Here in La Habra, CA, we’re finally starting to see cooler weather, which means that you’ll be turning on your heater more and more often in the coming weeks. Now is the time to watch your system very closely for signs of trouble, and if any appear, to contact a qualified technician to get it corrected immediately. You’ll be relying on your heater more and more often as the days get colder, and the sooner you can address any issues, the better off you’ll be.
In particular, you should look out for short-cycling, a condition whereby your heater turns on and off rapidly many times throughout the day. It usually results in an inadequately heated home, which is irritating enough. But short-cycling can be far more problematic than that, and if you don’t get it taken care of, it can cause serious problems with your heating system.
What Kinds of Problems?
Short cycling always results from a malfunctioning component, such as a broken fan motor or a miscalibrated thermostat. In many cases, the hot air lingers in the furnace instead of being pushed into your home, which can cause components to overheat. Most heaters have a safety switch that shuts the system off before it can overheat, but since the underlying condition that created the issue is still in place, it will simply cycle through again and again and again.
It Hits Your Heater Hard
Since heaters need exponentially more energy and undergo much more strain turning on than they do simply running, short-cycling translates to higher energy bills and an increased risk of a major breakdown. We’re in Southern California, so there’s rarely a direct safety risk, but it can still leave your house chilly and uncomfortable while you wait for repairs.
The moment you detect signs of short cycling, turn off the system and call in the pros at JC Mechanical Inc. to help!