Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration Blog

How Long Should a Water Heater Last?

October 28th, 2021
how long should a water heater last?

While it would be wonderful if you could predict exactly when to replace your water heater, it’s rarely that simple. There are numerous variables that go into how long a water heater lasts, from its age to the type of water inside. Fortunately, with some maintenance and knowledge of replacement warning signs, you can ensure your water heater lasts as long as possible.

Keep reading to learn more about how to tell when a water heater needs to be replaced.

How Long Should a Water Heater Last?

A residential water heater can last between 6 and 13 years before you need to replace it. This timeframe depends on the type of water running through it and whether you follow a yearly schedule of draining and flushing the tank. Since the range is so extensive, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your water heater to look for signs that you need a new one.

how do you know when your hot water heater needs to be replaced?

How Do You Know When Your Hot Water Heater Needs to Be Replaced?

Understanding the signs of a broken or worn-down water heater will help you find a solution quickly. There are numerous reasons why a hot water heater may need a replacement. These indicators include:

1. The Water Turns Cold Too Quickly

Does the water in your water heater become cold too quickly or fail to become hot at all? There are several reasons why:

  • Thermostat settings: A water heater may not produce hot water if the thermostat isn’t set correctly. Ideally, the thermostat should be at between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a simple fix that just requires you to update the thermostat. 
  • Heating element: Another reason for a sudden lack of hot water is that the heating element in your water tank gave out or is giving out. The heating element in electric water tanks is usually a coil. Sometimes the connections go bad, making it so the appliance can’t heat the water. Alternatively, gas-powered water heaters use a burner to heat the water, which can go bad over time if not properly maintained. If either is the case, you need to call a professional.
  • Tank size: All of the appliances in your home could be using the hot water before you can, which typically happens when numerous people live in the same household. In this situation, you may need a bigger tank. A professional can perform an assessment to recommend a properly sized water tank. 
  • Tank location: If your water tank is located outdoors or in an uninsulated area of your home, cold weather can affect the water temperature. It may be too cold to heat your water fast enough or to a high enough temperature. If this only happens during cold weather, you might need to find ways to keeps your tank or the pipes insulated from the cold. 

2. Loud Noises Are Coming From the Heater

Usually, water heaters make little to no noise. If you start hearing strange or loud noises coming from your water tank, there may be an issue that requires immediate action. For example, tapping, clanging or rumbling noises mean sediment is likely gathering on the bottom of your water heater.

If you use a lot of hot water or live in an area with hard water, you’re more likely to experience this issue. Once the sediment builds up enough, it’s difficult for the machine to heat water correctly and takes longer to do so. This situation will lead to strain on the unit, wear down the metal encasement and eventually cause leaks.

If this is the case, you need to hire a professional to flush your tank. If you continue to hear strange noises coming from your water heater, it may be near the end of its life and require a replacement.

3. Water Is Leaking From the Unit

If you see water pooling around your water tank, there’s an issue that needs immediate attention. If you choose to ignore the leak, you may experience significant damage to your property.

There are a couple of reasons why your water heater may be leaking:

  • Over time, your tank may start to form fractures. These cracks may only leak slightly at first, but they can become a significant issue when the pressure becomes too much to handle.
  • A loose connection to the water tank is another reason water may be leaking. A leaking pressure/overflow pipe could indicate an issue with the unit or that the relief valve is malfunctioning. In this case, the best thing to do is call a professional to inspect the parts and make sure everything is working correctly.

4. Rust Is Forming on or Inside of the Unit

If you see rust on the outside of your unit near the water inlet, that’s often an indicator that rust has begun to form on the inside of the tank, as well. As a result, you’ll need to replace your unit soon or risk water damage.

Should you notice rusty water, there may be a problem with either your water heater or pipes. One way to see if it’s your water heater is by running three buckets full of hot water from a spout. If the third bucket has rust, your water heater is probably rusty. If the rust dwindles as you run the water, your pipes may be getting rusty.

Note that rust is a precursor to leaking, so replacing your water heater as soon as possible is essential.

Should You Replace Your Water Heater Before It Fails?

