What You Should Do If Your Heater Fails During the Winter?
Your slippers are on, hot cocoa is ready, and you’re just about to watch a holiday movie. All of a sudden, you realize that your home is rapidly growing colder. Even though you just adjusted your temperature settings, your heating system still won’t kick on. It looks like your heater has failed.
When your heater fails in the middle of a frigid winter night, it can quickly inspire panic. Although Birmingham isn’t known for its cold weather, temperatures can still fall fairly low. If your heater stops working, your home can quickly become uncomfortable.
To help your family stay warm and toasty this winter, we’ll look at some of the most common reasons why heaters fail and troubleshooting tips you can use to fix the problem.
What Causes a Heater to Fail in the Winter?
A heater can fail for a variety of reasons. Airflow issues, like blocked ducts and clogged air filters, can prevent hot air from reaching your rooms. Tripped breakers and thermostat malfunctions are also common problems that are easy to solve.
While some of these issues can be resolved on your own, other problems need to be left to the experts. For example, some heaters stop working because of worn igniters, faulty blower motors, and gas valve complications. If any of these malfunctions are at fault, you should call one of our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians for professional help.
What to Do If Your Heater Fails in the Winter
If your heater fails unexpectedly, there are a few troubleshooting options you can use right away to try to get it working again. Again, if these tips do not work, you should always reach out for professional help.
Check the Flame Sensor
Normally, the flame sensor is in charge of checking to see if the gas is properly ignited. If it doesn’t sense the flame, it will shut off the heater so that gas doesn’t build up in your home.
However, flame sensors can become dirty and stop sensing the flame properly. You can carefully clean a dirty sensor with a soft cloth to try to fix the problem.
Relight the Pilot Light
The pilot light is a flame that acts like an ignition source for your heater. If the pilot light stops working, your heater will also stop working. Pilot lights are only on gas furnaces, so you don’t need to check this component if you have a heat pump or electric furnace.
Each heater is a little different, so you should consult your manufacturer’s guide to see how the pilot light needs to be lit. If it won’t remain lit after you light it, there may be an issue with the thermocouple. In this circumstance, you should call a professional HVAC technician for help.
Look for Airflow Issues
Whenever there are airflow problems, it can keep conditioned air from reaching your rooms. To troubleshoot this issue, start by checking your air filter. Depending on the manufacturer’s specifications, your filter should be replaced every 30 to 90 days.
Additionally, walk around your home to make sure the vents and registers are open and not blocked. Ducts can also develop pinhole leaks over time, so you may need to get them professionally inspected and sealed.
Adjust the Thermostat
Sometimes, a family member will switch the temperature of your home without telling you. To check for this problem, make sure your thermostat is set to heating mode. Change the temperature so that it is a few degrees warmer than your current air temperature. If the thermostat is working properly, the heater should immediately switch on.
Inspect the Breaker
Breaker panels are a safety mechanism that protects your appliances and wiring from unexpected surges in electricity. When an electrical fluctuation occurs, the breaker trips. If this is the case, you can easily flip the breaker to get your heater working again.
If the breaker immediately trips again, do not reset it. This indicates that there is an underlying issue that needs to be dealt with by a professional HVAC expert.
Clean the Burners
Over time, dirt and debris can start to build up on the burners. This reduces the efficiency of the heater and eventually can cause your entire system to stop working.
Luckily, this issue is fairly easy to resolve. By cleaning the burners with a brush and removing debris, you can ensure your system works as efficiently as possible.
It should be noted that many burners require specialized cleaning and disassembly. If this is the case, you should not try doing this troubleshooting step on your own.
Stay Warm
If these troubleshooting tips aren’t effective, it’s time to call for help. In the interim, you need to make sure your loved ones stay warm.
To do this, you should seal up any drafts and make sure your windows are closed. Extra blankets and coats can help you stay warm until help arrives. If you have a space heater, you can use it in a single room.
When to Call an Expert
If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should reach out to one of our HVAC experts right away for professional help.
- Weird odors
- Hot and cold spots in different parts of the room
- Inexplicably high energy bills
- Short cycling
- Strange noises
- Airflow problems
You should immediately reach out for help and turn off your heating system if you smell gas because this indicates a potential leak.
Get Help With Your Heating System
While these troubleshooting tips can solve minor issues, major problems must be repaired or replaced by an expert. If your heater fails and won’t start again, reach out to our team of experienced HVAC technicians for professional help right away.
We’re on time, or you don’t pay a dime!