Cycles, it’s all about cycles! What are we talking about? Well, you’ve got the water cycle taking care of your plants in your garden, the planetary cycle keeping the seasons in check, and the cycle of your heater keeping things comfortable in your home! Wait, you don’t know about that last part?
Heaters, just like air conditioners, run on cycles in order to keep things at the temperatures specified on your thermostat. By using a specific amount of energy or natural gas, they can produce enough heat to meet the requirements of your home and then shut off for a period of time. When cycled correctly, a heater will keep you comfortable with minimal energy or fuel consumption. If your heater is not cycling correctly, then you might need help with your HVAC in Covington, LA.
Keep reading as we get into the details about how heater cycling works.
When Cycling Goes Wrong
Normally, you shouldn’t have to worry about your heater’s cycles. That’s because a heater cycling on and off should be automatic, and if it’s been installed correctly, then there shouldn’t be a discrepancy in this process. The professional installation gives you the peace of mind in knowing that your system should be cycling correctly. If it’s not, there could be a problem with the air filter—or in the case of an amateur installation, a short-cycling problem.
Replace Your Air Filter
The first and most common reason for heaters that run short, stressful cycles is because the air filter is clogged. This means that as the system tries to take in air from your home to heat, it gets stifled and can’t quite get enough air. It’s going to work harder, burn more fuel, or use more energy, just to heat your home to the normal comfort levels it has been at before.
If you replace or clean out your air filter, it’ll make it easier for your heater to take in more air. This allows a much more efficient process when it comes to keeping things comfortable.
Schedule Maintenance
Maintenance is a vital service for keeping your heater running smoothly. When it’s allowed to run for years on end without a professional taking a look, sometimes you could run into a problem like a refrigerant leak (if your home is heated by a heat pump) or some other issue that causes your heater to run in short, frequent cycles.
Replace Your Thermostat
Thermostats are the brains of your HVAC system. That means a faulty thermostat could signal to your heater that it’s not quite comfortable enough yet, and cause it to keep turning on when it shouldn’t be. Replace your thermostat with a smart or Wi-Fi thermostat to keep things running at the levels you want.
The System Might Need to Be Replaced
Was your heater sized accordingly to your home? If it wasn’t or was haphazardly installed by an amateur, it could be too large. This mean’s it’ll struggle when it runs a cycle, immediately reaching the heating threshold, and suddenly turning off. This stresses specific components of the system and will likely lead to a breakdown. It could be in your best interest to replace the system entirely.
When you need it done right, call Professional Heating & Air. We’ll get your heater on the right track. Call today!