Reasons Your Heating System May Not Keep Your Home Warm

You might be shivering inside your home because of a problem with the heating system, or it could be your home itself. Any one or several of these problems could be contributing to cold temperatures indoors.

Check the Furnace

• Look for signs of ductwork leaks. Dusty areas around the registers or nearby walls or rooms that are colder than others often indicate ductwork problems. A segment of the ducts might be obstructed, blocking the airflow. If you can access them, look for ductwork damage, tears, or detached segments.

• Check the thermostat. The thermostat may not turn the furnace on when needed, or shut it off before it reaches its target temperature. Its batteries could be dead, or the thermostat needs replacing.

• The furnace needs repair. Furnaces use safety switches that will turn them off when they are overheating or malfunctioning. There could be a problem with the ignition system, or the blower motor.

An HVAC technician can diagnose and fix the heating system problems, whether they’re associated with the ducts or the furnace itself.

Look Over Your Home

• The lack of insulation and air leaks in the home’s envelope might be responsible for the cool indoor temperatures. Over time, insulation can disintegrate and air leaks form. Damp or compressed insulation loses its ability to slow heat loss.Builders often use caulk to seal around exterior door and window frames. Over time, caulk shrinks and dries out, losing its effectiveness. You may need to reapply it, or replace old door weatherstripping.

• Windows might be the culprit. As your home settles, the windows may not fit as tightly in their frames. For the best protection against drafts, lock each window. You can also put draft blockers at the base of windows to block cold air.If new windows aren’t in your plans, install clear plastic window sealing kits, available online or at home improvement centers.

Whether it’s problems with your home or the heating system, an HVAC contractor can help you find the issues and promptly fix them. To learn more, contact Air Assurance, providing HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heating system and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Are Your Ducts Tight Enough to Keep Heat Inside Your Home?

Most people know how to locate their furnace. Fewer people know where to find heating ducts or how to tell if they are working properly. Unfortunately, without basic knowledge about the HVAC system, recognizing problems can be difficult. Here are some signs that your ducts could be in need of routine care or repairs:

• Uneven heating or cooling

• Unexpected increases in heating costs

• Frequent shaking or rattling noises

• High-pitched or "whooshing" sound

When the HVAC system is working properly, cool air is brought to the furnace to be heated, then the warmed air is sent back through tight ducts to heat your home. However, if air is having trouble moving through the ductwork, the problems may be caused by blocked ducts. Blocked ductwork can also cause noises or create hot and cold spots. Leaks also make it hard to warm your home evenly.

If you suspect problems, first check that none of the registers are blocked by furniture, then move on to looking for a solution to your heating problems. While you can compare temperatures in different areas of the house or other very basic tests, a technician is required to perform most tests. HVAC experts look for air leaks, determine whether the ducts are the correct size for your living space, and check to see if you have tight ducts or if they need repair.Many people believe that repairs can easily be done with duct tape, but this does not give secure results. For reliable, long lasting repairs, a technician should always be consulted. Professionals replace unusable segments of ductwork and use high quality, durable supplies such as sheet metal screws, mastic, joint collars, metal tape, and fiberglass to repair less seriously damaged parts of the ductwork.

Air Assurance has been taking care of HVAC systems in homes and businesses in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma since 1985. If you have any concerns about whether your tight ducts will keep you warm this winter, call us today!

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Kichigin/Shutterstock”

How to Remedy Heat Loss in Your Home

Heat loss in your home can put unnecessary strain on your heating system and cause your heating bills to skyrocket. Therefore, as you look for ways to make your home comfortable during the cooler months, don't forget these simple ways to prevent your home from losing heat.

Insulate Your Attic

Your home can lose a significant amount of heat through the attic because hot air tends to rise. Insulating the attic helps trap your home's heated air. Inspect your attic and evaluate the quality, amount and condition of its insulation. Replace the insulation if it is moldy or mildewed. Ensure the attic floor has the recommended amount of insulation. An HVAC contractor can help you evaluate the quality and quantity of your current attic insulation.

Seal Attic Air Leaks

You should also survey the attic for air leaks. Typically, air leaks occur around attic hatches, stairs, stairwells, fans, ceiling junction boxes and holes that accommodate ductwork, pipes and vents. Seal these leaks with caulk, weatherstripping or foam spray.

Caulk Ceiling Trouble Spots

Your home can lose heat through ceiling fixtures and wall-ceiling junctures. Make sure you caulk any gaps and cracks in these trouble spots.

Get Energy-Efficient Windows

Windows are major sources of heat loss. If you have single-pane windows, consider adding storm panels to reduce the amount of heat lost through them. Alternatively, replace them with energy-efficient double-pane windows.

Seal Up Window and Door Frames

Interior heat can escape your home through gaps found on your window and door frames. Check for gaps between exterior frames and your home's siding. Check the condition of the weatherstripping around all your windows and doors. Seal any cracks or gaps with caulk. Replace any damaged weatherstripping.

Seal Electrical Outlets

Heat loss can also occur through electrical outlets. Install pre-sized foam gaskets behind them to prevent that.