If your water heater is getting old but still works, it’s a good idea to look for a replacement. A few reasons why it’s smart to replace your water heater before it fails are:

  • A broken water heater makes budgeting difficult. as you have to replace it at a moment’s notice
  • A broken water heater leaves you without hot water
  • A corroded water heater could cause significant damage
  • A new water heater could make your utility bills less expensive

Ultimately, replacing your hot water heater before it becomes an issue will save you time and money.

How Often Should You Drain Your Hot Water Heater?

Regular maintenance of your water heater is crucial to its longevity. It’s recommended that homeowners call a professional to have their tanks flushed once a year. This trick discharges the sediment, helping the water heater last as long as possible.

contact oasis cooling for water heater installation, repair and maintenance services

Contact Oasis Cooling for Water Heater Installation, Repair and Maintenance Services

Oasis Cooling is ready to handle your water heater needs. No matter your needs, you can contact us for professional water heater installation, repair or replacement in northern Virginia. At Oasis Cooling, we have 15 years of experience working on heating and cooling systems in Northern Virginia, and we’re on call 24 hours a day ready to assist you!

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What to Prioritize for Your Walk-In Cooler Maintenance Checklist

October 8th, 2021

Proper refrigeration is essential in the foodservice industry. You need to keep a substantial amount of food items at a consistent, safe temperature for human consumption. To remain compliant with health and food safety guidelines, you need to rely on your walk-in coolers for dependable and spacious cold food storage. Oasis is a family-owned and -operated heating and cooling company you can trust with regular commercial refrigerator maintenance or repairs.

Preventative Maintenance for Walk-In Coolers

When your walk-in coolers and freezers are working correctly, you can decrease food waste, improve food safety and increase your restaurant’s energy efficiency. Regular, proactive maintenance and inspection are essential to prolonging the life of your appliance and increasing its value to you and your business. Using a preventative maintenance checklist can also prevent clogging, breakdowns, food waste and future strife.

Additionally, cleaning and avoiding common mistakes can help you make sure your walk-in cooler performs up-to-speed and meets your business’s needs!

How Do You Clean a Walk-In Cooler?

From everyday spill cleanup to full appliance wipedowns, it is essential to disinfect your walk-in cooler thoroughly. Proper sanitation is critical in the foodservice industry. To execute appropriate maintenance practices, you’ll need to clean your entire unit at least every six months.

So, what are the best ways to go about cleaning your walk-in cooler? Follow this schedule:

  • Daily maintenance: Scrub all of your walk-in cooler’s surfaces with a cloth towel and a solution of water and soap or mild detergent. Harsh chemicals may harm your cooler’s metal surfaces. If necessary, you can mix a small amount of bleach with water to clean the inside of your unit. Wipe down the door seals with soap and water or use compressed air to remove dirt and dust. Sweep and mop the floors of any spilled food debris.
  • Once a month: You should turn off all power to your unit and vacuum all of the debris that might have built up inside. 
  • Twice a year: Use water, soap and a stiff bristle brush to clean your evaporator fan and condensing coils. Remember to remove any ice from the evaporator coils.
  • Once a year: With the help of a certified technician, make sure your drain lines are free of debris and any runoff buildup.

In addition to checking for debris, Oasis will make sure your electrical connections are tight and in working order.

Common Mistakes Made With Walk-In Coolers 

Proper walk-in cooler maintenance takes time, effort and careful observation. It is essential to keep your walk-in cooler performing at its optimal level to ensure your food stays cool and fresh. Our advice can help you avoid these common maintenance mistakes and make a difference to your customers.

1. Cooler Isn’t the Right Temperature

If your walk-in cooler is above the required temperature to store food safely, you risk mold growth and food spoilage. Additionally, if your temperature is too low, it can cause your unit to overwork. It is best to keep food storage appliances at the proper FDA-recommended temperature and regularly check that your walk-in cooler maintains an appropriate temperature. You’ll know that your cooler is retaining its temperature if it is within several degrees of the original thermostat setting. Keeping a written or digital log of your unit’s temperatures can also help you keep track of any unexpected changes.

