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The middle of winter is not the time to worry about your home’s heating system. Depending on the type of system, it can simply run too much causing high utility bills. Or, it can build up noxious carbon dioxide in the home resulting in far more serious consequences. Early fall is a great time to give the furnace a check up to make sure it will run smooth all winter. A regular maintenance program can avoid those high bills for furnace repair in Minneapolis. HVAC companies have programs designed to keep your system running efficiently all year round. There are three main types of residential furnaces: forced air, heat pump or boiler system. Each type will have different areas that need to be checked. Forced Air A forced air system works just as the name implies. A fan circulates air over a heating element and moved into the living spaces of the home. The fan is one of the most common problems with a furnace. The blades should not be bent or dinged and it should spin freely. The motor should be checked to make sure it is working properly and not straining to turn the fan. Sometimes a belt connects the motor to the fan blade. It should not be brittle or cracked. In an electric furnace, a heating coil is stretched across the airway, heating the air as it flows over. A technician will make sure it is receiving electricity and heating up to a suitable temperature. A natural gas or propane furnace will have a flame that warms the air. There should not be any soot build up on the burner or clogging the holes. There should be a vent that cycles fresh air and CO2 out and should be free of obstructions as wells as any cracks or holes. Heat Pump A heat pump uses the same concepts of an air conditioner, but in reverse. According to the laws of physics, heat will flow towards cold in order to balance the overall temperature. A heat-transferring liquid, commonly referred to as a coolant, is pressurized in the compressor where it heats up to a very high temperature. If the pressure is not high enough, the transfer liquid will not be hot enough to warm the house. A technician will look for leaks in the lines and make sure the compressor is working to keep the pressure high. In order to keep the liquid flowing, the other end of the cycle is the condenser, where the pressure is lowered and the liquid cools. With an air conditioner, the cycle has the compressor outside and the condenser in. But with a heat pump, the cycle is reversed leaving the warm air inside. As with a forced air system, there is a fan that will need to be checked and all electrical connections should be inspected for proper contact. Radiant When most people think of radiant heating, they think of radiators and a boiler. Hot water is boiled into steam and circulated to the house through pipes that connect to the radiators. A radiator in each room condenses the steam back to water and the heat is released into the room. Or, under floor radiant heating is used and the hot steam warms the floor, thus heating the room more evenly than a traditional radiator. The boiler can use a number of fuels, like oil, gas, or electricity. All the combustion areas should be cleaned and inspected and the vent should be free from obstructions. There should be no leaks in the water lines leading to each radiator or under the floor. The pump should work smoothly to circulate the steam through the entire house. There are many different ways to heat a home in the winter. Each has their own benefits, but all need a regular check up to avoid costly furnace repair in Minneapolis. Residents can be proactive and regularly have their system checked for any signs of wear or fatigue that can cause a break down because no one wants to have a furnace quit in the middle of January. Total Comfort Total Comfort provides integrated solutions for all of your home comfort issues from furnace installations to maintenance and repairs. Contact us today! Visit our page on http://tcomfort.com to see our page today!
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