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Why is My Home Heating Not Working?

Winter is somewhat mild in Los Angeles, but for those of us who live here, it can get downright cold. There are some nights when your home heating system becomes more than appliance, it becomes a necessity. We’ve received many after hours calls from people asking why their home heating isn’t working. At Adeedo, we always say call in the professionals. However, there are a few tips and tricks you can try on your own.

Air Seems Stale or Dirty

When the air in your home feels stale or stagnant, there are a few things you can do. The first thing to try is opening a window for a bit and introducing some fresh air. Your home heating system runs on a closed loop system. Meaning all the air is recycled and unless you open a window or vent, no fresh air is being added to the mix. When opening a window doesn’t help the problem, it’s time to check the air filter. The air filter is responsible for trapping indoor air contaminates that could make your air feel dirty. First, examine the air filter in your furnace. When the air feels unclean, the cause generally lies within filtration. The air filter should be replaced regularly. Once every few months should suffice for most homes. Our HVAC experts recommend changing the air filter at least twice per year to keep your air clean and fresh. That number may change depending on the strength of your air filter, and the environment you live in. For example, homes near construction sites should check their air filter more often from the dust and debris that could be in the outdoor air. When an air filter is too full it is unable to trap dust, dander, allergens, and other particles. Which will make your air smell less than fresh. A dirty air filter comes with other consequences. An air filter that is too full forces your system to work twice as hard to produce the same amount of air. Which can make your energy bills go up.

To keep your home air clean:

  • Replace the air filter
  • Have the furnace and air conditioner maintained
  • Wipe down registers and vents

These changes should cure why your home heating is not working to clean air.

Home Heating Not Working to Heat Air

It’s the most frustrating thin when you turn on the air and nothing warm comes out. It usually only makes things worse. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to try and troubleshoot the system. Something to keep in mind that if none of the tricks below work, it’s important to call someone in as soon as possible. When a furnace won’t heat air, it can usually be attributed to a critical part. Oftentimes, we see a broken fire exchanger, compressor or even gas line. To fix your home heating not working to heat air, try:

  • Setting the thermostat five degrees higher than the room temperature.
  • Open all vents and clear furniture away from registers. Clear pathways ensure maximum airflow.
  • Reset the power breaker. Sometimes, kinks in energy routes can cause hiccups.
  • Check that the gas valves are open and functioning.

If none of these solutions can solve why your home heating not working to heat air, contact a certified HVAC technician as soon as possible.

Home Heating Not Working at All

Above all, the worst is when the system is completely nonresponsive. When this happens, we like to start with the simplest answers. Start by checking the thermostat. We like to say the thermostat is the remote control of your entire system. If the thermostat isn’t working, neither will your system. Try replacing the batteries and restarting the thermostat. That might be all you need to get the system running. The next step is to talk to any family members. They may have changed the settings on the thermostat. Was there a recent power outage? A furnace needs both gas and electric to work. When they are not available, even for a short period of time, you may need to turn off the whole system and then turn it back on. When these don’t work, it may be possible that:

A safety switch has gone off. A great thing about modern furnaces is that they’re outfitted with every type of safety sensor you can imagine. The problem is that when something triggers a safety switch, only an HVAC professional can reset the system. It could also be that the fire exchanger is disabled. Another issue of an air filter being too full is that dust can collect on the fire exchanger. That dust can clog the exchanger, meaning it can’t ignite and heat your home. The final reason could be that your system has just come to the end of its lifespan. Just like everything else in this world, furnaces have a lifespan and once they reach the end, it’s time to get a new one. Your best resource for any HVAC related questions is your local air professional. They can come in, take a look, and diagnose your system.

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