Even though the average cost of heating a home in the US is only around $449 per year, it can very easily cost thousands if there’s a fault with your HVAC system. There are many different ways HVAC issues can make heating systems far more expensive to run. With energy prices and looming recessions to think about, the last thing anyone can afford to do is pay more for the necessity of a heated home.
Maintaining a home’s HVAC system is the best way to prevent expensive faults. Keep reading this handy guide to find out more about the operations and maintenance of HVAC systems.
HVAC Heating Systems
The four basic types of home heating systems are boilers, fireplaces, furnaces, and heat pumps. Generally speaking, only furnaces and heat pumps can integrate with HVAC systems, as boilers pump water through pipes and fireplaces are room specific.
Furnaces are the most common heating system in America. These can use oil, electricity, or gas to heat the air in the HVAC system. This warm air then gets pumped into every room through the house’s ventilation system.
Furnaces are cheap to install and run compared to other home heating options. Modern furnaces are also designed with efficiency in mind so as to not waste energy (saving money and the environment).
Heat pumps can also integrate with your house’s HVAC system. These pump warm air out of your house when it’s hot and back into your house when it’s cold.
Preventing Heating Problems
There are several steps you can take to prevent heating issues. The more simple steps include cleaning the system regularly and not overusing the system.
Using your heating more sparingly naturally increases its useful life, but that doesn’t mean subjecting yourself to freezing. You can also close vents to unoccupied rooms or upgrade to a more efficient furnace. Using a “smart” thermostat that activates and deactivates the heating system at set times is another way to make sure you don’t run it for too many hours a day.
Responding to Heating Problems
The two most common signs of soon-to-be-serious problems are unusually noisy fans and strange drafts. A noisy fan may just be dirty or it may be broken. If you clean it and it still makes a noise, then you should call an HVAC maintenance service before the problem grows.
Unusual drafts in your house tell tales of holes in vents or in your home’s insulation. Damaged insulation or vents can cause you to work your heating system harder than is needed. If you discover these heating issues, then you should hire professional help if you can’t fix the problem yourself.
Find a Reliable HVAC Service Today
Most heating systems rely on furnaces and/or pumping systems to provide heat. Overworking and neglecting HVAC systems can lead to them becoming damaged or failing. It’s important to pay attention to the state of your HVAC system and home to prevent expensive catastrophes.
A faulty or broken HVAC system can make a home incredibly uncomfortable. If you need help with your HVAC system, whether it’s maintenance, repair, or installation, reach out to our company. We’ve been faithfully serving our community since 1945!
