The winters in northern Florida are short and mild, and now that it\u2019s late February we can already start to look toward the time when the air conditioners in our houses will turn on and work steadily. However, there are still cool and rainy days ahead, with the temperature sometimes dropping into the 50s. Our heating systems aren\u2019t ready to go into hibernation quite yet, and so it\u2019s smart to make sure that they aren\u2019t suffering from any major or minor repair issues. You don\u2019t want to be caught by surprise when you try to turn your heater on at the end of the year and find that it doesn\u2019t work just when you need it again.<\/p>\n
Here are some heating repair issues you may need to address at this time of year:<\/p>\n
Whether you have a furnace or a heat pump, it requires a blower fan to circulate the air through the ventilation system. This motor has probably already seen plenty of work during the last few months, and if it\u2019s too worn down it may be in danger of a burn-out, in which case the motor must be replaced. Listen for screeching or shrieking sounds, or acrid odors from the vents, as these are early warning indicators of a motor that\u2019s in trouble.<\/p>\n
Over the season, a thermostat can start to lose its precision at sensing indoor temperatures, and even a few degrees of difference can mean some behavior from the heater that will leave your house drafty or overheated. Since the thermostat also controls the AC, you\u2019ll want any trouble with it fixed as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
You should change the air filter (or clean it if it uses a permanent filter) once a month during the winter. Unfortunately, it\u2019s far too easy for people to forget to do this important job leading to a heavily clogged filter. This will cause a drop in air flow that will make the heater overwork. In the case of a furnace, a clogged air filter can also lead to too much heat getting trapped in the system, causing the furnace to shut down early, a situation known as short-cycling that is extremely damaging and will cause a massive spike in bills.<\/p>\n