When the temperature starts dropping, you want to turn the temperature up on your thermometer. If you haven’t used it in a while or if you are really putting your heater through the paces, you can run into some problems. They’re pretty much unavoidable in your day-to-day life; after all, whenever you run a machine for months at a time, you are bound to have some problems. Some serious difficulties can arise with heaters, whether they be electric or gas. When you encounter those problems, you probably want to contact a heating contractor—because when it’s cold outside, you don’t want to have to put up with a malfunctioning heater. However, you should know when you need to call the contractor and when you can troubleshoot it yourself. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common problems:
The Heater Won’t Come On
If the heater won’t come on when you flip it on, you should check a few things. First, you should check the thermostat. The thermostat usually has an “auto” function and a “heat” function. Make sure the temperature for your heater is set below the current temperature inside your house. If it is and the heater still won’t come on, turn your dial to “heat.” If it still doesn’t come on, you should contact a heating contractor, because something could be seriously wrong. If your heater won’t come on and the thermostat is blank or you have an analog, you should check all of the electrical connections and batteries.
The Heater Comes On but It Isn’t Hot
In many cases, the heater might come on but it doesn’t actually blow hot air; that means the fan is working but the heating element isn’t. First, you should check to make sure that your thermostat is set to “heat” instead of “fan.” If it is, you should try turning your heater off for a half hour or so and then turning it back on. It’s possible that some part of your heater has shorted out and that you need to reset the connection. If that’s the case, then keep a close eye on it, because if it happens again, you definitely have a short and need to call your heating contractor before it becomes a serious problem. At some point in the future, it could short out completely.
The Heater Isn’t Hot Enough
If your heater is on but isn’t working well enough, you should check to see if the filters are clogged. Somewhere in your house, there is a vent that houses a filter that intakes water for the heater. If that filter is dirty, it chokes the air for the heater and ruins the airflow. If that doesn’t work, you should call a heating contractor.
