Should I get my heating system checked before winter?

Your family and home are extremely important, so should their health and well-being. The cooler temperatures are upon us in Charlotte, so it’s time to make sure your heating system is ready winter. You may think your heating system is clean and working fine, but do you really know that is it safe? Andersen Heating & Cooling has a fall safety check that will provide you and your family peace of mind knowing your furnace or heat pump is ready for the cold winter months ahead. The weather is turning cooler, so the time to act is now. Let’s learn a little bit more about the importance of heating safety check….

Prevention is the Best Medicine in Charlotte

Fall Tune-Ups and Inspections are a great way to ensure that your heating unit is clean and functioning at factory specifications. Inspecting your heating system now is about preventative care. It will give your HVAC service provider the opportunity to identify a problem and repair it before it breaks down or becomes unsafe to operate.

Preventative care is one of the best ways to safeguard your heating system against unnecessary wear and tear, as well as maximize the longevity of it.

Cracked Heat Exchanger

When your trained technician from Andersen Heating & Cooling performs a Fall Safety Inspection, they will inspect your heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is a set of coils inside the furnace that are responsible for heating the air in your home. These coils are contained within the furnace. The burner sends combustion gases into the heat exchanger while the blower motor sends the air from the blower across the heat exchanger. Then the heat exchanger warms the air and sends it back into your home. This process creates exhaust gases that are released outside through the flue.

The heat exchanger is vital to heating your home all winter. Unfortunately, heat exchangers can crack over time which poses a threat to your family’s safety. When a heat exchanger cracks it can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your home.

Normal use of your furnace causes wears and tear. The heat exchanger expands and contracts in order to heat your home. Years of expansion and contraction may lead to cracking or small leaks. If your furnace’s heat exchanger is compromised, your trained service tech from Andersen can help advise you as to whether you should replace the part or possibly replace the entire system.

While heat exchangers will crack due to old age, they should last you at least fifteen plus years. Proper care and regular maintenance will maximize the life of your heat exchanger.

Schedule Your Fall Heating Safety Check Now

Carbon Monoxide is dangerous for Charlotte residents

Carbon monoxide; also known as the silent killer, is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that can be potentially life-threatening.

There are several ways carbon monoxide can show up in your home. Carbon monoxide is created whenever fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) are burned incompletely. Anything used in the home that burns these fuels has the potential to cause carbon monoxide to leak into your home.

Everyday heating appliances can be the source of a carbon monoxide leak and should be properly ventilated. Gas furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces all burn fossil fuels and are potentially dangerous.

Furnaces can be a potential source of carbon monoxide when the heat exchanger cracks. A cracked heat exchanger releases carbon monoxide into the air circulated through the vents into your home. Having a certified technician from Andersen perform a Fall Safety Inspection can prevent this from happening in your home. Schedule your safety inspection now with Andersen Heating & Cooling. Your highly trained technician will independently test for carbon monoxide throughout your home and show you the results. North Carolina code also requires homeowners to have a carbon monoxide detector in their home, if they have a fossil fuel burning appliance.

Your Furnace venting needs to be checked

Your home’s furnace vents carbon monoxide outside your home. These gases are harmful and must be removed from the heated space during the combustion process. Depending on what type of furnace you have, you will have vent pipe made of aluminum (for 80% gas furnaces) or pvc pipe (90%+ gas furnaces). These vent pipes need to be inspected annually for damage and wear and tear. Even, you friendly neighborhood squirrels and birds can build nests in them. This will prevent the proper venting of the furnace and cause your system to fail. They deserve a good check each year!

Rest assured your heating system is safe and ready for the cold winter nights ahead in Charlotte, NC.

Contact us now, Andersen is here to answer any questions! “Trust Your Home to Andersen”