Design Comfort Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Heating Repair’

You Probably Aren’t Imagining Those Ominous Heater Sounds

Monday, October 29th, 2018

beautiful surprised young woman in glasses standing in front of wonderful blue backgroundThe gentle hum of your heating system as you start it up is, of course, nothing to be alarmed about. After all, you know the normal noises of your heating system, which means that you can typically tell when something is “off.” A strange noise doesn’t automatically mean you have a heating emergency on your hands, but it is definitely something to pay attention to, and call for Salt Lake City heating repair from a trained professional ASAP.

In the meantime, want to know what these ominous heater sounds actually mean? Keep reading to learn about the most common noises we get calls for and what they might indicate, then, give us a call so we can stop those noises once and for all!

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How to Choose a Heater Worth Your Investment

Monday, October 15th, 2018

green-home-see-saw-moneyWith temperatures already taking a nosedive, now is not the time to be facing a broken down heater. Nevertheless, it might happen. Particularly if you had an aging heater and/or if you skipped maintenance for said heater. Of course, the first option is to schedule a Salt Lake City heating repair service, but what if that isn’t enough? What if you find that you need a new heating system altogether?

Your first instinct might be to rush out and buy the very first heater you can find within your budget, and the same model as the one you have now, to spare any extra time the installation could take otherwise. We understand this urgency, but also think it’s very important to consider your purchase and make sure that not only are you thinking about your initial budget, but how you might cut back on monthly expenses moving forward. So how can you choose the best heater? And what are your options?

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When One More Heating Repair Just Isn’t Enough

Monday, February 19th, 2018

return air vent on wallWe hope that you scheduled your heating maintenance before the heating season began, just like you should be doing each and every year (or twice a year, if you have a heat pump). We also hope that when a professional recommends heating repair in Salt Lake City, UT, that you take care of it right away. After all, this is the only way to properly care for your heater, no matter what type you have.

Eventually though, you will have to replace your heater. No amount of maintenance or timely repairs will prevent a heating system from aging—eventually “just one more repair” just won’t cut it. But how do you know whether or not the time has come to start considering a heater replacement or upgrade? It’s not always easy to tell, but we do have some common signs that you can watch for. If any of the three scenarios describe what you’re going through, be sure to give our pros a call.

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Maintenance Can Prevent These Common Heater Problems

Monday, January 8th, 2018

male technician servicing furnaceThere’s no denying that winter is here, and temperatures aren’t even at their coldest yet! Chances are though, you’re already using your heater on a daily basis. In the following weeks you’ll be putting a lot of strain on the system, so before you read any further, be sure to schedule maintenance if you haven’t done so already in the past year (or in the past 6 months, if you have a heat pump).

Even with maintenance, there is no guarantee that your heater will work 100% without malfunction or the need for Salt Lake City, UT heating repair throughout its lifespan. But the thorough inspection, cleaning, and adjusting that happens during maintenance can certainly help fend off some of the most common heater problems we receive calls for, such as the following.  

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Should it Smell When I Start up My Heater?

Monday, November 7th, 2016

We’re at that time of year that while it’s not necessarily time to run our heaters all day, every day, our nighttime temperatures are certainly cooling off to the point that you’re likely going to start your heater up soon if you haven’t already.

If you have turned it on to test it out or take the chill out of the nighttime air, did you notice anything strange? Did you detect an odd odor coming from your furnace? If so, there are a number of reasons this might have occurred. Answering the question of whether or not it should smell when you start it up depends on a few different factors.

Dust Buildup

The most common, and the least concerning, explanation for a smelly furnace upon startup is that you have a buildup of dust on your electric heating coils or on the burners in your furnace. Over the course of the summer season, there’s plenty of time for dust and dirt to accumulate on these components, as your furnace is not in use. The smell is usually caused by this dust burning off and should dissipate after a couple hours of use.

When the Problem is More Serious

If the smell seems to resemble melting plastic, then you may have a more serious problem on your hands. This could very likely be the sign of an electrical issue that is causing the wiring within your system to get too hot. If this is the case, the integrity and condition of your furnace is at risk, and it’s a fire hazard. Be sure you have this addressed right away.

Foreign Object in Your Heater

One last possibility is that a child’s or pet’s toy made its way into your ducts. If something like this makes its way through the vent grills, then you might be able to pull it out on your own. However, if no object is immediately visible, then it’s time to call a professional to complete an extraction without risking damage to your system.

To schedule Cottonwood Heights, UT heating repair and to learn why our customers say
“I love my Design Comfort,” just reach out to us today!

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What to Check If Your Heater Stops Working

Monday, March 14th, 2016

With plenty of cold weather still ahead of us—especially at night—a functioning heater is essential. As all Salt Lake City, UT residents are aware, nobody wants their comfort to be disrupted by a seemingly failing heating system. Your first instinct may naturally be to call for repairs. We are happy to take your call and do offer these services. However before you contact us, check for the following factors to make sure there’s not a simple explanation for your heater not working.

Check Your Power Supply

When a heater stops working, your assumption may automatically be that there’s something wrong with the system, but this might not actually be the case. Perhaps the power switch got turned off by accident. This might have occurred as you were getting other work done to your home. Make sure your HVAC breakers and flipped to the “on” position and check your system again.

Change Your Air Filters

Are your air filters looking particularly dirty? If they haven’t been replaced in a while, they may be clogged and preventing airflow from passing through. As a result, you may notice a lot less power than usual coming from the system.

