No matter how well-made something is, it’s bound to break eventually. And with something as complex as a heating system, which has many components and moving parts, there are a lot of potential points of failure. This means that, sadly, heating repairs are an inevitable part of life.
But they don’t have to be a frequent part of life! There are things you can do to keep your heater running more smoothly, decreasing the need for repairs and increasing your chances of only needing minor repairs. Taking these steps will even increase the lifespan of your heater, making it so that it might keep running for years longer than it would have otherwise.
All the parts of your heating system have the potential to affect other components. If one thing starts to go wrong, it can affect the rest of the system. For example, a loose belt is no longer just a loose belt if it doesn’t get repaired promptly. It’s a broken belt that has come free and damaged other parts such as the blower motor. So how can you make sure a cascade of problems doesn’t leave your heater in need of major repairs?
Annual Maintenance
When you have maintenance done by a qualified technician, they can catch small problems early. Even better than that, they will take steps to make sure even small problems are less likely to happen. There are many steps to heating maintenance:
- Cleaning: Removing dust that has accumulated throughout the year has a big impact. A dirty flame sensor can shut your whole heating system down, because it won’t run if it can’t sense that the pilot light is safely on. A dusty blower motor can overheat, even fusing the wiring together so that the whole motor needs to be replaced. A clean heating system won’t have these issues.
- Lubricating: When there are moving parts, there is friction. Your technician will apply lubricant where components rub together, allowing them to slide freely. This reduces overheating, wear and tear, and system strain.
- Inspecting: All of the components of your heating system will be thoroughly checked during maintenance. If anything is loose, damaged, or deteriorating—like that belt we mentioned earlier—it can be addressed before it causes any problems.
- Testing: Your technician will perform tests to ensure that electrical components are functioning safely and are properly calibrated. If you have a gas heater, your technician will also test that your fuel is combusting completely and that your CO detector is functioning.
Air Filter Changes
The other step to ensure that your heater requires as few repairs as possible is one that you can do yourself, without having to schedule an appointment. Remember all the problems that can be caused by dust? (And there are more—we only mentioned some highlights.) You can dramatically reduce the dust in your system by changing the air filter. This should be done every month during times when your heat is running constantly, and every three months during times when your heater is seeing lighter use. If you’re not sure how to do that, check your owner’s manual, or reach out to us for some guidance.
And if you do need heating repair in West Chester, PA, remember that taking care of your heater sooner can be the difference between a minor repair and a major one.
Contact Platinum Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our pros.