Common Furnace Repairs

[fa icon='calendar'] Feb 17, 2019 4:36:25 PM / by Reid Geiler posted in heating, furnace

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Common furnace repairs that may happen in the first 10 years

Not unlike any other home appliance, there are a few common repairs you may find yourself

needing to make to your furnace within the first 10 years of ownership.

Capacitor

The furnace capacitor is part of the fan motor in your furnace. It helps the fan motor start and

provides a steady flow of electricity to the motors.

If it fails, so will the rest of your system, which will be easily noticeable. Signs of a failing

capacitor are: loud humming noises, problems with your air conditioning running constantly,

blowing cold air and starting, or consistently rising electric bills.

If the furnace capacitor is starting to fail or becoming weak, it can be noticed and easily repaired

during recommended yearly maintenance.

Blowers

Blowers run year round to keep air flowing through your household. Since the blower runs

year-round, they have potential to fail earlier than your entire system or other individual parts of

the system.

A regularly changed and proper air filter can help the furnace blower last a longer and run more

efficiently.

The blower catches all the dust and debris that can pass through your filter, therefore, if the filter

is not being changed regularly, it poses potential for the blower to fail prematurely due to

overheating from coping with an old, dirty filter.

Yearly service can also help a furnace blower last longer, because it is cleaned during

maintenance.

Vacuum Switch

The vacuum switch, also called the pressure switch, is designed to shut your furnace down if it

senses negative pressure being created by the draft inducing motor. This protects your home

from backdrafting, which is exhaust fumes entering your system, then entering your space.

A damaged switch is a common cause for furnace malfunctions. Holes or tears, debris build up

or just old age of the switch can cause it so stop working.

Repairs and replacement of vacuum switches are common. The vacuum switch can start to fail

due to age, which can then result in faulty furnace firing.

If your vacuum switch needs replaced, it is most common to just replace the part itself, not your

entire furnace.

Preferred Customer Maintenance Agreements_the geiler company

Ignitor

A furnace ignitor is fairly self explanatory, it is what lights a burner and starts the combustion

process to turn fuel into heat.

Newer furnaces typically have an electric hot surface ignitor while electric furnaces typically

have a thin wire that receives an electric signal, gets extremely hot and will create a spark to

start the heating process.

Signs of a failing or broken ignitor are similar to a broken capacitor. Hearing your furnace turn

off and on, only feeling it blow cold or cool air and your furnace not running at all are signs that

your ignitor could be ready to replace.

Replacing your ignitor is another common occurrence around five to seven years of operation. It

can be caught during yearly maintenance and replaced.

These common repairs are no need to panic. With any home appliance, upkeep and repairs are

just part of ownership. With regular maintenance and knowing the signs of these common

repairs, your furnace can continue to function efficiently.

Do programmable thermostats save money?

[fa icon='calendar'] Jul 7, 2017 2:02:00 PM / by Reid Geiler posted in air conditioning, thermostat, heating

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Do programmable thermostats save money?

According to Energy Star (https://www.energystar.gov/), a federal program to help consumers save energy, 45% of total power use in a home goes to heating and cooling, and the average cost for that comfort is $2100 to $2500 per year. The greater the difference between the outside and inside temperature of your home, the higher the energy costs. Someone willing to be a little cold in the winter in Chicago will save more than someone who has to burn less energy to stay warm.

The other factor at play is the human one. The more determined you are to save energy, the more you will save.

How willing are you to be a little cold in the winter or hot in the summer?

Can you keep your finger off the thermostat?

Let's look at the numbers. Programmable thermostats typically cost three times as much as manual ones. Let's say we are going to spend $150 on a programmable thermostat, hoping to get that money back with a lower energy bill.

A 2007 study found that homes with programmable thermostats saved an average of 6.5 percent of their energy costs. Using the middle ground of $2300 per year, that's $149.50. That pays for the thermostat the first year and goes into your pocket after that.

But can you save that 6.5 percent?

If you let your home get uncomfortably hot or cold when you are away and then burn energy getting comfortable when you get home, you won't save much. Experts say you must be willing tosave energy when you are home as well as away. Giving up one degree of climate comfort generally translates into one percent of energy savings.