Why Do Heaters Break Down In The Winter?

Here in Pasadena, it’s easy to not even think about our heaters until a cold front really hits the area. Then, we’re scrambling to heat our homes and stay warm until the next mild Texas day. Even though we don’t use our heaters as much as our air conditioners, even the most efficient furnaces always seem to malfunction right when we need them most. Why is this?

Air Tech of Pasadena is the go-to Pasadena furnace repair team, so we know a thing or two about your heating system. We want to share with you what your heating system goes through during the winter and give you some tips to make your furnace’s performance much smoother and more dependable!

Stress On Your Furnace

Even though your heater is designed to operate in the cooler season, it’s still a machine that can experience strain. There are a few reasons why your system might fail during the winter season specifically, making it seem like your furnace always breaks down when it’s cold.

• Clogged Air Filter — The air filters in your home are made to remove particulates from the air, but they become clogged over time. If your air filters haven’t been changed in a while, the passageway for air becomes obstructed. This means that air can’t flow as smoothly through the system, which puts strain on the heater to keep pushing out more warm air.
• Missized Air Ducts — The heater in your home is sized to provide adequate warm air to the entire space. If the air ducts are not sized correctly or you have added rooms in your home, the power of the heating system might not match the delivery system.
• Sudden Frequent Use — After depending on your AC for most of the year, suddenly switching to using the heater often can cause problems. Depending on if you have central heating or a furnace, your heating unit may not have been used in many months. This means that all those moving parts necessary to warm your air could be affected by time or have built-up debris.

Keep Your Heater From Breaking Down This Winter

If you want to do everything to prevent a chilly night with no heat in your home, then check out some tips for promoting your heater’s health. With a few simple steps, the risk of your heater failing this winter will fall significantly.

Preventative Maintenance

The number one way to avoid inconvenient furnace repairs is to have a heater tune-up completed in the fall. When you give the experts a chance to clean and evaluate your heating unit, they will be able to spot any looming repairs that could cause trouble during the season. They can make replacements and ensure that the system is ready to run when you need it.

Have Reasonable Demands

Another common reason that your heater might struggle in the winter is due to extreme temperature demands by your household. The colder it is outside, the warmer you’re going to want the inside of your home to be. However, your heater operates best when it has reasonable demands placed on it.

For example, if it is 50 degrees outside and you set your thermostat at 80 degrees, your heater will struggle to maintain that warmth in your home. This strain can cause parts to wear out faster or your system to fail. The best practice to help your furnace out is to never set the thermostat more than 20 degrees higher than it is outside. This allows your heater to operate the way it’s supposed to.

Call On Us For Your Heater Repairs!

Air Tech of Pasadena has seen every furnace repair — big and small. We’re more than happy to come out to your home and get you feeling cozy again. When you need quick and effective heater repairs, count on the team that is dedicated to serving you. Give us a call today!