You are worried about looking at your monthly utility bills because they’ve started to have scary larger numbers after the dollar sign. Sometimes you can’t avoid higher costs on utilities, but this is a case where those higher costs are much more than the usual bump you expect during winter. You’re wondering about the cause of the increase … and an idea comes to mind: is your heating system malfunctioning?
That’s a sensible line of thinking. Your home’s heater accounts for a large amount of the energy you use during the winter. Even small malfunctions that don’t cause the heater to lose any heating output can create additional strain that forces the heating system to work harder. Let’s look at some of the possibilities below.
The heater may be failing
When considering your high heating bills, think about the age of your central heating system. If it’s over its estimated service life, then there’s a high probability that what’s happening isn’t a standard malfunction. It’s a sign the heater is on the way out. A heater that’s close to the end of its service life will lose much of its original energy efficiency and become costly to run. If your heater is old, then we recommend scheduling our technicians to examine it to see if it’s time to arrange for a replacement.
You may have left the filter in place too long
Here’s a simple reason for high heating costs that happens far too often, but which is easy to correct. Check on the air filter for your HVAC system, which is either located behind the return air duct in the house or in a slot next to the blower assembly on the HVAC cabinet. If the filter has been left in place for more than three months, it’s going to have such heavy clogging that it’ll make the heater waste power. Put in a new filter and this should solve the problem. Get into the habit of changing this filter every 1–3 months.
The thermostat might be guilty
That little gizmo on the wall where you adjust temperature settings is often the culprit behind big heating bills. A miscalibrated thermostat can cause the heater to run longer than necessary and waste power. Another possibility is that you’ve been setting the thermostat incorrectly, raising it up and down based on comfort whims, and this is another energy waster. If the thermostat is the actual problem, it’s an easy fix for HVAC technicians.
The heater hasn’t gotten regular maintenance
We always stress with our customers the importance of having maintenance for their heating systems in the fall. This helps to stop a gradual decline in energy efficiency. If you’ve been forgetting regular maintenance, we’re not surprised you’re paying more to run the heater. It’s not too late to schedule maintenance and get back on track.
The heater needs repairs
And so we arrive at the original theory: something is wrong with the heating system and it needs professional repairs. If you believe you’ve got an energy-draining heating system and you need heating service in Bergen County, NJ to repair it, we’re the right company to call.
DB Heating & Cooling, Inc serves the heating and cooling needs of customers throughout Rockland County, NY as well as Bergen County, NJ and surrounding communities. You can count on us for expert services. Contact us today!