2. Doors Don’t Seal Properly

Another way to maintain the proper temperature for your walk-in cooler is to make sure your doors seal tightly. Damaged gaskets, the rubber material surrounding your cooler’s doors, can let in warm air, cause ice buildup and ultimately reduce your energy efficiency. Even a tiny leak from tearing or weathering can throw off your unit’s temperature balance. Note that leaving the lights on in your walk-in cooler will also increase the level of heat and cause your evaporator fan assembly to work harder to hold the appliance’s optimal temperature.

3. Dirty Parts and Poor Airflow

You will want to examine your unit thoroughly and take note of any potential areas of concern, as well. Check your evaporator, condensing coil and fan blades regularly, as cleaning your unit’s fan blades will reduce drag and improve your unit’s performance. Also, keep food products stacked away from the central working parts of your walk-in cooler where they could reduce overall air circulation.

4. Not Keeping a Maintenance Schedule

Most importantly, you want to adopt a proper schedule for freezer maintenance. You want to stay ahead of and prevent future complications, so set up a regular maintenance schedule with qualified technicians. Oasis can dramatically improve your walk-in cooler’s performance and provide much-needed reassurance for any areas of uncertainty.

How to Keep Mold Out of a Walk-In Cooler

While warm, moist environments are a haven for mold growth, colder environments with higher moisture levels can also put your freezer’s items at risk. Walk-in coolers are most likely to grow mold due to the frequency of use and a lack of temperature regulation during shutdowns. 

Constantly opening and closing a freezer causes air to become trapped. The high level of moisture combined with the abundance of food supply creates an ideal ecosystem for fungal growth. Repeated entries and exits can also throw off your unit’s internal temperature balance. For long-term shutdowns, you want to clean your unit thoroughly and leave its doors open so it can dry completely.

Here are five easy ways you can keep your walk-in cooler and its contents fresh and free of mold:

  1. Keep your walk-in freezer doors closed: Tightly sealed doors will keep mold spores and humidity from seeping into your cooler.
  2. Remove paper products: Limit the paper towels or cardboard you keep in your cooler as they can foster mold. 
  3. Wipe down and dry the unit’s interior: Remove excess moisture from standing water or condensation.
  4. Maintain proper airflow: Ensure that your condensation coil, evaporator and fans are all working to help regulate airflow. 
  5. Clean up messes immediately and quickly: Wipe up any spills from shelves, walls and the floor as soon as possible to prevent the spread of mold.

If you can keep mold from growing in your walk-in cooler, you will provide a far more healthy and hygienic environment for your employees as well as your guests.

Schedule Walk-In Cooler Maintenance or Repairs With Oasis

When you need to repair your walk-in cooler, Oasis Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration will find the right equipment for you and your restaurant. We offer competitive prices for the best quality walk-in cooler repairs, servicing and installations in all of Northern Virginia. We ensure each installation and repair is up to code so you can focus on what matters: preparing delicious and safe meals for your customers. Oasis will guarantee you solutions and quality assistance for any walk-in cooler queries with our industry expertise. 

Contact Oasis today to get an estimate and schedule your appointment for walk-in cooler maintenance!

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Why Does My Furnace Smell?

September 30th, 2021

If you notice a weird smell coming from your furnace, don’t panic! This problem doesn’t always lead to a major concern. You can often explain it by some common occurrences. That said, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Whenever you notice an odd scent from your furnace, it’s essential to figure out the potential cause.

Make sure to shut down your furnace before you take a look. Here are a few reasons why there could be a burning smell in your house.

Dust Burn-Off

A furnace overheating smell can come from dust burn-off. If you haven’t turned on your furnace for a while, it’s likely that dust has accumulated on the inside. This odor should disappear after your furnace runs for a few minutes.

If the scent doesn’t go away, it’s time to try another solution. Take a brush to the parts that you can reach. This approach will clear away any dust.

Clogged Filter

Sometimes, an old filter can cause a burning smell from your furnace blower. When you don’t replace your furnace’s filter, it can become clogged over time. This buildup forces your blower to work extra hard so that it can push air out. As a result, it can overheat. It’s also possible for the buildup to emit a burning odor throughout this process.

