying to improve the air flow in your home, you could be causing a problem with the entire system. There are other ways to solve the problem of having hot or cold spots in your home, but an HVAC company will need to help with that. For now, uncover all of them and see if your heating system works better.
7. Hi-Efficiency Furnace Condensate Drain – High efficiency gas and oil furnaces produce moisture that has to drain out. If the drain tube is clogged then the furnace will shut down.
8. Hi- Efficiency Furnace Supply Air & Exhaust Pipe – High efficiency gas and oil furnaces not only have an exhaust pipe for fumes to go out, they also have another one for fresh air to come in. Make sure both of them are free of obstructions.
If you checked all the points above and still don’t have any heat in your home, then you need some help. But beware! Don’t call just anybody!. You deserve to have a professional heating and service company take care of this problem. Choose a company that will be there when you need it, and that can back up their work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
That’s what GAMA Air is all about! If you live in or around Beverly Hills, Culver City, Mar Vista, Miracle Mile, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Air, Westwood, Downtown Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino please don’t hesitate to contact us. If you want you can use our online form to schedule a visit. But if it is an emergency, call us right away at (310) 651-6936! We offer competitive prices for service work, plus there's our guarantee of 100% satisfaction.
Would you like to ask a question about heating or air conditioning but don’t know who to ask? Visit our “Ask an Expert” page, fill out the form, and the resident expert here at GAMA Air will get back to you quickly with the answer.