By preventing your house from losing heat, you'll maximize the efficiency of your heating system and save money. For more information on heat loss, contact us at Air Assurance. We serve the Broken Arrow area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).Credit/Copyright Attribution: “tassel78/Shutterstock”

Not Detecting Air Leaks Can Cost You

Winter is coming, and with it the promise of yet another stretch of cold Oklahoma weather. So what is a homeowner to do when they feel as though their furnace isn't heating their home as well as it should? There's increasing the amount and quality of insulation, for starters. But homes can lose heat in a number of ways without us even realizing it. One of those sources of heat loss is air leaks.Detecting air leaks can go a long way toward improving your home's energy efficiency. There are well-known ways for air to leak, of course, such as under-door drafts. But air leaks occur in many other places than that. There are steps you can take in detecting air leaks yourself:Conduct a visual inspection outside your home. Keep an eye out for gaps or cracks in any of the following areas:

• Outdoor water faucets

• Where the siding or brickwork and foundation meet

• The area where the siding and chimney meet

• Exterior corners

Then take a look around your home's interior, again watching for gaps and cracks in the following:

• Window and door frames

• Air conditioners mounted in walls or windows

• Baseboards

• Switch plates

• Electrical outlets

• The area where your dryer vent meets the wall

• Fans and vents

• Weather stripping around doors

• Areas where cable and phone lines enter the house

Pay special attention to windows. If storm windows rattle, there are possible air leaks. Air leaks are also possible if light can be seen coming through around the frame. Check the condition of caulking and weather stripping both inside and outside, and repair if necessary. Check, too, to be sure that all doors seal properly.Detecting air leaks can take time, but it is time well spent. Sealing these leaks can go a long way toward increasing your comfort as well as lowering your energy bills in both winter and summer.Since 1985, Air Assurance has been making sure customers in the Broken Arrow and Tulsa area are more comfortable in their homes. If you have questions about air leaks or any other HVAC concerns, please contact us.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “dny3d/Shutterstock”

An Efficient Furnace Should Have an Efficient House

Having an efficient furnace goes a long way toward cutting your heating costs, but if your home lacks adequate insulation, has heat losses through the windows, or substantial air leaks, you may not notice as much savings. One of the best ways to learn if you could achieve lower energy bills is with an energy audit that you or a professional can perform.

A professional audit will show you where you have air leaks throughout your home's exterior and detect any leaks in the ductwork that cause high energy consumption. The auditing team will also evaluate your attic insulation to see if and where you need more. The centerpiece of the audit is a blower door test that pulls the air from your home and pulls it inside anywhere you have leaks and gaps. The professionals pinpoint the locations using thermographic equipment that shows the temperature difference between the incoming air.

You can perform your own audit by closing up your home and turning on the kitchen and bathroom fans. As you walk through your home with a candle or incense stick, note where the smoke wavers, indicating a leak. Once finished, you can seal smaller air leaks with suitable caulk. Expanding foam will seal larger leaks around the foundation or in the attic. Weatherstripping around exterior door frames will tighten the seal.

The recommended level of insulation in attics in this region stands R-38 or 16 inches. Increasing it will quickly help your efficient furnace run less. Thermal losses from either the roof or the windows increase the need for heat substantially.

Windows are a bit more challenging to weatherize, but doing so will cut your heating costs. Options include replacement with Energy Star or thermal windows, but if those aren't in the budget, consider plastic window kits that stop some of the heat transfer. Heavy drapes will also stop the losses, especially when they lie close to the window.

To learn more about increasing your energy savings with an efficient furnace, contact Air Assurance. We've provided top-notch HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners for more than 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Get the Upper Hand With Heat Loss This Winter

It's the time of year when we in Broken Arrow can expect to see below freezing temperatures. Instead of paying high energy bills this winter, spend a morning inspecting your home for heat loss.

Here's what to look for:

• Check the areas around doors and windows. If you felt a draft last year, now's the time to fix it. An incense stick produces a fine stream of smoke you can use to pinpoint the leak. If the gaps or holes you find aren't too big, buy a can of insulating foam sealant—it expands inside the wall and keeps cold air out.

• Take a walk around your home's exterior. Be aware of junctions where pipes and wires enter the building. The original insulation may have weathered, shrunk and cracked in these areas, which leads to more heat loss.

• Make sure all the shingles on your home are intact. A spring or summer storm might have damaged your roof. Even if water isn't getting in, cold air still can. If you see something out of place, head to the attic and take a closer look.

• Inside your home, inspect your heater's air filter. Dirty air filters can increase the amount of allergens in your home and reduce the efficiency of your heater. Write down the size, or take a photo with your phone and head to the home improvement store to buy a new one.

• Is your water heater wrapped? Thermally insulating it will reduce your bills. Also, think about turning it down a few degrees—it's another easy way to save money.

• Is the hot water pipe from your water heater insulated? If not, it's losing heat. Pipe insulation is easy to install and doesn't cost much.

• Finally, examine the heater vents around your house (especially in the kitchen.) Debris and dust fall in them, reducing their effectiveness. Pop them out of the floor, take them outside, and shake the dirt out.

If you need help preventing heat loss in your home, contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow. We want our customers to have a safe and comfortable homes year round.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock