March doesn’t mean winter comes to a sudden stop. After all, the season doesn’t even officially end until March 20th. If you’ve lived through a few winters here in New York, you know that bizarre storms can come sweeping through as late as April.
It’s important during this time of year to keep a close watch on potential repair troubles with your home heating system. All the steady work the heater has done since winter may start to catch up with it, leading to malfunctions and even a breakdown. No matter how close it is to spring and warmer weather, always move immediately to have your broken heater repaired. Our professionals are here to see that any trouble gets fixed, and fixed right.
Different Warning Signs for Different Heating Systems
We’ll run down a list of the most common types of heating systems available (yes, we work on them all) and some indications they may give off that something is wrong.
Furnaces
Furnaces are the most common type of home heating system. Most furnaces in New York run from natural gas. When a furnace begins to fail, one of the earliest signs is uneven heating around the house: there’s simply not sufficient heat or sufficient power from the blower fan to distribute comfort evenly through the rooms. A furnace that starts to make loud clanging and other strange mechanical noises is also something that needs professional attention right away.
If any of your carbon monoxide detectors go off (you do have them, right?), the furnace will need repairs before it can be safely turned on again. Vacate the home immediately and call for help.
Boilers
Although not as common as furnaces, boilers remain popular in homes. A boiler will usually encounter fewer repair difficulties compared to a furnace because it has fewer moving parts. But the presence of water can lead to problems. Any indication of leaking (aside from the pressure relief valve) should be investigated immediately. In addition, if a boiler starts to make a rumbling noise, it’s probably not about to explode—but it’s nonetheless a problem that needs professionals to look into it.
Heat Pumps
Homeowners looking for a two-in-one way to provide comfort all year often use a heat pump, which is essentially an air conditioning system that can reverse the direction it moves heat. The most common problem a heat pump may encounter during the end of winter is stress on its various motors. Sounds of mechanical shrieking from either cabinet or a system that is “hard starting” (the compressor struggles to come on) merit a call to an HVAC professional.
In General
Here’s a problem that applies to all heating systems: short-cycling. This is when the heater turns on and off rapidly, never fully finishing its heating cycle. This can point to multiple problems: a clogged air filter, blocked vents, leaking ductwork, a malfunctioning thermostat, etc. It takes an HVAC expert to find the cause and fix it before it does further damage to the heater.
If you’re looking for service for your furnace in Staten Island, NY—or service for any type of heating system—we’re the trustworthy contractor to call.
Bob Mims Heating & Air Conditioning has served Staten Island’s comfort needs since 1955.
