Winters in Sanibel don’t get terribly cold, with the average lows resting in the mid-40s. That’s plenty cold enough to make us want to turn on the heater. But what do you do when your heater isn’t doing its job?

You may find yourself needing heating services to make sure that your HVAC system is running properly. Heater maintenance is critical to making sure your systems are all in working order once the winter comes.

If you’re curious about an HVAC tune-up, we’re here to offer our aid. Here are the most common signs that you should look into heater and furnace maintenance.

Strange Sounds From Your Heater

One of the first things you may notice is strange sounds from your heater. You’ve likely felt the same cold dread as when your car’s engine begins chugging, knowing an expensive fix is on the way.

Your HVAC system is no different. The many moving parts within can wear down over time, making it so you need to keep a close eye on them.

It’s even more important if you’re considering certain types of furnace repair. Natural gas furnaces, for example, need strict maintenance to ensure there’s no threat to your safety.

If you hear your HVAC system making strange sounds, seek repairs. Some sounds include:

• Clanging
• Strange ticking
• Grinding sounds
• Banging or wobbling sounds
• High-pitched whines

Some sounds may indicate that your fans have something stuck inside. Others may mean a belt is close to breaking.

Increasing Energy Bills

Your HVAC system should run as efficiently as possible so that it isn’t eating up electricity it shouldn’t need. If it’s failing to do so, one of the first things you may notice is that your energy bills are increasing. But why?

Your HVAC system may be pulling more electricity because it’s struggling to generate and distribute heat. A common reason for this is that your filters are clogged. That can force your HVAC system to expend more energy as it struggles to pull in air.

Another reason could be that the fans aren’t spinning properly. As a result, your HVAC system has to be active longer.

One that’s in good functioning order will have periods of inactivity where it’s resting. These moments help it save energy – which saves you money.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to tell when your bill is going up relative to the norm in Sanibel. We don’t use our heaters often here, so it’s tough to parse out what the increase is from the heater running poorly when running it at all increases our bill. Keep your eye out for rising bill prices!

Increase in Carbon Monoxide

Along with a smoke detector, one of the safety features you should have in any home is a carbon monoxide detector. High levels of carbon monoxide can cause a variety of health risks that, ultimately, can become life-threatening.

If you hear your carbon monoxide detector going off, never ignore or overlook the warning. In some cases, heat exchangers can release carbon monoxide if damaged. The gas is colorless and odorless, so without a carbon monoxide detector, this can go completely undetected.

If this is happening in your home, evacuate the home until the issue is resolved. Contact emergency repair services and have them investigate your HVAC system to see if that’s what’s releasing the gas. There’s a high chance that a broken heat exchanger is the source.

Higher Dust Than Usual

A less intense reason could be that you’re seeing more dust than you normally do. You’ll notice this issue mainly near your home’s air ducts. 

Your air ducts are the system that your HVAC system uses to distribute heat through your home. If they’re full of dust, you’ll likely see this near the grate of your air vent. If this vent has a lot of dust on it, that likely means your duct has an abundance.

There are more threats here than you might think, and dust isn’t solely an aesthetic issue. A lot of dust building up can pose a health threat, especially to people with asthmatic conditions.

Furthermore, this can also become a fire threat. Starting your heater with too much dust can cause the dust to smolder, and in extreme cases, begin a fire. If you smell burning when you turn on your furnace, this may be why.

Thankfully, this is also one of the easiest problems to fix. Heating services will make sure that there’s not a build-up of dust in your vents or ducts.

Unpleasant Scents

Speaking of burning, you may notice unpleasant scents coming from your heater. That can often indicate that it’s time to perform heater maintenance or even full-on furnace repair.

There aren’t specific scents you should look out for. Chemical scents or burning are the most common. When you start up your HVAC system, keep your nose open near the vents to see if there are any distinct, foul scents coming from the ducts.

Passing of Time

Finally, the most obvious way to know that you need an HVAC tune-up is if enough time has passed since the last one. You should have a schedule for heater maintenance that you follow annually.

The most common schedule is to have annual heater maintenance and inspection. That way, you can keep tabs on things like dust build-up and more.

Doing so will help you keep track of anything that could be threatening your HVAC system. Breaking components or parts of your heater that are wearing down can be caught during these maintenance windows. Contact your local heating services professionals to handle this task for you.

Keeping Track of the Heat

Making sure your heating is working in Sanibel is crucial for when temperatures begin to drop during winter. Schedule annual heating services to make sure that everything works properly.

At Florida Cooling Solutions, we’re happy to provide you with the best services in Sanibel. We’re the most trusted contractors in Cape Coral and are proud to offer friendly, certified technicians to your benefit. Contact us today to discuss our exceptional services.