Check Your Vents

Have you recently moved any furniture or large objects in your home that can be blocking vents? Look around your vents, grills, and air registers to make sure there is nothing blocking them, and to see that there is sufficient airflow.

Check the Safety Switch

Heating systems have a safety switch on or near them. Depending on where your system is located, this switch might have been bumped off by a family member, pet, etc. Be sure to check this before assuming that you need heater repairs.

Let’s say that you’ve checked all the factors above, and/or your heater is showing troubling symptoms. It’s now time to call for a repair. Signs that your system may not be working properly include insufficient or uneven heating, or cold air coming from your heater.

Call our experts at Design Comfort for heating repair services in Salt Lake City, UT.

 

 

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When Should I Schedule Heating Repairs?

Monday, February 15th, 2016

As we discussed earlier this month, many homeowners hold a mistaken belief that heating system maintenance is all about the timing. Truthfully, while maintenance is vital to the performance of your system, if it’s being done regularly then the time of the year doesn’t actually matter. What about repairs though? Can certain repairs wait, or should they be taken care of right away?

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When to Consider Heating Repair Services

Monday, September 28th, 2015

After a long, hot summer, moving into the cooler time of the year can actually come as something of a relief. However, you must know for certain that your heating system is in great working condition if you hope to live comfortably as the “cooler time of the year” transitions into the full-fledged winter season. As well-made and routinely serviced as your heater may be, remember that no heater is ever going to offer 100% reliability. With that in mind, it behooves you to learn to recognize the signs that your heater is in trouble. Below you’ll find a few examples of instances in which you should schedule professional heating repair in Salt Lake City, UT. If you notice these issues, call Design Comfort to schedule service.

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Why Do Combustion Heating Systems Need a Flue?

Friday, December 12th, 2014

Everyone knows why a chimney is necessary for a wood-burning fireplace. Burning wood produces a lot of smoke, which is quite harmful if inhaled. The chimney exists to vent the smoke out of the house, while still allowing the heat from the fire to radiate through the room. Why do modern heating systems need exhaust flues, though? They mostly burn natural gas, not wood, so there’s no need to vent smoke. Read on for an explanation of how combustion systems work, and why you should be very glad that they make use of exhaust flues.

Incomplete Combustion

Most home heating systems utilize some form of combustion. That is, they burn a fuel of some kind to generate heat for the house. What many homeowners don’t know is that all of these systems use incomplete combustion. As the name suggests, incomplete combustion is when the fuel is not entirely consumed by the process of burning it. There are leftover bits and pieces, called “combustion byproducts” that remain after the fuel is burned. It is these byproducts that the exhaust flue is meant to address.

Combustion Byproducts

There are a number of different combustion byproducts of burning natural gas. Most of these are harmless, but the three most dangerous byproducts are carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. All three of these gases are dangerous to humans if inhaled, and can cause a number of harmful side effects including death. Carbon monoxide is the most dangerous of the three, due to humans’ inability to detect it. It is odorless, tasteless, and invisible. The only way to detect carbon monoxide is to buy a sensor (which is a good idea) or recognize the signs of exposure. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include sudden dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, seizures, unconsciousness, and death. If you begin to feel any of the preliminary symptoms in your home while the heat is on, get out of the house immediately and call emergency services.

This is why the exhaust flue is so important. These combustion byproducts are an unavoidable result of combustion heating. The exhaust flue is what siphons these pollutants out of your house and keeps you safe. If you have any reason to suspect that your exhaust flue is having issues, call Design Comfort as soon as possible. We provide heating repair throughout Salt Lake City.

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Things to Repair Now That Heating Season Is Over

Monday, March 31st, 2014

Spring will bring with it warm weather, ramping us up for another hot summer season. Your home’s heating system is about to go on a sabbatical (with perhaps a few “guest appearances” on select cool days) and you won’t think about it much until the cold weather returns.

But warm weather is an ideal time to take care of any repairs you may have neglected during the winter. You should never let any heating repair go for any length of time, but it’s difficult to face having your heater down during repairs. So if those malfunctions were still occurring when the winter ended, grab this time during the warmer temperatures of spring and before the busy season of summer to have heating services in Salt Lake City, UT for whatever ails your heater.

Design Comfort has NATE-certified technicians ready to assist you when you need help for your home’s comfort system. Here are some repairs to call them for now that heating season has concluded:

Leaking in a boiler

Those water pools starting around your boiler… that’s bad news. You have leaking occurring either in the connections, the valves, or along the tank itself. Water build-up can also lead to damage. Have technicians seal up leaks and find out what caused them in the first place.

Grinding sounds from a furnace

A furnace that starts making unusual noises needs to have professional attention right away. If your furnace was starting to “growl” at you at the end of winter, it could mean motors on the verge of dying… and they’ll like die the next time your turn the furnace on. Have technicians replace the troubled motors before they become worse.

Inadequate airflow from the vents

If you noticed that airflow from your vents was dropping, then there are a number of repairs might help you. Usually, this means a problem in the air handler that contains the blower motor, and under certain conditions you may need the unit replaced entirely.

Corrosion on a furnace or boiler

Rust or corrosion of any kind is something you never want to encounter on a furnace or a boiler. If this develops too far, it usually means you must replace the whole system with a new installation. Don’t hesitate to have specialists inspect the unit and find out what is happening to cause the corrosion and what must be done to fix it.

Prompt and skilled repairs are an essential part of making sure your heating system lives up to its efficiency rating and its expected service life. Catch up on those repairs now with professional heating services in Salt Lake City, UT from Design Comfort.

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