‘Tis the Season for Disrepair and Breakdowns: Common Winter HVAC Problems
12/08/2020
The onset of winter is supposed to be an exciting time for most people, with the holidays taking place, the last remnants of grueling winter heat trickling away, and visions of sledding and hot chocolates dancing through our heads. The problem, of course, is that winter can be a taxing season on your home in general and your HVAC system in particular. Severe cold can wreak havoc and cause some frustrating HVAC problems, but your HVAC contractor here at Air Services can help as these issues arise.
What are the most common winter HVAC problems? The following includes a few things that could prove problematic in the colder months of the year.
Five Common HVAC Problems During Winter
#1 Frozen Pipes
If the temperatures get below freezing outside, it can be enough to freeze your pipes and coils inside. You probably know how this can impact plumbing pipes, but it can impact HVAC pipes, too. What happens is water gets into various pipes, expands when it freezes, and bursts the pipe itself. This could prevent your heating system from working properly and may require an emergency HVAC call.
#2 Rooms with Drastically Different Temperatures
If your HVAC system isn’t spreading the heat around your house evenly—especially if there are rooms with drastically different temperatures, it’s possible your HVAC system isn’t working properly. You may have air leaks or a bad air filter that needs fixed/replaced.
#3 Pilot Won’t Light
Heating systems that run on propane have a pilot light that ignites every time the heat kicks on. However, sometimes the sensor that determines whether the pilot should ignite gets damaged or dirty, keeping your house from warming up properly. If this is the case, you’ll want that sensor to be cleaned or have that pilot replaced immediately to get things working again.
#4 Broken Thermostat
Sometimes, it’s the thermostat itself that stops functioning. If that is the case, consider upgrading to a smart thermostat, as it could save energy and money and help keep your house at the optimal temperature at all times.
#5 Old Air Filters
One of the most common winter problems is arguably the easiest one to fix. If your air filter is too dirty (a.k.a. “too old”), it may not allow proper ventilation for air to sift through. Not only does this make it harder for your heating system to keep up, but the harder an HVAC system has to work beyond normal operation, the more likely it’s going to break down. If you haven’t replaced your air filter in the past month, slide in a new one when the weather gets cold!
Need Emergency Heating Repair Near Waterloo, IA? Call Air Services
If you experience any of these problems, just know that you’ve got emergency heating repair available 24 hours a day with Air Services. If it’s something that can wait, you can always call to set up an appointment, but if it’s something that happens out of the blue and requires immediate attention, we’ll be there in a flash to get you back to enjoying all the things that make winter fun, rather than the brutal weather that can occasionally make it frustrating.