Central forced air heater repair can be expensive, so the best plan of action is to prevent the repair in the first place if at all possible. Of course, no matter how careful you are to adhere to a regular maintenance plan, at some point you’ll need to either get your system repaired or learn to do the basic repairs yourself.
A forced air heater uses ductwork to carry heated air throughout the house. There’s a blower to keep the air moving to all corners of the house. Central forced air heaters are popular, because the blowers distribute the air efficiently creating few, if any, cold spots.
Older units didn’t have blowers which meant the hot air rose throughout the house unevenly. But anytime you add features to a unit as sophisticated as central heat, you’re bound to have a forced air heater repair at some point. The more technology involved, the more expensive the repair can be.
Forced air heaters are either gas or electric. Gas is the furnace of choice if the fuel is available in the area because it burns clean and often less expensive than electricity. But when you need a forced air heater repair on a gas unit you have to be extremely careful you don’t try to repair a gas leak on your own.
Some repairs to furnaces require professional service by a certified and licensed technician. But even so, there are many maintenance steps you can take to reduce the probability of needing a forced air heater repair. A well- maintained furnace can provide years of repair-free service.
Problems that can require a forced air heater repair include the following:
• Pilot light goes out or won’t stay lit
• Blower doesn’t blow air through ductwork
• Furnace won’t start
• Blower won’t shut off
• House never reaches temperature set on thermostat
A forced air heater repair usually requires a licensed electrician in order to ensure the unit operates safely. A gas leak repair should never be attempted by a homeowner. In fact, if you smell gas you should leave all the windows open, leave the house and then call for an emergency repair.
Regular furnace maintenance includes replacing filters, keeping properly working thermostats, keeping vent openings clean, making sure ductwork doesn’t leak and keeping blower blades clean. Of course, no matter how careful you are about adhering to a regular maintenance schedule, anything mechanical can break.
Some of the simple repairs can safely be done by the homeowner. For example, you can replace the thermostat and replace fuses. You can also repair ductwork and even replace blower blades. But most repairs need to be done by an authorized technician or a licensed professional for the safety of you and your family.
There’s a lot to be said for having peace of mind.
By: Gregg Hicks
Many older homes were built pre-central heat and air. This is a luxury that many of us have to enjoy and when moving into an older we find that this luxury is also a necessity. We tend to lose tolerance for heat as we grow older and those old window air conditioning units just look tacky. However, the whole idea of having to add ducts to a home can sound difficult and expensive, but it is easier than you might think.
Central heat and air uses a primary heating appliance such as a furnace that is often located in an area such as a small closet, basement or garage. These systems deliver heat throughout the house through pumped warm air through a system of air ducts or by sending hot water or steam through pipes to room radiators. In newer homes, the system is usually built in with the home. The duct system may be set up with an air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace. There are also two types of systems including a forced air system and a gravity system. Gravity systems, however, do not provide air conditioning and can only provide heat. If your system includes an air conditioner, then the system is a forced-air system.
Air conditioners and heat pumps are forced air systems that share ductwork. The air conditioner runs on electricity and removes heat from air through refrigeration. The heat pump is capable of providing both heating and cooling. In the winter, the heat pump extracts the heat from outside air and delivers it into the home. In the summer it does the opposite. It extracts the cool air and pumps it into the home. These systems tend to be very economical and use only one duct system.
Many central air conditioners are split systems with a condenser outside and the fan and coil unit mounted in the attic. This means that the ducts will originate in the attics. The challenge here is if the home is two stories. It can be difficult to get the supply and return ducts to the first floor. The second floor will generally have ducts that run through the attic floor, while the first floor will need to have ducts run through closets. This takes up less space than some may think and the mess can be minimal. The contractor will need to cut holes in the first and second floor ceilings and some second floor closets will need to be used for running ducts.
This work will be well worth it in the long run when your home is kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If you have an older home, especially one with two stories, it can be difficult to spend anytime upstairs during the summer. The upstairs rooms will hold a large amount of heat and will definitely benefit from central heat and air. In the winter it is often difficult to keep first floors warm because the heat rises. Central heat will make your first floor rooms much more comfortable.
By: Christopher Brown