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As winter approaches and temperatures quickly plummet, it’s important to keep a close on your furnace to make sure your home stays warm. The problem is, it can be tough to diagnose a furnace problem when you don’t know the first thing about furnace repair. In some cases, the problem could simply be that your furnace is getting a bit too old and needs to be replaced soon. If you think you might be dealing with a furnace problem that you need to get fixed, here’s how you can figure out what’s going on.

Seasonal Maintenance

Perhaps the most common problem that homeowners have with their furnaces is a lack of maintenance. As is the case with just about everything in life, your furnace will last longer and work better if you take good care of it. The best way to take care of your furnace is to have a furnace repair company perform seasonal maintenance twice a year.

The tough part about having your furnace maintained is that you need it to be working during the winter. This is why experts recommend having your furnace serviced during the offseason, specifically spring and fall. Not only does this help prepare your furnace and AC for the demanding seasons, it means you get to avoid having your furnace shut off for maintenance during the coldest months of the year.

During seasonal maintenance, an HVAC technician will clean up your furnace, replace the air filter and check for any problems that your furnace might be having. If a technician spots a problem during this maintenance, it’s important to get it fixed right away since you’re already having your HVAC system serviced.

Dirty Air Filters

One of the most common problems you’ll deal with as a homeowner is a dirty air filter in your HVAC system. This air filter is designed to keep the air that comes into your home clean by filtering out small particles and contaminants. Over time, this leads to the filter getting clogged and restricting airflow, which can cause a lot of different problems with your furnace.

A repair expert can figure out if your problems are caused by a dirty air filter and get your furnace fixed up in a hurry. Air filters are pretty easy to change and relatively affordable, plus your technician can help you find the best filter for your home and the size of your family. At the very least, you should have a new air filter installed in your furnace once every three to six months.

Frequent Cycling

When you set a temperature on your thermostat, you expect your Garland, TX, home to reach that temperature and stay there. However, that’s hard to achieve if your furnace is constantly cycling on and off. If you notice your heat won’t stay on when you turn it on, you might want to have a furnace repair expert take a look at things.

Most often, frequent cycling of a furnace or AC is caused by a bad thermostat. Your thermostat is what’s responsible for figuring out the temperature and telling your heating or cooling to turn on, so it only stands to reason that a bad thermostat might cycle your heat on and off repeatedly.

Since running your heat too much can cause a lot of problems, a bad thermostat needs to be replaced right away. The good news is, you can get a brand new smart thermostat and have it installed by a furnace repair company for a reasonable price.

No Heat

Whether you’re just waking up in the morning or getting back home from a long day at work, you rely on your furnace to keep your home at a comfortable temperature during winter. However, sometimes a furnace won’t produce any heat even when it’s on, which is a good sign that it’s time to call a furnace repair company.

The tough part about not getting any heat from your furnace is the fact that it could be caused by a number of different problems. For some people, fixing a furnace that won’t heat is as simple as replacing the thermostat, while others might need to replace an old air filter. You could even have a pilot light problem if you’re dealing with a gas furnace. In any case, you should have a furnace repair expert take a look if you aren’t getting any heat.

Wear and Tear

Over time, the parts of your furnace will wear out and eventually cause you some problems. While this wear and tear is a common side effect of old age in furnaces, you should call a furnace repair company if you notice any strange sounds or operational problems being caused by wear and tear.

The fact that wear and tear can cause such major problems with your furnace is exactly why you need to keep up with seasonal maintenance. An old, worn-out belt or a dirty pilot light can stop your furnace in its tracks, and both of those things will happen over time. Make sure you’re keeping up with seasonal maintenance and calling a furnace repair expert whenever you notice a strange sound or smell coming from your furnace.

Stay Warm This Winter

When winter rolls around, the last thing you want is to be stuck in a cold house with a furnace that doesn’t work. As long as you keep a close eye on your furnace and keep up with maintenance, however, that shouldn’t be something you have to worry about.

If you’re in the Garland, TX, area, you can count on K&S Heating & Air to tackle all of your heating and cooling service needs. Whether you need furnace repairs, seasonal maintenance or a brand new furnace, we’ve got you covered. Give K&S Heating & Air a call to schedule service today and keep your HVAC system running like a top.