3 Reasons Your Heating System is out of Whack!

Everyone wants to be comfortable in their Winston-Salem homes, especially in those colder months! But what happens when heat doesn’t fill your home on demand? You know the feeling – you crank up the thermostat and stand over the register to warm your tootsies, only to feel cold air coming from the vent!

This is maddening, for sure, so add another pair of socks and read on to find out what might be the cause of cold air from your heater.

A Dirty or Missing Air Filter

Your heating system contains a removable, replaceable filter to trap microscopic dust particles that are irritants to lungs, and large dust and debris particles that are a hazard to your system mechanics. This is, in most cases, matted fiberglass in a simple cardboard frame. Filters can be flat or pleated and have varying levels of filtration.

The Power of Pleats

A tighter weave will block more particles, as will pleated filters, which pack more filtering material into the same amount of space. Check the specs on the filter package and not just the price tag; you really do get what you pay for in furnace filters. The higher the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, rated 1-12), the better filtration.

A cheap, flimsy filter with a MERV of 1-4 will run you about $2-3, and an electrostatically charged filter with a MERV rating of 12 can be upwards of $25.00. Keep in mind that a higher MERV can actually block airflow due to the tight pattern of the fiberglass, so aim for a value of about 8 for a good balance between particle control and airflow.

The goal of the filter is to keep you and your family from getting sick and keep your furnace from malfunctioning, and to do so it has to catch all of those little particles, from dust to pet dander to outdoor pollen. At some point, however, it won’t be able to hold any more particles and still allow air to flow through.

Air Flow Blockage May be Your Issue

A simple check of your filter can identify one of the most common cold-air problems in your home – air flow blockage. Pull out the filter, and if you see that it is more gray than white, it is time to change the filter.

How often should the filter be changed? According to This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, “You can’t change them often enough.” The National Air Filtration Association simply recommends changing that filter when it is dirty. The American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology agree that you should change your furnace filter every 2-3 months. Your unique environmental situation can vary this schedule.

If you smoke, have pets, live near a busy highway or factory, or have your windows open a lot, you may need to change your filter more often. By checking your filter once a month and always having a spare filter handy, you will be ready to change that dirty filter without experiencing the block of airflow first.

If you are unsure of what type of filter is best for your needs, call us at (336) 560-3326 for advice.

Check Your Thermostat

If you have changed the air filter and you still feel cold air coming from your heating vents, it is time to check the thermostat. You will notice two numbers on your thermostat. One is the temperature of the room and the other is the desired temperature of the room – the number you set. If these two numbers are the same or just a degree or two off, then your heating system is working just fine.

The cold air you feel may simply be the air that blows out of your ducts before the heated air reaches the room. If these numbers are off, say the room temperature reads 60 degrees but you have it set at a comfortable 72 degrees, then you may have a problem with your thermostat.

First, if you have a digital thermostat, check to see if the batteries need to be replaced. Of course, if you have a very old thermostat, it is likely engineered with a bimetallic strip. Basically, a vial of mercury is attached to a thin piece of metal that bends as it heats and cools, telling your system whether it needs to send or stop sending hot air.

This is not the most accurate way to keep the temperature in your home steady, and you may need to upgrade to a more modern thermostat that uses a thermistor, which contains a microcontroller that measures electrical resistance changes and can convert that change to a temperature reading.

Batteries or mercury – it’s your choice! Hire a professional installer to replace your thermostat and test it for accuracy.

The Possibility of Mechanical Failure

If you’ve changed your heating system filter, checked for thermostat accuracy, and still feel cold air coming from your vents, it may be time to call in a pro. You could have an ignition problem or worse, which is only a project for a licensed HVAC technician.

First, check your pilot light. In an older gas heater, you will have a flame that is always burning. This causes the release of natural gas to combust and produce heat when your thermostat kicks on. If the flame is out, follow the instructions for lighting it. In newer heating systems, you will find an electric ignition that creates a spark to start the flame each time the thermostat tells it to.

This saves you money, as it does not require a steady stream of gas to stay on, and it is presumably safer, as you don’t have to take a match to it, but after a few years it could require a replacement.

Your Winston-Salem heater may need a new ignition, sensor cable, pilot gas valve, burner, pressure switch, or a number of other repairs/replacements, and it is best to call in a professional for safety and accuracy.

For the best professional HVAC services in your Winston-Salem home, call Blaze Air at (336) 788-3322!