When the brutal winter strikes, you do not want your home to stay cold, right? In case you have a furnace, it is the right time to get it ready for winter, so you and your family can remain cozy and warm throughout the chill season.
After all, the cold and dark winter months don’t always have to be miserable. It can be a wonderful time of year just as long as you have a comfortable, warm home to welcome you. Talk to professionals at https://furnace-repair-toronto.ca/and ensure your furnace is in the best working condition to keep your home comforting.
Your snug and warm chamber can always make the difference in winter, but in case anything goes wrong with your furnace, it can be a different story. Here are a couple of common furnace emergencies in cold weather to consider and fix.
A Thermostat Check
Once you switch your furnace system from cooling to heating, it may need a little bit of fine-tuning. Turn your thermostat to heat, and then slowly increase the temperature to a couple of degrees higher than the current room temperature.
Listen carefully for the heat to turn on, and if it does not, look at the wire connections under your furnace cover to ensure everything is attached securely. Turning on the heat is also a great time to check on the heat pump, blower, or furnace fan, too. Once you test your thermostat and system in time, you have a better possibility of addressing your problem now, even before the winter strikes.
If heat is not coming on at all, try altering the thermostat batteries, in case it has batteries. When you are doing it, give the thermostat a dusting with a tiny paintbrush.
You can even try to reboot it. Once you have set the thermostat to heat, turn the temperature down to nearly 60º. Next, turn the breaker switch off for thirty seconds and turn it back on. If it doesn’t respond even then, call an HVAC expert.
Evaluate the Circuit Breaker and Power Supply
In case the furnace ceases to work, or the thermostat’s screen is blank, check if the circuit breaker has tripped or puffed a fuse. Also, you must ensure that you have plugged the power cord into an outlet.
Change the Filters
Filthy air filters lead to many furnace issues. Clean or replace the filter every month. Also, ensure that you follow the directions given on the system by the manufacturer. A furnace repair expert can also help you to do it.
If you do not swap out your old filter, it can cause many issues, like increased energy bills and more. To ensure your furnace does not work tirelessly, change your filter every one to two months.
To do it, turn off your furnace, look out for the filter, take out the old one (and be careful about the size), replace the filter, and turn the heater back on.
Maintenance is the Key
Before the end of summer, talk to a furnace repair specialist like https://furnace-repair-toronto.ca/ to evaluate and maintain the furnace. The professional will get your unit ready for the upcoming cool weather and fix problems that could cause breakdowns or expensive repairs during the busy winter months.
Ducts are Emitting Smoke
Typical furnace energy happens when smoke or black clouds originate from your ducts and set off the alarm system of your home. It usually happens when you turn on the furnace for the first time after a long summer break.
Here, your system may burn up all the dust and sediment built up in the unit. The burning should be there for a few minutes. But if the smoke does not evaporate, this may be because of some circuit issues or some burning switches.
The Furnace is Not Working
Check the emergency shutoff button for the furnace. It may be at the entrance to the furnace closet, at the top of your basement stairs, or maybe on the heater. It can have a red switch plate. In case anyone switches it off, your furnace will not work.
Is the Heater Tripping the Breaker?
In case your heater keeps tripping the breaker or blowing a fuse when the heat enters, it is most likely an electrical problem. To keep your family and you safe, call in the professionals to diagnose the cause.
Bad Smell from the Furnace
Most of the furnaces give off a fiery smell. However, it may also be just dust burning off, or it can be even actual smoke from a fire. In case there is a fire, you must turn the furnace off immediately, quench the flames with a home fire extinguisher, then call your local fire emergency services.
In case the smell is because of the dust, it should weaken after a short period. In case the smell persists, however, and you are sure that there is no fire, it is a clear sign that your system requires cleaning.
To sum up, preparing for the colder months does not need to be complicated. To keep your furnace system safe and to stay ready for any emergency during winters, don’t miss the shared points.
