Don’t panic! We’re not trying to predict the future. But facts are facts. Summer is over, Autumn will zip by in no time, and ol’ man Winter is just around the corner. And it seems that every year we hear about record breaking cold temperatures in all parts of the country. So, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you don’t need to worry about your central heating system now. In truth, now is exactly the time to worry about it, rather than when the coldest day of the year comes, and your gas furnace or heat pump system just won’t fire up. Here are some tips provided by the helpful folks at GAMA Air. We want our friends and neighbors in and 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 to be ready to take on the winter weather without even a hiccup in their activity.
- Change the air filter – An extremely dirty air filter can block air flow, and the furnace or air handler won’t have enough air flowing through it to move the heat. As a safety feature it is designed to shut down if it gets too hot. So, as a matter of habit replace the air filter every month, or three months, depending on the type of air filter you purchased.
- Check the gas valve – Make sure the gas supply to the furnace is fully open. You could also check to make sure the gas control valve inside the furnace is open. If you smell gas, don’t turn any lights or fixtures on or off, get your family out of the home, and then use your mobile phone or a neighbor’s phone to call the gas company for emergency repair.
- Check the power – You may turn off your heating system when winter is over. Now is the time to power it back up and put it through a cycle. Does the fuse blow or the breaker trip off? Replace the fuse or reset the breaker. If it happens again right away, it’s time to call in someone you and trust to give a helping hand.
- Check the thermostat – Make sure it is turned on, and set to “Heat” or “Auto” mode. If there is a “Fan” switch, you will find it best to keep it in “Auto”. Turning it “On” uses more electricity to circulate the air through the home, without providing the benefit of heating it. In the end, the most energy efficient way to run your home’s central heating system is to leave that in the fan switch in “Auto”.
- Run it through a test – Like we said earlier, now is the time to worry about your heating system. Turn up the thermostat, and let your furnace or heat pump go through a heating cycle. If it doesn’t blow hot air within a minute or two, then you want to get that fixed now and not when the cold weather strikes.
- Get a System Tune-up & Safety Check – Although the tips above can get you going, you also want to start the heating season with a clean and tuned up unit that will operate as efficiently as possible throughout the winter. Click here to read about what we do during a System Tune-up & Safety Check. Give GAMA Air a call at (310) 651-6936 or use our online form to schedule a check-up.
Do you have a nagging question about a situation you have with the heating or cooling in your home that you need answered ASAP? Visit our “Ask an Expert” page and fill out the form. We’ll get our resident expert to send an answer to you fast!