A quality furnace can last for a long time, even decades. At Jon Wayne Heating & Air, we sometimes service heating and air systems that are more than 20 years old. Having a long-lasting HVAC system more possible than you may realize. Handling proper maintenance of your home’s system is the most important way to ensure it will last a long time. Beyond handing regular furnace maintenance, there are some additional situations homeowners should be aware of in order to keep their heating working at peak performance.
The extreme cold snaps we experience in Missouri winters can put your furnace to the test. The extra demand on your home’s heating system and can lead to furnace problems that are more likely during cold weather.
As we start to hit freezing temperatures, the more work your furnace must do to heat your home.
We will go over the top 5 common furnace issues during cold weather heating systems face in a typical Missouri winter. Understanding these problems will help you prepare to handle potential issues quickly or prevent them from happening at all.
5 Common Cold Weather Furnace Problems:
1. DIRTY AIR FILTER
Your air filter plays a big role in your entire HVAC system. Clogged filters can even cause your system to cycle on and off frequently. A dirty air filter can lead to poor air flow through your ducts. This could cause your entire HVAC system to stop working altogether.
DIY FURNACE REPAIR: Change your filter.
2. THERMOSTAT PROBLEMS
Is your furnace is cycling on and off? Problems with your thermostat could an issue. These could keep your furnace from adequately warming your house. It’s possible that your thermostat needs be calibrated.
DIY THERMOSTAT REPAIR:
Make sure your thermostat is set to a temperature a few degrees below the current temperature.
Check if you need to change the thermostat’s batteries.
If neither of those steps fixes the problem, contact us and a certified heating & air technician will calibrate your thermostat.
3. DRY AIR MAKES IT FEEL COLDER
Does your house feel colder than what you set your thermostat at? This could be a problem with dry air. Dry air is a common winter issue. One great solution is to improve the indoor humidity levels with a device that works alongside your heating and air system.
Is your furnace taking a long time to warm up your home when you return at night after work? It’s possible the issue is your home is simply too cold during the day.
Whether you control your thermostat manually or by programming it, you may be setting it too low. How much work your furnace needs to do in order to get the temperature back up to your evening setting may be simply too demanding to happen very quickly.
DIY THERMOSTAT STEPS:
Try setting your daytime temperature to a number higher than usual. The downside is that you could see increased energy bills. However, this should remedy your problem of not being able to get your temperature to reach the desired number at night.
This cold weather problem could be happening because you have an old or failing furnace. You may need to consider getting a new heating system installed. A new furnace will heat your home more thoroughly and efficiently, an improvement you can expect to see with lower monthly energy bills.
A programmable thermostat is a great way to control your home’s system and save money and energy. Jon Wayne can install a new digital programmable thermostat to help you best regular the temperature in your house.
5. LOST HEAT FROM A POWER LOSS
Your furnace can’t work if there is no power going to it. Here in Missouri, we know what a big winter storm can do. A power outage in your neighborhood or entire community can leave your family in the dark and freezing cold for days. Even a small power outage can be a problem during freezing temperatures. It can stop your furnace from working and leave you coming home to a very cold house.
DIY BREAKER BOX STEPS:
If your home did lose power, you could need to relight your furnace’s pilot light.
Check to see if a circuit tripped, cutting the power off from your furnace. Check the breaker box to make sure all circuits are on.
