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Maintaining Your Gas Heater
Maintaining the condition of your home's furnace has to be a top priority. After all, there are few things more unpleasant than being without heat throughout the winter months. But, more importantly, furnace maintenance in Sydney should be a top priority since a neglected gas heater can pose a health risk to you and your family.
However, the issue begins with determining when your furnace needs service and repair. To that purpose, we've compiled a list of frequent indicators that your gas appliance needs repair, which you can find in this article.
Signs It Is Time To Repair Your Gas Heater
Gas Leaks
This goes without saying, but it's definitely worth repeating: you should immediately call an HVAC professional to address the issue if you detect a gas leak. It's also a good idea to turn off the gas heater at once because gas is highly combustible, and even a single spark might cause severe damage to your property. Furthermore, you should go outside until the leak is fixed (or until a professional determines that the furnace isn't leaking).
Inconsistent Heating in Your Home
If your furnace isn't maintaining your home at a steady temperature, it's probably time to have it serviced. If your gas heater is working correctly, you shouldn't have any chilly or hot spots in your home. Instead, there should be consistent warmth.
Keep in mind that different regions of your home will naturally have varying temperatures, such as the basement being cooler and the upstairs being warmer. Still, if you're experiencing completely inconsistent temperatures in the same environments, your furnace may need to be repaired.
Absurdly High Gas Bills
When your utility bills are higher than usual, your heater may be to blame. Whenever your gas bill suddenly skyrockets, it could signify a heater issue. Your heating system will likely become less efficient over time. Because of the decreased efficiency, it may take longer for your heater to reach the desired temperature in your home.
It is also essential to understand that gas companies may progressively boost their rates. When your bill goes high, though, this is cause for concern. So when your gas bills skyrocket, it could be time for an expert gas heater service.
Difficulty Getting the Unit Going
The older your furnace is, the more maintenance and management it will require, just like anything else. You may eventually discover that turning your gas heater on and running it is difficult. If you're having trouble starting your furnace or have to restart it numerous times a day, you should have a professional look at it.
Simple adjustments such as dirty filters, indoor AC coils, and secondary heat exchangers can solve many of these problems. It might also result from a clogged flame sensor, which causes the heater to operate infrequently. It's essential to catch problems early and have your furnace back up and running as soon as possible.
Carbon Monoxide Warnings
If the carbon monoxide detector beeps, you have a significant problem that must be resolved before it harms your health. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas. Your furnace's heat exchanger could be damaged, allowing gas to flow into your home.
Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless; thus, the only method to detect it is using a carbon monoxide detector. If your alarm goes off, leave the house immediately and notify emergency experts as well as HVAC professionals.
Strange Sounds Coming from Your System
Many optimal gas furnaces will make a continuous whirring noise, which is helpful in indicating that it is in good operating order. If you start hearing weird or strange noises such as banging or rattling, irregular hums, twangs, etc., it could signify that something is wrong with the furnace.
If the sounds don't go away, please get in touch with a technician so that they can discover the underlying cause of the problem and guarantee that your gas heater is not in danger of a catastrophic malfunction.
Your Heater is Very Old
A heating system, like any other machine, will eventually wear out. A heater's life expectancy is typically between 15 and 25 years. Your pilot light is an excellent technique to determine the age of your system. You may be dealing with a 25-year-old system if your gas heater has a pilot light.
An ancient heating system will likely fail. It is highly inefficient, explaining why your heating is so expensive. You may require heater repairs or an overhaul of the whole system. It's never a terrible idea to replace your gas heater, mainly if it's been in service for more than 20 years. Don't put off upgrading until the winter. Upgrade now while you still have time.
Water Leaks
If you start noticing a small pool of water beside your furnace, you most likely have a water leak—don't worry, it's not a challenging fix if addressed immediately. Condensation is most likely the source of the water leak. A blocked condensation outlet or a breakage in the condensation pipe could be the cause.
Other reasons for a water leak might be the internal drain network blockage or an issue with the humidifier (if you do have one linked to your furnace). A gas furnace maintenance contactor in Sydney can detect the problem quickly and guarantee that the water leakage does not escalate to more severe issues, such as mould.
Odd Smells from the Furnace
While gas heaters can be somewhat smelly when first installed, they should reduce their odour with time. On the other hand, if you detect a lingering odour or one that emerges out of nowhere and does not go away, it may be time to get the furnace serviced. Strong odours coming from the exhaust could indicate poor combustion. While you cannot smell carbon monoxide, Aldehydes, a by-product of poor combustion, give off a smell you can recognise.
A Discoloured Pilot Light
Take note of the colour of the pilot light. A functioning pilot light is usually blue. A pilot light that is a different colour, mainly yellow, could indeed indicate a ventilation issue. When gases such as carbon monoxide do not dissipate as they should, the colour changes. If not addressed, this problem can cause health issues for you and your family and make your unit more flammable.