That’s when it’s time to replace your furnace’s filter. Make sure to compare the filter’s efficiency capabilities beforehand. If you still notice a specific scent, it’s time to contact a professional for service.

Gas Leak

If you smell a sulfuric egg scent, it’s best to shut off your furnace immediately. This odor often indicates a gas leak, which could happen due to a failed ignitor. There may also be broken parts within your furnace.

In any case, it’s crucial to switch off your furnace and call in an HVAC expert. It’s always important to call when you suspect an issue — and you should never ignore a gas leak.

Foreign Objects

Do you notice a burning plastic scent? A foreign object may have entered your furnace. This could be any small plastic item. Either way, it’s imperative to turn off your furnace when you smell this scent. A foreign object can cause problems for your furnace’s functionality. It’s also smart to avoid plastic fume inhalation, as many plastic objects contain harsh chemicals.

Overheated Circuits

You may notice a metallic scent. This odor often means there’s an electrical problem, like an overheated circuit board. Your furnace should shut down by itself when it overheats. If it doesn’t, there’s an issue with its safety features. It’s smart to contact an expert when you think there’s a central mechanical issue. It’s unsafe to have a furnace that doesn’t turn off when it overheats.

Don’t turn on your furnace again until a specialist can diagnose the issue for you.

Get Rid of Burning Furnace Smells With Oasis Heating, A/C and Refrigeration

Our specialists can identify and repair your furnace problems. If you live in Northern Virginia, contact us at Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration for quality, reliable services. We can narrow down the issue so that you and your family can enjoy a safe and healthy home environment.

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Home Heating Problems FAQ: Guide For Troubleshooting Your Home Heating Systems

July 7th, 2021

You expect your heating system to provide you with heat. Just like a car or any other machine that uses engines to run, a heating system can overheat or suffer serious malfunctions that will eventually lead to a breakdown. We’ll look at some of the causes of heating system issues and what can be done to prevent it and repair the problems that it causes.

A furnace that overheats during the winter can turn into a very uncomfortable situation for you and your family, so call OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc. when you need fast and effective heating repair in northern Virginia.

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Cleaning Your Home’s Boiler Heating System

July 2nd, 2021

Cleaning your home’s boiler system is an important step as a homeowner to keep your heating system working properly. Regular boiler maintenance can lower your heating costs and extend the lifespan of your system.

Because boilers are constantly working and responsible for heating your home and providing hot water, dust and grime build-up can clog the pipes and tubes — lowering your home boiler’s efficiency. In this post, you’ll find how to clean your boiler, including the inside, in three easy steps. Let Oasis do the work for you! Call us today to sign up for our yearly maintenance plan which includes a deep cleaning of your boiler heating system.

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What to Do if Your Furnace Doesn’t Blow Air

June 30th, 2021

The purpose of a household heating furnace is to warm your living quarters on an as-needed basis. As such, a furnace that is not blowing air through vents across your heating system is indeed problematic. Likewise, a furnace that is not blowing air in one room is a confusing issue that could stem from various factors, all of which require immediate attention.

Is a Furnace Supposed to Blow Air?

A furnace consists of a motor fan that blows air across heating coils, thus warming the air. This warm air is dispersed through the ducts of a household heating system to bring occupied living areas to the desired temperature. The furnace runs until the preset maximum temperature — usually at an owner-programmed level, such as 70 degrees Fahrenheit — has permeated the household interior, at which point the furnace shuts off to save energy.

Therefore, a furnace is built to blow air, but only warm air. A furnace blowing cold air is indicative of a problem. Funny as it may sound, a system set to “on” will not necessarily blow warm air. This is due to the programmed settings of a furnace system, which gauge the temperature within a living quarter and only disperse heat until the preset temperature is reached.

For example, if you have your furnace set to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the furnace will shut off the heating coils once the ducts sense an ambient room temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but the fan will continue to blow cold air if it is set to “on” instead of “auto.”

