As a homeowner, you want all of your appliances to work as efficiently as possible to save on your monthly bills. The HVAC system works hard throughout the year to keep your home cool and warm with the seasons. When your heating unit isn’t performing at its best, it becomes less efficient and more expensive to run. There are plenty of DIY maintenance tasks you can do for your heater that will save you money on hiring technicians. There are some signs of a malfunctioning furnace that are worth investing in professional repairs.
Why is routine maintenance important?
Never wait until the last minute to maintain your HVAC system. Running a clean, well-adjusted heating system is the best way to keep your home comfortable, save money on electricity, and prolong the life of your heater. You should clean your heating unit annually before cold autumn weather sets in. Failing to keep your heater clean could not only cause it to wear out sooner, but it could pump carbon monoxide into your home. You can do several heater cleaning tasks yourself, but it never hurts to have an HVAC professional do a thorough cleaning and inspection.
While you can save a pretty penny doing your own heater repairs, it’s important to understand the furnace repair requires expertise for many reasons. Mediagistic explains why it pays to work with technicians who have years of experience handling emergency repairs and breakdowns on heating systems. You can quickly fail at your repair attempt if you make the wrong assessment or purchase the wrong parts.
You could nullify your HVAC system’s warranty if repair work isn’t done by licensed service technicians, or make the problem worse. When dealing with a ventilation issue, you cause a carbon monoxide leak if you don’t know what you’re doing. Potential home buyers will want proof that your HVAC system has been maintained. Not having certification of work by professional HVAC contractors could make selling your house difficult.
DIY furnace repair options.
Homeowners often panic when their heating unit won’t turn on. It’s common for a tripped breaker or flipped switch to cause your unit not to turn on. Rather than immediately shopping for a new furnace, simply check the power source. It’s important to check the air filter annually and ensure it’s clean. A dirty air filter restricts airflow and causes the heater to work harder and overheat. Your unit may fail to run if it keeps overheating due to a dirty air filter. You can either clean dirty air filters or replace them if they are worse for wear.
Common signs that it’s best to call a professional.
There are several signs that it’s time to call in an HVAC contractor to assess your furnace and make the necessary repairs. When something in your heating system causes it to cut off before running a full heating cycle, this could be a sign that the fan motor is dying or the heat sensor needs cleaning. If you notice the burner flame color of your gas-powered furnace to be yellow in color, you need to hire an expert. This color indicates that you have a dirty burner and the gas isn’t burning off completely. When your furnace isn’t heating to its potential, it’s possible that carbon monoxide isn’t being vented properly.
Leaks from the roof or plumbing lines can cause your flue lines to rust and corrode. You need a properly functioning flue system to vent the high levels of carbon monoxide produced by a gas furnace. If you notice a huge spike in your monthly utility bills, this could be a sign that your heater isn’t performing well. Professional technicians can assess the performance of your unit and pinpoint what repairs will keep it in peak condition.
Before investing in a company, it’s a smart idea to get a full view of a company’s earnings, operating expenses, debt ratio, interest obligations, and other financial information that serves as an indicator of a company’s investment worth. The times’ interest earned ratio (TIE ratio), or the interest coverage ratio, is a calculation that serves as a measure of a company’s ability to meet its debt obligations. A higher ratio indicates a company’s ability to pay off its interest expense.
Mers In Biz explains how to calculate times interest earned ratio by looking at a company’s earnings before taxes and divide it by the interest expense. You can think of the TIE ratio as a solvency ratio. A high ratio maintained for a long-term basis indicates consistent earnings to cover all current interest expenses.
Keeping up with regular maintenance and repairs is the best way to help your heater perform at its best.