Heater Repair Service
Winter chills belong outside. Keep it that way. Trust Dependaworthy One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning to get your home toasty warm again when your heater gives you trouble. We offer peace of mind with guarantees/warranties on all services and parts.
What Causes Your Heater to Stop Working Properly?
The most common reasons we see for heating system breakdowns:
- A dirty blower is causing equipment failure. Insufficient air blowing across a heat exchange can cause it to overheat and fail. Heater repair will be needed
- Dirty air filters restricting airflow, causing short cycling
- A dirty flame sensor covered in gunk can turn off your heater by failing to sense the flame.
- Dirty burners have trouble lighting.
- Wiring and electrical issues
Signs Your Heater Needs to Be Repaired
Suppose your heating system emits odd smells, sporadically fluctuates on and off, fails to heat your home, causes a noisy racket, or won’t power. In that case, it is time to call the Dependaworthy HVAC professionals at One Hour for your heater repair needs.
Odd Smell from Heating System
A faintly smelly gas-powered heater is often natural and normal. When starting your heater each fall for the first time, you may smell accumulated dirt and dust burning off. If the smell persists or intensifies, contact us immediately to have one our trained and trusted techs investigate for your heater repair evaluation. You may have a gas leak or something burning inside your unit if strong odors persist.
Cold or Lukewarm Air Temperatures
A failure of your system to fight off frigid conditions could mean there’s a leak in your ductwork. Your air ducts are largely invisible, running through your crawl space or attic. The good news is our techs know where to investigate and can even insulate your ducts. We won’t let cold drafts and wasted electricity ruin your winter.
Constant Thermostat Adjustments
When your heater is constantly turned on and off, it works harder, sucking up more electricity. Be kind to your heater and avoid abrupt changes to the temperature. Adjusting your thermostat too often can wear down components of your heating system, causing expensive heater repairs and replacements.
Your Heater Has Trouble Starting
If your unit is struggling to start, it is time to have us troubleshoot the problem. It could be a dirty or faulty pilot, a problem with the natural gas line, disconnected wiring, dead batteries, or a damaged thermostat. (That’s why we avoid installing thermostats in direct sunlight, near hot appliances, or vents.)
Discolored Pilot Light
Checking a pilot light is an easy way to detect gas imbalances. A healthy pilot light should be bluish. That indicates the ratio of gases is well-balanced. Be concerned if your pilot light is yellow. That usually means too much carbon monoxide and a ventilation problem. This means you need immediate service to avoid potentially serious health risks.
Persistent Noises
Do you hear constant noises from your heater? Pay attention to the sounds you hear. Doing so can help determine the source of your problem:
- Belt or fan issues usually squeal
- Loose parts in an air pump or condenser can bang around
- Warped fan blades and broken motors often scrape
- A de-centered blower wheel might thump
- A faulty gas valve can rumble abnormally loud
- Loose-fitting metal housing fasteners may rattle
- Compressors or fans with trapped debris can cause clanking
- Sheet metal air ducts can pop due to air pressure
- Broken air filters obstructed vents, and leaky ductwork often hiss
- Refrigerant leaks regularly whistle
Determining the cause of HVAC sounds can be tricky. That’s why Dependaworthy One Hour techs are always available to help you detect the underlying issue and deliver fast solutions and evaluate your heater repair needs.
Compressor Running Constantly (Short Cycling)
When a heater erratically turns on and off, it may be short cycling. Causes include:
- Heaters too powerful for your ductwork
- Unevenly distributed or obstructed vents
- An overheated thermostat
- A dirty air filter restricting airflow
- Condensate switch defects
- A corroded flame sensor
Failing to maintain your heater regularly heightens the chances of short-cycling issues. Keep your heating system Dependaworthy by investing in regular heater maintenance. Let us evaluate your heater repair requirements.
Poor Air Quality
Air ducts naturally collect dirt, allergens, contaminants, and microorganisms. When your heater turns on, it blows these particles throughout your home, causing respiratory problems, allergies, and asthma attacks. Like surfaces in your house that need regular cleaning, ductwork requires regular maintenance to remove grime, bacteria, pollen, mold spores, insect droppings, and pet dander that accumulate over time.
Dirty Filters
Your heater’s air filter helps improve air quality: blocking airborne pollutants and contaminants before entering your heating system, air ducts, and home. We recommend replacing air filters every one to three months. Doing so mitigates your exposure to irritants and allergens and makes your heater more energy efficient.
Here’s another pro tip: higher quality air filters trap even smaller contaminants, resulting in healthier air. Top-quality filters are rated by MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value). Your Dependaworthy One Hour tech can help you choose the right air filter for your home.
Carbon Monoxide Detection
Heaters using natural gas, propane, or oil are vulnerable to gas leaks from carbon monoxide (CO). CO is colorless, odorless, and potentially deadly. Other symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide include shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, nausea, mental confusion, vomiting, decreased muscle coordination, heart/brain damage, and loss of consciousness.
