The winter season comes with a myriad of HVAC issues. Victorville experiences temperatures falling below 32 degrees during the coldest nights in December, which is colder compared to the majority of other places in California. In this case, whether you decide to cozy up with your warmest fleece, brew some hot chocolate, or turn on the twinkling lights, the winter will still demand efficiency in your HVAC system to heat your home. However, the chilling cold will cause many problems for your heating system.
If you are experiencing challenges with heating your home during this winter season, you should know that you are not alone. We receive an overwhelming number of calls from residents of Victorville to fix their heating systems compared to other seasons. With the increase in falling temperatures, here are some of the challenges that your heating system may experience.
1. Dirty and Clogged Filters
The problem with dirty and clogged filters cannot be overemphasized. While your filters could still get clogged and dirty, causing issues during other times of the year, it is a major issue during the winter.
Clogged filters do not allow efficient airflow through the furnace and can significantly strain the furnace. This means your appliance will work extra hard to maintain good indoor air quality.
Failure to maintain clean filters also means risks to the limit switch, which can blow, reducing its ability to control the fan. The risks are more significant in a household with aerosols, smoke, pet dander, and excess hair. It is crucial to ensure that the filters are clean and replaced within a month to extend your appliances’ efficiency and life span.
2. Unusual Noises
Sometimes, you may hear noises from your furnace, which is expected. A humming sound or a pop should not alarm you; it is perfectly normal when the furnace is working.
However, there are some unusual noises that you should not ignore, especially when the furnace is the source of the noise, such as the following.
Pop-Up Sound or Loud Bang When Powering Up
This could mean the furnace’s burners are dirty to the extent of delaying ignition. You could experience a tiny explosion due to the gas buildup. There is a danger of a carbon monoxide leak due to cracks in the furnace heat exchange as a result of the continued explosion.
Scraping
A scraping sound from your furnace should never be ignored, as it could mean your unit could stop heating your home efficiently. Moreover, some loose metallic parts could be rubbing the other metallic parts, resulting in a reduced capacity of the furnace to heat properly.
Squealing
Your furnace will make this noise as an indication that your blower motor is not operating properly or that the blower belt is worn out. This sound means that there is something wrong that needs fixing or replacing.
3. Damaged Furnaces and Heat Pumps
To ensure that your furnaces and heat pumps operate optimally and all their components are working efficiently, maintaining them regularly is inevitable. Neglecting them will only magnify the problem, resulting in leakages, breakages, and cracking of the heat exchange, especially during the winter.
Ensure that you maintain your furnace and heat pumps through regular maintenance. You can do this during spring as well as the onset of fall so that you can detect them early and avoid breakdown in the middle of winter.
4. Carbon Monoxide Leaks
Carbon monoxide leaks are very catastrophic and harmful to your entire family. What’s more, you may fail to detect them on time. These leaks are caused by cracks in the heat exchange, resulting in the leaking of the dangerous chemical.
There are carbon monoxide detectors that help mitigate this problem and alert you in case of any leakage. Also, ensure that you engage the services of professionals like Aace's Heating, Air Conditioning & Swamp Coolers for regular inspections to prevent cracks from developing in the heat exchange.
5. Uneven Heating
An efficiently working furnace should heat all the rooms in your house, without some rooms feeling too hot while others are freezing. The problem could be caused by leaking air ducts, dirty coils, dirty air filters, or damaged vents in your HVAC system.
Your house could also be experiencing insufficient insulation. You may notice some holes, gaps, and cracks in your house, which could be aiding the escape of heated air outside and the incoming of cold air. If this is a problem you could be experiencing, it is time for an inspection.
You could also check the vents for unrestricted airflow. If the vent isn’t working right but doesn’t seem obstructed, it could be time to clean the coils, filters, and ducts.
6. Burning Smell
When you turn the furnace on for the first time in winter, it is normal to experience a burning smell. However, the smell should wear off with time. If the smell lingers for days, it indicates some underlying issues in the wiring, the motors are overheated, or the filters are dirty.
7. A Faulty Thermostat
Glitches in a thermostat tend to multiply during the winter. It does not matter whether it is the traditional or the smart thermostat; all get challenges during the cold season. While they are durable, they are also destructible. This means that over time, they could suffer malfunctioning of the sensors, failure of the computer chips, or loose wires.
Some of the issues with your thermostat could be the inability to match your home’s HVAC, misreading temperatures, misused settings, or low or no battery. Challenges with your thermostat can result in poor heating patterns in your house as well as poor comfort levels.
8. Frozen Pipes
Heating utility bills can be very high, especially in December, January, and February when it’s freezing. During this period, many homeowners away from their homes prefer to cut utility bills by turning off the furnace. While this helps cut costs, it can freeze your heating system, including the pipes.
Frozen pipes reduce the efficiency of your heating system and can even cause them to burst. It is vital to ensure that your HVAC coils and pumps are not covered by ice during the winter to prevent freezing.
9. Poor Circulation and Airflow
The circulation and airflow in your home can be limited by the aging and failing of the heating system and its components, such as ducts, bearings, belts, and fan motors. These components require regular maintenance to ensure that they function optimally. That way, you can ensure that your heating system does not overheat, as that can prevent airflow and good air circulation.
What to Do Next?
Access to and proximity to experienced air conditioning and heating specialists at your disposal during this cold season is your best bet for dealing with any of these challenges. With our help, you can take comfort in the knowledge that you and your loved ones will be able to cozy up and enjoy a warm experience in this chilly season.
Why choose Aace's Heating, Air Conditioning & Swamp Coolers? We have a team of furnace technicians available in Victorville and its surrounding areas 24/7 to help with heating repair, heating installation, and heating maintenance. We also offer air-conditioning services, including AC conditioning, AC installation, AC maintenance, and mini-split AC.
Contact Aace's Heating, Air Conditioning & Swamp Coolers for more information.
