The feeling when your heating system malfunctions in the winter can be just as frightful as a scary trick-or-treat disguise, and you may figure that your home is out to trick you as you call for furnace repair service and anticipate a high bill. However, it’s helpful to note that treating your home heating equipment this fall can stave off those pesky problems. There are several steps for addressing your equipment’s needs and for improving its performance.

Schedule Pre-Season HVAC Maintenance

Preventive care is the most important service you can schedule for your home heating equipment. During this inspection and tune-up, your technician will:

• Test and inspect heat exchangers
• Check refrigerant levels in a heat pump
• Inspect gas lines in a combustion system
• Test electronic components
• Clean and lubricate moving parts
• Test and calibrate the thermostat as needed

Your technician may find worn out parts that may need to be replaced. As potential repair issues are identified prior to the winter, you can avoid the majority of common winter heating problems that would otherwise result in repair calls.

Know How to Diagnose Problems

One of the quickest responses to a malfunctioning heating system can be a call to the HVAC contractor. While this may be necessary, don’t be tricked into a premature service call for a minor issue. Check the following first:

• Air filter – make sure that a clean filter isn’t needed. A blockage here could result in overheating and cause your system to malfunction.
• Thermostat settings – be sure that the system is on and that there is a call for heat. The setting desired should be warmer than the current room temperature for the system to turn on.
• Energy sources – check your fuse box to make sure that a switch isn’t the reason for the malfunction. Check your gas appliances to be sure that a furnace malfunction isn’t the result of an outage.

Use Recommended Thermostat Settings

ENERGY STAR recommends consistent use of programmable thermostats to maintain more consistent indoor temperatures while minimizing energy waste. Use the following settings as a starting point, adjusting to accommodate your personal comfort preferences and household activities:

• Start the day with a setting at or below 70 degrees
• Reduce temperature setting by approximately 8 degrees for the day
• Increase temperature setting to 70 degrees for evening activities
• Reduce temperature setting by 8 degrees for overnight heating demands

Experts indicate that up to 1 degree of change could equate to as much as 1 percent in savings on energy bills based on the consistency and duration of the change. Meanwhile, consistency can save your heating equipment the stress of compensating for more inconsistent efforts to save such as turning equipment off for long periods.

Webb’s Electric Heating & Air Codntioning offers a wide range of heating services, including those important fall HVAC maintenance appointments that can keep your Texas home from playing tricks on you this winter. Contact us to schedule an appointment or to learn more today.