Category: Furnaces

When it comes to maintaining the efficiency and longevity of your HVAC system, few things are as essential as ensuring the cleanliness of your furnace filter. But the question arises: “How often do you replace a furnace filter?” Well, the answer varies based on several factors.

Understanding the Importance of Your Furnace Filter

Before we can discuss how often you should change your furnace filter, you should understand why these filters are so important. Your furnace filter plays a vital role in maintaining optimal indoor air quality. It traps airborne particles, such as dust, pollen, and pet dander, ensuring a cleaner and healthier living environment. When these particles accumulate, not only is the air quality compromised, but your HVAC system also has to work harder, leading to potential breakdowns and increased energy bills.

Determining When to Replace Your Filter

So, how often should you change your furnace filter? Well, the answer to this question isn’t as straightforward as you might think.

Determining the ideal moment to swap out your HVAC air filter can pose a bit of a conundrum. While there are prevailing guidelines suggesting that you should change your furnace filter every 90 days or so, it’s worth noting that various factors can influence how often this crucial maintenance task should be performed.

Frequency of Use

Are you wondering, “How often should you change your furnace filter?” If so, a good rule of thumb is to change the basic filter every 30 days if the system is continually running. However, if you’re using higher-quality filters, replacement might be needed every 90 days or so.

Type of Filter

Different types of filters have varying lifespans. Basic fiberglass filters might need a monthly change, while pleated filters with higher MERV ratings (which stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value”) can last up to three months or more. Ensure you know the type of filter you have to determine the appropriate replacement schedule.

Presence of Pets

Households with pets should consider changing their filters more frequently. Pet dander can quickly accumulate, causing your furnace filter to become clogged. So, how often do you replace a furnace filter when you have multiple furry friends? Overall, it’s a good idea to consider swapping out the filter at least once every 60 days.

Allergy Concerns

For those with allergies or respiratory conditions, ensuring clean indoor air quality is paramount. Now, you may be wondering, how often do you replace a furnace filter if you have family members with these conditions? When it comes down to it, you’ll want to consider changing the filter more often to trap particles effectively. Think every 30 to 60 days.

Observational Checks

Are you also scratching your head, asking, “How can I tell if my furnace filter needs changing?” Well, checking the filter visually every month is a good practice. If it looks clogged or darkened, it’s time for a replacement.

Consequences of Not Replacing Your Furnace Filter

Ignoring your furnace filter can have significant repercussions:

• Reduced Air Quality: A clogged filter can’t effectively trap airborne particles, compromising your home’s air.
• Increased Energy Bills: When the filter becomes dirty, your HVAC system has to work harder, leading to higher energy consumption.
• Potential System Failures: The prolonged strain on your system can cause components, like the heat exchanger, to fail prematurely.
• Shortened System Lifespan: Manufacturers recommend regular filter replacement to maintain the longevity of the heating and cooling systems.

So, what happens if you don’t change your furnace filter? Beyond reduced efficiency, the risks include potential health issues and a shorter HVAC system lifespan.

Incorporate Regular Maintenance

While filter replacement is essential, regular maintenance of your entire HVAC system ensures optimal performance. This includes regular checks on your air conditioner and furnace.

Are you unsure about your maintenance schedule or the state of your furnace filter? The specialists at Air Specialties, serving New Haven County, CT, and the surrounding areas, are here to help. Our New Haven heating professionals specialize in boilers, furnaces, and more.

Schedule Furnace Maintenance Today!

So, how often should you change your furnace filter? As you can see, there can be various answers to this question. Multiple factors can impact the frequency at which this simple yet crucial maintenance task should be performed.

For peace of mind and a well-maintained HVAC system, schedule your furnace maintenance in New Haven County, CT, or the surrounding area with Air Specialties. We’re a proud family-owned and operated company with decades of experience, ensuring your home stays comfortable and safe throughout the year. Don’t wait until you face an emergency — book an appointment today and breathe easier knowing your furnace is in expert hands!

Even as the end of winter approaches, it’s crucial to keep your heating system in top condition. A furnace tune-up can improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality while preventing unexpected furnace repairs. However, many homeowners may wonder if it’s too late to schedule a furnace maintenance appointment, especially if it’s already the end of winter. 

The good news is that it’s never too late to schedule a furnace tune-up. In this blog, we’ll discuss why furnace maintenance is essential, warning signs that your furnace needs attention, and how Air Specialties can help keep your heating system running smoothly throughout the year.

Signs that Your Furnace Needs a Tune-Up

Before we discuss why it’s never too late for furnace maintenance, let’s review some warning signs that your furnace needs attention. If your furnace turns on and off frequently or your thermostat doesn’t seem to be working correctly, these are signs that your heating system needs attention. 