If you have a combustion heater, install a carbon monoxide detector immediately. A carbon monoxide detector will trigger an alert when toxic gases are present. Should this alarm sound, turn off the unit, ventilate your home, and call us immediately.
Energy Bill Cost Increases
Nothing runs up your energy bills like a defective heating system. Duct leaks, dirty filters, faulty thermostats, and any number of other deficiencies can cause your system to run inefficiently—and that gets expensive.
While we work to get the maximum years of service out of your heating system, it will only last so long. When your heater works overtime and your monthly utility bill starts rising, it’s time to talk about installing a state-of-the-art unit, a heat pump, or a ductless system that will save you money over an older system.
Should I Call a Heater Repair Technician or Try Fixing the Problem Myself?
For minor issues and simple maintenance tasks such as replacing an air filter, you can indeed do it yourself. At the same time, many heater malfunctions require professional expertise. This is especially true when installing or repairing gas or oil heaters, where a single error can cause dangerous carbon monoxide leaks. By choosing One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, you get trained, insured, and experienced HVAC pros backed by our UWIN 100% satisfaction guarantee.
How Much Does a Heating Repair Cost?
Many factors alter heating repair costs. To get an estimate, we calculate:
- The amount of time a heater repair or replacement requires.
- The age, size, and condition of your heater.
- The difficulty of accessing your air ducts (when necessary).
- The equipment, parts, and tools involved.
- Any costs that are covered by warranties or insurance.
Should I Repair or Replace My Heater?
You should seriously consider replacing your heater if:
- Your heat pump is over ten years old
- Your boiler, furnace, or gas heater is over 15 years old
- Your unit is unevenly or inadequately heating your home
- Your system is outdated and incurring high energy bills
- You lack a programmable thermostat
- Your heater repairs are more frequent
- Your system is exacerbating humidity levels and poor indoor air quality
What Is the Average Life Span of a Heating System?
The average life expectancy of heating systems is getting longer as technology and maintenance techniques improve. A well-maintained furnace can last 15 to 20 years, and a boiler can last up to 30 years if regularly serviced.
Signs it’s Time to Buy a New Heater
As a heating system ages, expensive repairs and replacements will increase in frequency. When a repair exceeds 50% of the cost of a new system, we recommend upgrading to a modern unit that is more energy-efficient and in better condition.
Repairs Get Too Frequent and Too Costly
Over time, heater repair costs can pile up. We advise tracking money spent maintaining your older heater to assess the upkeep price. Paying for a heater repair to keep an old and inefficient system running can be more expensive than you think.
High Energy Costs
Is your heating system leaking, overheating, short cycling, or not performing as expected? It doesn’t take long for your monthly utility bills to shoot up. Fortunately, Dependaworthy One Hour’s Preventative Maintenance program can help. Our HVAC specialists clean, repair, and upgrade systems to optimize efficiency.
Other Dependaworthy Heating Services
We service alternative heating systems, such as geothermal heating units and heat pumps. Geothermal heating solutions have many perks. While they can be costly upfront, they can save energy and money over time. They are also eco-friendly, enjoy long life spans, operate quietly, and work during power outages. Heat pumps are another great alternative. Centralized and easy to install, they can help with heating, especially in cold rooms and old properties lacking ductwork.
Dependaworthy Heater Replacement & Installation
Avoid being left in the cold. Pay attention to key performance issues and signs of decline in your heater. When the time comes to replace yours, Dependaworthy One Hour is ready to handle your heater installation and even retrofit your ductwork as needed. Our technicians follow manufacturer specifications with attention to detail, ensuring your heater replacement works perfectly.
Dependaworthy Heater Maintenance
No one wants to recirculate dirty air, breathe carbon monoxide, or waste energy. We can ensure your health and home are safe by checking your entire heating system.
We proudly stand behind our work—that’s what makes us Dependaworthy. We arrive when promised and give you straightforward advice and upfront prices. Our techs are certified, background checked, and receive continuing HVAC education. That’s how we can promise you Dependaworthy service.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Our customer satisfaction guarantee is backed by UWIN® – a third-party consumer service that ensures 100% accountability. You can’t get more Dependaworthy than that. With the UWIN® seal, customers can rest assured that any heater repair problems will be resolved as quickly as possible.
Steps to Troubleshoot Common Heating Problems Before Calling for Repair
Some heater repair and problems are complicated. Some are easy to detect and fix. While nothing makes us happier than providing Dependaworthy service, consider these steps before calling:
- Clean/replace the air filter
- Check your thermostat’s batteries and connectivity
- Inspect your heater’s condenser for debris
- Check the pilot light and burners
- Double-check all vents and registers
- Check for blown fuses or tripped breakers
- Fasten the access panel
Dependaworthy also means we’re standing by 24 hours every day. Our emergency HVAC team is ready when you need us most. Once an HVAC appointment is made, you can be confident our team will show up on time for the heater repair and service. After all, our company motto is: Always On Time…Or You Don’t Pay A Dime!®