Halloween is on the way and you’re probably thinking about what crazy costumes your kids are going to want this year, or how to make your house the scariest on the block. One way you don’t want your house to be haunted, though, is with faulty HVAC equipment!
You’re probably turning your furnace on for the first time right about now…and it’s very possible a problem has been brewing while it wasn’t in use, like a dirty filter or a clogged burner. There are some maintenance checks you can do yourself to make sure your heater is working and that you’re in for a “treat” instead of a “trick”!
Check Your Thermostat
September’s been pretty warm and it hasn’t been dropping down past the mid-60s at night. So, if this is your first time turning on your heater, remember there’s always the slight chance that your thermostat might not be working properly.
If you turn the heat on and nothing happens, it may be an issue with your thermostat, not the furnace. If all you hear is a ghostly silence, take off the thermostat cover and investigate to make sure the wire connections are securely attached, and that the power going to your HVAC is turned on in the first place.
If all of this looks okay, then it’s probably an issue with your heat exchanger, furnace fan, blower, ball bearings…There are so many possible factors, and one of our heating and cooling experts can help you identify the issue!
Change the Air Filter
You can change your air filters yourself, but first you need to know whether your filters are behind all your wall/ceiling vents, or if you just have one central furnace air filter. Most modern HVAC units have just one it should be easy for you to replace it yourself as long as you know what kind of filter you need and how often to replace it.
If you have a cheap fiberglass filter, you may need to replace it up to every month! However, if you have a pleated filter — which means it has cotton or polyester “pleats” that trap more airborne particles like dirt and dust — then you probably only need to replace your filter twice a year…
That’s right around now for you, right?
If you have scary creatures in your home like pets and children, then you may need to change the air filter more often! For your pets, this is because of shedding and dander, but for young children, it’s because you want your air quality to be the best for their growth and health!
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be up to 100 times dirtier than outdoor air. Dust, pollen, bacteria, pet dander, and mold are way scarier than any Halloween fiend. Plus, changing your air filters regularly enough not only keeps your air quality great, but also helps the entire unit run longer without a breakdown.
Check Your Carbon Monoxide Detector
As everyone knows, the scariest part of any Halloween horror movie is the deafening silence building up suspense right before the killer strikes. A silent killer that could actually be after you and your family in real life, though, is carbon monoxide.
In truth, carbon monoxide detector failure is rare, so we don’t mean to “scare” you too much.
You should be able to test your detector by simply holding down the button, but the reason the silent killer has been effective in the past is because, like changing your air filter, checking and possibly replacing your carbon monoxide detector is something that’s easy to forget about…especially during the rush and excitement of a holiday!
This Halloween, treat yourself to a routine furnace check, in addition to what you can do yourself. If you haven’t had your annual check done yet, you’re that much more likely to be in for a “trick” instead. No one wants that, whether it’s in the form of tiny monsters like mold, bacteria, and carbon monoxide, or it’s a spooky mechanical problem. To get a thorough fall check-up, call us at (919) 853-7910, or schedule an appointment online!