A heat exchanger problem can lead to a carbon monoxide leak, which is a severe health hazard. If you have an older furnace (20 years or more), it may stop working without warning. A furnace tune-up can help identify any potential issues before they become costly repairs.

Even if your furnace appears to be working correctly, there are still many benefits to having an annual maintenance appointment. A well-maintained furnace can improve energy efficiency, reduce utility bills, and improve indoor air quality. A gas furnace cleaning service can remove dust and debris, which can help prevent allergies and respiratory issues.

Why It’s Never Too Late for Furnace Maintenance

If you go all winter without a furnace tune-up, you may be wondering if it’s too late. It’s not. After all, it’s better late than never. Even if winter is almost over, scheduling a furnace tune-up can still provide benefits. A technician can clean and inspect the furnace, identifying any issues that need to be addressed. This can help improve energy efficiency and prevent future repairs.

If your furnace is rapid short cycling, which means it turns on and off frequently, it’s essential to schedule a furnace tune-up. Short cycling can damage the furnace and lead to costly repairs. A technician can identify the root cause of short cycling and make the necessary repairs.

Air Specialties: Your Furnace Maintenance Experts

In conclusion, it’s never too late to schedule a furnace tune-up. Even if winter is almost over, a furnace maintenance appointment can still provide benefits. A well-maintained furnace can improve energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and prevent unexpected furnace repairs. If you’re experiencing any warning signs that your furnace needs attention, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with Air Specialties. 

At Air Specialties, we provide comprehensive furnace maintenance services to help homeowners stay warm and safe throughout the winter. Our experienced technicians can identify any potential issues and make the necessary repairs to keep your furnace running efficiently.

There’s nothing like a cozy and comfortable home during the cold winter months. But keeping your home warm when the temperatures drop below freezing takes a toll on your furnace. It can even cause the system to become inefficient and develop mechanical issues if proper care and maintenance are not taken into account. 

A typical problem with your furnace is short cycling or overheating. Short cycling refers to the start-and-stop cycle that keeps the furnace from properly heating your home. 

So what causes short-cycling furnaces? Can it be remedied? Here are some things you should know about short-cycling heating systems.

Overheating

It’s a complex question: “Why is my furnace short-cycling?” However, some common problems result in short cycling, such as an overheating system. If your furnace starts to overheat, it may shut off to prevent further damage. 

Overheating can also potentially create cracks in your heat exchanger, which could lead to dangerous carbon monoxide leaks in your home.

What to Do: Contact your local heating specialists to have them repair your unit according to its specific needs. When your furnace is working properly, you shouldn’t have to worry about overheating.

Thermostat Problem

If you have a short-cycling heater, turn next to your thermostat.

A broken or poorly placed thermostat is one of the leading causes of short cycling in furnaces. You may also want to rethink the location of your thermostat. Ideally, a thermostat that is placed too close to a heat source or in direct sunlight tends to warm up too quickly. This signals your furnace to shut off before your home is adequately warmed.

What to Do: Don’t place your thermostat directly over a heat register or near a drafty door or window. Test the unit regularly to ensure it is working optimally. Is your thermostat mounted in the wrong place? You can choose to either relocate the thermostat yourself or reach out to a professional for assistance.

Age-Related Problems

Maybe unsurprisingly, a short-cycling furnace can be linked to old age.

Your furnace’s efficiency tends to decline with age. An old and faulty furnace will short cycle more often and fail to warm your space adequately. Like all the other devices in your home, a furnace is subject to regular wear and tear, which becomes more pronounced with age.

What To Do: Wait until the furnace exhausts its usefulness due to advanced age before you act. Even if your old furnace has no significant mechanical issues, update it with a newer version that provides better performance and is more energy-efficient.

Dirty Air Filter

Dirty air filters restrict airflow and cause pressure to build up inside your system. The blocked air in the furnace, in turn, raises internal temperatures causing the unit to shut off automatically.

What to Do: Replace your air filters regularly, at least once each month, to prevent blockages and restricted airflow that leads to short cycling. You should also schedule frequent cleaning and maintenance to avoid clogged air filters.

Oversized Furnace

Have you checked the potential causes above but still find yourself asking, “Why is my furnace short-cycling?” If your furnace is short cycling with a new filter, an oversized furnace may be to blame. A heating system that’s too big for your home is one of the most common causes of short-cycling furnaces.

An oversized furnace that doesn’t match your home’s size may heat your small spaces quickly but unevenly. Such furnaces will short cycle rapidly with the rising temperatures in your home. Also, households with poor insulation may experience rapid short cycling. In this scenario, the furnace could be producing adequate heat, which is then lost through faulty seals, holes, and cracks.

