It would be great if we could always count on our home heating systems to work flawlessly, without any problems, throughout its entire lifespan. We can definitely reduce the chances of major problems with maintenance—yearly tune-ups allow our technicians to fully inspect, clean, and adjust your heating systems so they work as effectively and efficiently as possible.
But no system is flawless. And one of the more common problems we get calls for from homeowners in regards to their furnace creating hot or cold spots around their living space.
For instance, your living room may feel like an icebox while the bedrooms are stuffy and almost too warm. This is referred to as uneven heating (or uneven cooling, in the case of an air conditioner experiencing this problem in the summertime), but what causes it and what can you—or rather, we—do about it?
Poor Ventilation
If airflow through your furnace is somehow blocked, it will result in some of your rooms being too cold. A common cause of this is a dirty, clogged up air filter. We advise homeowners to change their furnace’s air filter every 1-3 months in order to prevent this.
You may also have obstructed or blocked vents in the colder rooms. Check to see that they didn’t accidentally get closed, nor do they have bulky furniture right in front of them.
Short-Cycling
This describes a problem where your furnace isn’t completing a full heating cycle. It runs, but then it shuts off early, only to turn back on again a short time later. This leads to areas of your home not receiving adequate heat since the furnace isn’t running in long enough cycles.
Short-cycling is both the result of a problem as well as the cause of a problem—it creates operational problems for the furnace, which has to work too hard to do its job. You can check to ensure it’s not a clogged air filter causing the problem, but if it’s not then you’ll need a professional to inspect your system and remedy the situation.
Damaged Ductwork
Our team is an expert at handling ductwork, from repairs to replacement and sealing. We know how poorly installed or damaged ductwork can wind up creating a comfort imbalance problem in homes. It may be a bad ductwork design that’s causing some rooms to receive too much heating, or you could have leaks due to tears that have happened over the years. Whatever the problem, we can access your ductwork to repair, seal, or replace it.
Thermostat Trouble
Sometimes, the cause of your furnace malfunction might not be within the furnace itself at all, but rather your thermostat not sending the right signals. For instance, perhaps your furnace won’t stop running because a miscalibrated thermostat hasn’t sensed that the temperature of the room has risen to the desired setting.
This can also lead to your furnace running at the wrong times, or not running as long as it should—leading to poor heat distribution. Fortunately, thermostat repairs are a relatively easy service—it may even benefit you to upgrade your thermostat! Ask our team for more info.
For a quality Manassas heating contractor, look no further than AllTech Services, Inc. Contact us today!