As winter approaches, a broken heater is the last thing you need to worry about. Hope we had a small screen or video that could tell us exactly what’s wrong with our heating systems when they start showing signs of problems, with suggestions about fixing it, but sadly this is not possible. Make sure you’re not taken by surprise with a broken down heating system when you need it most in freezing weather. Below we have listed few signs when your heating needs some maintenance.

1. Your Heater Isn’t Keeping You Warm

When a heater fails to warm up, we usually assume it’s broken, and it is the first sign that indicates that your Heater is in trouble. Fortunately, this isn’t always the case since you might have encountered a power surge, and here we suggest testing the circuit breaker. You should also check if the Heater is connected to a power source and the thermostat is set correctly. If everything is fine, but still the Heater is not keeping you warm, then don’t sit indoors bundled up, either. Just call a professional technician from our team immediately.

2. Your heating bills are creeping up.

It’s a good sign that your HVAC system is failing if you encounter higher-than-normal energy bills. This applies to both air conditioning and heating. For instance, if your house is sufficiently warm during the winter, but your first utility bill is sky-high, that means your Heater is not working efficiently. If you want that your Heater works appropriately, then you should always schedule annual maintenance services.

3. Dramatic Changes in Room-to-Room Temperatures

A standard heating system provides consistent heat and temperature throughout the house. If you find that one room is hot and the other one is too cold, this may be due to your heating system’s failure, or it may be that your heating system is too small for your house’s air space. You may need to have your system tested by a professional if you notice your home is suffering from abrupt changes in temperature and unexpected draughts.

4. Weird Noises & Unusual Sounds

It shouldn’t create a massive amount of noise when a heating system is working correctly. It’s better to have it checked over if you’re hearing loud sounds coming from it. There are a variety of different causes that could make those odd noises, including:

Loose bearings, pulley problems, or deterioration in the inducer motor or blower motor belt may cause squealing.

A failing blower fan motor can cause disruptive humming.

The rattling noise may come from an unbalanced engine, loose screws, or ductwork that is unsecured.

The best way to eliminate such issues is to arrange scheduled maintenance services to keep them at bay. If you encounter these issues, make sure that you contact a specialist to prevent further exacerbating the problem at your earliest possible convenience.

5. Your Heater is too old.

Heaters usually do not last longer than 15 years—some last up to 20 years when proper maintenance and care is taken. If you do not know your heating system’s exact age, it’s best to find out before winter. Many devices have an actual date of implementation somewhere on them. Some have code on them that shows when the parts were made. It’s a smart idea to repair or replace it before winter arrives if the Heater was installed nearly 15 years ago.

6. Increased Dust Levels

Low indoor air quality can have a terrible impact on the health of your family. We only use our heating systems in winters, and for other hot months, it remains unused. This means that when not in use, they can accumulate a lot of dust. When we start using it again in winters, it can push a lot of unsettled dust into our living spaces. This usually does not mean that there is a problem with your heating system, but it means that you need it to give it a good clean. If this is the case with your HVAC system, then you should immediately get it clean as dust and debris can result in its components corroding when left for too long.

7. Short-cycling or extended run times

Short cycling means that your Heater starts and stops very often. If your heating system is running for a short time and then it gets turned off to turn on again, it merely means there is some problem with your heating system. It usually happens when the design is not clean, or you have not serviced it for a very long time. Short cycling also means that a breakdown could be around the corner.

Short cycling is a terrible sign, and it’s worse for your heating system on top of that. .Short cycling is awful as you’re going to waste energy running it this way, and it will shorten the Heater’s life as well. Whenever you find this problem with your heating system, you should immediately call a professional to fix it.

8. Flu-like Symptoms may be Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

Have you or any of your family members suffered unexplained flu-like symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, or burning eyes? Carbon monoxide also causes these effects. Due to expansion and contraction, older heating systems may develop cracks in the heat exchanger. They can also occur in newer, not properly built or maintained furnaces. Heat exchangers can usually last around 20 years, but it is best not to take risks if any of these symptoms are encountered.

9. Several Repairs in a Short Time

You can easily invest almost as much as the cost of a new unit if you have had to change parts of your heating system several times over a short period. Not only is it expensive to keep an outdated system running, but it can be not easy to locate components for older systems.

Heating systems are a must. You should immediately call a professional for help if you’re having any of these issues with your heating system.