Furnaces are among the most reliable and powerful of all heating systems. Natural gas-powered furnaces in particular can achieve high levels of heating that few other heaters can approach. With regular maintenance, a furnace should last for years without a loss of heating power.
But if you begin to notice cold spots in your house when your heater is working, or if the air coming from the vents no longer feels as warm as it should, something has probably gone wrong with the furnace and it will require repairs (or, in extreme cases, replacement). Call on professionals like the NATE-certified technicians at Downtown Air & Heat to help you with the heating repair service in Orlando, FL that will restore your furnace to its full power.
3 possible reasons for a drop in furnace heating power
- Duct breaks and leaks: This isn’t a problem in your furnace itself, but in the ventilation system that delivers air through your home. The ductwork that carries the hot air must remain in a sealed environment to avoid a loss of air pressure. If the ducts develop breaks because of corrosion or poor installation, it will allow hot air to escape to the cooler outside. You heating power will suffer for it. This requires ductwork specialists to locate the leaks and seal them with mastic sealing or metal tape.
- Broken heating elements: This applies to electric furnaces. To heat the air in an electric furnace, an array of heating elements containing electrical coils come on. The current through the coils heats up the air in the cabinet, which the air handler then sends into the ducts. But if one or more of the elements fail, it will result in a drop in heating power. Technicians will need to open the cabinet, remove the broken elements, and replace them.
- Bad thermostat: People often take the thermostat for granted, but it’s a key part of keeping your furnace running the way you want it to. If the thermostat becomes miscalibrated and begins to shut the furnace off early, it will result in lower warmth throughout your house. It takes heating professionals to track this to the source and figure out how to repair the thermostat, or perhaps replace it.
You should never attempt to perform diagnostics on your furnace or open the cabinet and tinker. It’s especially dangerous with gas furnaces, where you risk carbon monoxide exposure; but electrical furnaces also pose the risk of electrical shock. Don’t chance it: call skilled technicians to investigate and repair your furnace so you know it’s done right.
Whenever you need heating repair in Orlando, FL, no matter the time of day or night, you can call on Downtown Air & Heat to answer.