Burner Flame has Turned Yellow
The blue gas heater burner flame is something we're all used to. Whenever the burner fire is yellow rather than blue, it could reaffirm something is wrong with your gas heater. A yellow flame indicates the existence of carbon monoxide in your house.
(CO) or Carbon monoxide is a gas that is colourless and odourless, as stated before. If you find your gas heater flame turning yellow, call a heater repair agency right away. Fortunately, resolving this issue isn't as tough or time-consuming. Inexplicable flu-like symptoms might also be an indication of carbon monoxide poisoning. That being said, if you get dizziness or exhaustion while at home, leave immediately.
Constantly Adjusting Your Thermostat
Getting up too frequently to regulate your thermostat could suggest a problem. Some rooms may be challenging to keep at the proper temperature. Leave the thermostat alone if you can't get the temperature just perfect after multiple attempts. Instead, you should focus your attention on your heating system.
It's possible that the furnace isn't spreading the heat equally throughout the rooms. As a result, certain rooms might feel warm while others may feel freezing. You must handle this problem as soon as possible to prevent it from worsening.
Many Repairs in a Short Period
Heater maintenance is not uncommon. However, if you notice yourself repairing too many pieces too soon, the heater may be experiencing a significant problem. Heater repairs for older systems are simple. Finding new parts, on the other hand, is a challenge. In the end, it is more cost-effective to upgrade the complete system.
A high number of replacements indicates that your system requires extensive maintenance. Purchasing replacement parts regularly is bad for your money. Allow heater repair services to inspect your gas heater system once and for all, and you won't have to buy as many replacement parts in the future. You can also improve your heating system. Your home's heating will be more efficient and effective after an overhaul.
Factors Influencing The Furnace Lifespan
Whenever it comes to the lifespan of a gas furnace, there is no hard and fast rule. The average lifespan is helpful in evaluating when a furnace needs to be replaced, but many factors also influence how long a gas heater can function. Here are some of them:
Quality of Installation
When you install a new furnace, the quality of the installation affects the equipment's longevity as well as factors such as energy usage and indoor comfort levels. Poor installation affects the furnace's efficiency, causing the unit to overwork to fulfil its duty.
In addition, parts wear out faster and break down quicker, resulting in more significant energy bills. When acquiring a new furnace for your house, always work with qualified, certified heating and cooling professionals to guarantee the equipment is installed appropriately, preserving your comfort and your investment.
Frequency of Maintenance
A furnace's lifespan is greatly influenced by regular maintenance! You can extend the lifespan of a heater if you adhere to the suggested maintenance schedule. With annual furnace tune-ups, the heater is less likely to fail or perform poorly, causing parts to wear out and then malfunction more quickly.
In addition to the annual maintenance, you should regularly change your heater's filters to avoid straining the heater as it runs. Filters that are clogged limit air movement through your heating system, resulting in overheating, too much energy consumption, and increased wear and tear on components.
Rate of Usage
Unfortunately, residents in icy regions do not always have the pleasure of not using heating systems throughout the winter. During the winter season, furnaces and heating systems run practically around the clock in colder regions.
What Are The Consequences Of CO Poisoning?
Carbon monoxide poisoning impairs the ability of the blood to transport oxygen throughout the body. A tension headache is the most prevalent symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning. This is a headache that "feels like a tight ring around your head," and it is frequently accompanied by a tight neck and a sensation of pressure behind your eyes.
Dizziness, nausea, disorientation, weariness, and breathlessness are some of the other symptoms. Prolonged low-level CO exposure can also cause neurological problems such as confusion, decreased memory, and trouble doing particular tasks such as goal-setting, planning, organising, self-care, and the ability to adjust to changing conditions. Exposure to high levels of (CO) carbon monoxide causes loss of balance, eyesight, and consciousness and may result in death.
A basic rule is to position a CO sensor in the same location as your smoke detectors. You must have one outside each sleeping room and one on each floor of your house, including the basement. Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector inside your home, within around three metres of your garage door, if you have a connected garage. CO detectors should be installed at knee height and at least four and a half metres away from any natural gas-powered equipment.
Have You Recently Serviced Your Gas Heater?
As we have explored in this article, your gas heater is essential during colder days, but it requires some servicing to run optimally. Whatever type of gas heating unit you have, it is critical to get it serviced regularly, ideally every two years or less. Gas heaters, in particular, must be inspected periodically since they have a pretty short lifespan – often approximately 15 years. If your heater hasn't been maintained recently or does need to be checked, please get in touch with a professional gas fitter right away to assess your gas heater safely.
