Common Heating System Questions Answered

Posted on November 14, 2016 by oozle

Heating and air conditioning systems, like any home appliances, can be fickle. Many noises you hear coming from these systems are normal but, with time and use, you can count on things breaking down and needing small to major repairs. Here are the most common questions and answers concerning heating systems.

Why Is My Heating System Banging?

Answer

While not as common as it was 20-30 years ago, a banging or knocking noise coming from your central heating is still an issue. There are generally three reasons why this happens. They are:

1. Air bubbles trapped in your heating system can cause a clicking or knocking noise. The easiest fix to this problem is to use radiator bleed key, or, if you don’t have one, there are other good DIY options. To do this, turn your heating off, wait 10 minutes of so for the bubble to collect at the top of the radiators and then let it out with the key. Repeat this several times until all the air bubbles are released.

Why Is My Heating System Blowing Cold Air?

Answer

This could be very simple, or a more complicated issue. If you’re turning on the furnace for the first time, cold air may quickly be replaced by warm air. Take a minute to think about your duct system. Ducts that aren’t well insulated could also be the cause. In these cases, hot cold air should be replaced by warm air in no time. There isn’t equipment failure. If you continue to get cold air, check the following:

• The pilot light. It may have went out at some point.
• The thermostat and its battery. Make sure it’s set to heating and functioning properly.
• Level of gas to the furnace.
• Try resetting the system.

No luck? If your troubleshooting efforts fail, you’ll need to contact your heating contractor for repairs. Give us a call to schedule an appointment.

Why Is My Heating Bill So High?

Answer

There are many reasons why your energy bill might be high. These of course aren’t all the reasons, but the most common:

1. Thermostat is set too high. The lower you can keep it the better- we suggest maintaining your heat setting at 68. Put on another sweater and you can save money. But if you set your thermostat to 75+, expect higher bills.
2. Leaks and breaks in your ducts. Leaks in supply and return ducts double your energy bill.
3. Dirty filters, extra thick filters, and clogged coils. A dirty filter or clogged coils will lessen your heating system’s efficiency and lead to higher bills.

Prepare For Winter

We hope these answers help you with your heating system issues. We understand winter in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas is not a typical of a lot of the country, but many still use a heating system. If you have questions, need repairs, or want to sign up for a maintenance service plan, give us a call.