What to Do: Install an appropriately sized furnace for the size of your home to avoid a short-cycling heater. You should also insulate your areas adequately to prevent energy loss.

Bad Flame Sensor

If you have a short-cycling furnace, you may be dealing with a malfunctioning or dirty flame sensor. When you have a bad flame sensor, your furnace flame will shut off right after lighting. If your furnace turns off after two to 30 seconds, this may be because your malfunctioning flame sensor cannot detect the heat created by the furnace. As a result, the gas valve closes and shuts off your furnace.

Although a malfunctioning flame sensor may shut off the gas at the wrong time, you shouldn’t feel too frustrated about this problem occurring. Flame sensors are safety devices that are simply trying to ensure that gas doesn’t enter your home and put your health at risk. If you’re experiencing this issue, rest assured that it’s nothing a professional HVAC technician can’t fix.

What to Do: You’ll need to either clean or replace your flame sensor with the help of a professional technician. A replacement will be needed if the sensor is broken or cracked.

Malfunctioning Blower Motor

While less common, a problem with the blower motor can cause a short-cycling furnace. The blower motor works by pushing air through your heating system and sending it out into your home. However, when the blower motor malfunctions, the warm air that’s generated will collect inside your furnace with no way of escaping — causing the furnace to turn off for safety reasons.

When it comes to a furnace blower motor, it’s important that the hot air flows out into your home. If the heat gets trapped inside the furnace, this can lead to overheating and cause damage to various critical parts. Although this problem can get in the way of your family’s comfort, it’s also important to recognize that a blower motor issue can lead to further repairs or a replacement if not handled promptly.

What to Do: Inspect your vents for proper airflow. If you notice a weak airflow — or none at all — this could mean that your blower motor is faulty. When you contact a professional HVAC technician for assistance, they’ll let you know if the blower motor needs to be replaced or if it can be repaired. Our heating experts specialize in everything from furnace replacements to boiler repair in CT, so you can trust us to provide you with a reliable solution.

Blocked Exhaust Flue

Have you checked all the possibilities above but still find yourself asking, “Why is my furnace short-cycling?” There’s one more crucial option worth considering: the exhaust flue is blocked.

Your furnace’s exhaust flue is responsible for venting the noxious gases that are created during the combustion process. This small but mighty component is incredibly important, as it helps prevent these gases from entering your home.

However, it’s important to know that this part isn’t immune to problems. There’s a chance that the flue can become clogged with debris, foreign objects, or an animal’s nest. If the flue detects a blockage, the component will tell the furnace to shut down completely.

What to Do: You can shut off the furnace and disconnect the flue to inspect it for a clog. From here, you might be able to extract the blockage yourself. If you suspect that an animal is in the flue or you don’t feel comfortable handling the job yourself, you should contact a professional for assistance.

Furnace Repair and Maintenance Services in New Haven, CT

Why is my furnace short-cycling? As you can see above, this question isn’t as easy as you might think. There are many possibilities; for example, your furnace could be too large for your home, or you could be experiencing a clogged flue. It might take some troubleshooting before you get to the root cause of the issue.

If you’ve checked your furnace for the problems above and are still dealing with short-cycling problems, don’t wait to contact a professional HVAC company for help.

If your furnace is experiencing unexplained short cycling, it means its efficiency is rapidly declining. The cumulative cost of repair may surpass a new unit’s price, and you should consider replacements over continuous maintenance. When you need a gas furnace service in CT because of a short-cycling heater, turn to your local heating and air conditioning company for assistance. We offer everything from heating system repairs to air conditioning replacement in New Haven to keep your home comfortable!
If you need help with your HVAC system, contact Air Specialties. We are a local company offering furnace repair and furnace maintenance in New Haven, CT. Get in touch with us today for more information about what we can do for you!

One of the most common problems with heating systems is a pilot light that keeps going out. This can greatly inconvenience you during cold days as you will be forced to keep relighting the pilot. 

Winter is here, and with it comes the worst time for your heat to fail. Before it happens, it’s a good idea to check if a furnace replacement is your best option so as not to put your home in danger or suffer through the cold without any respite. To help you figure out if you need a furnace replacement at your home in New Haven County, CT, we’ve put together this checklist of signs that your furnace needs to be replaced.

If you’ve ever considered scheduling a gas furnace tune-up for your New Haven County home, you may have a lot of questions about how many times a year you need to have an experienced HVAC technician come to look at your home’s heating. Is once a year enough? Should you consider more? Is it necessary to call a specialist out at all if all they do is clean out the dust in the system and leave?