How to Tell If Your Furnace Is in Trouble

If your furnace is on but no heat is coming forth, the problem could stem from issues with your thermostat. If your furnace is not blowing heat or even seeming to activate, you have a more serious problem at hand. Watch for the following tell-tale signs of furnace trouble:

  1. Furnace Blows Nonstop

    As outside temperatures drop, the confusion that the furnace-or-fan issue can cause is liable to be quite frustrating. If you constantly hear the sound of a blowing fan yet do not feel the level of warmth that you would expect from a furnace, you literally do have a case of cold air. Simply put, if the settings on your furnace system are not properly coordinated with the fan, the latter will blow irrespective of whether you need or want actual heat.

  2. Furnace Not Blowing Hard Enough

    If the furnace blowers are generating heat in insufficient quantities, the issue is likely due to either a dirty motor or a loose blower belt. The motor can accumulate dirt over time and the gradual buildup can wear down the system. This impacts the ability of the furnace to deliver heat on a consistent basis. Likewise, a worn belt could deprive the furnace of its proper rhythm and cause the heating mechanisms to drag or work in fits and starts.

  3. Furnace Turns on but No Heat

    If you feel no heat in the minutes after you activate your furnace, something could be wrong with the belt, heating coils or furnace settings. If the blowing mechanisms are inconsistent or non-functioning, there is probably an issue with the blower belt. If the blowers are working as normal but you feel no heat, the issue is probably due to the temperature settings or heating coils. The settings can easily be adjusted if you need to test the performance of the furnace but an issue with the heating coils will necessitate a call to your nearby HVAC service specialist.

  4. Cold Spots in Home

    If it seems that your furnace is only blowing air in certain rooms despite a well-dispersed heating system, chances are the furnace has not been activating with the same consistency as before. Perhaps the furnace ducts sensed the wrong ambient temperature within your house and deactivated prematurely? Or perhaps the time/day settings are being misread by your furnace system. Either way, you are liable to experience inconsistent indoor temperatures if a misreading of any kind occurs in your furnace system.

Reasons Why Your Furnace May Not Be Blowing Air

An electric furnace that is not blowing air could be the result of various problems. With so many complex mechanisms involved in a heating system, any given number of issues could cause the furnace to malfunction. Furnace problems, from minor to severe, generally stem from one of the following 10 issues:

  1. The Temperature Is Incorrectly Set

    In a multi-person household, there are liable to be different views regarding desirable indoor temperatures. For example, one person’s “warm” could be another person’s “chilly.” Disagreements like these often go un-discussed, even between married couples. Consequently, a thermostat might be turned down at some point during a given day, yet the action remains unbeknownst to the rest of the occupants.

    If you live in a household of two or more people, call everyone together for a discussion about mutually agreeable indoor temperatures throughout each period of a typical day. Moreover, check the temperature settings of your thermostat to make sure that the numbers are what you intended, especially if you feel colder than expected and you suspect that the settings might have been altered without your knowledge.

  1. The Furnace Is Not in “Heat Mode”

    One of the more elementary oversights that homeowners make is to activate the furnace but leave the thermostat in air conditioning mode instead of heat mode. Thing is, a lot of homeowners overlook these setting options and go about not knowing that the mode is wrong. The confusion is due, in part, to the increasingly complex nature of today’s programmable thermostats, which offer an array of options that make it possible for users to confusingly misprogram their systems in various ways.

  2. Your DIY Thermostat Installation Went Awry

    If you have recently installed a new thermostat on your own, it is quite possible that the installation did not take as well as it appeared. Even if you followed the directions, there is a strong likelihood that certain adjustments are needed that can only be performed by an HVAC service specialist.

    Alternately, it is possible that the thermostat you chose is simply not compatible with your pre-existing heating system. Situations like these have become all-too-common as the market is flooded with fancy self-install thermostat kits that are incompatible with older household heating systems.

  3. The Date and Time Are Incorrect

    If you are not getting the temperatures you expect, the problem could be due to the day and time settings on your thermostat. Homeowners with programmable thermostats often go about not knowing that the hour and day settings are way off.

    For example, it might be 8 p.m. Sunday in your area, but your thermostat believes that the time is actually 1 p.m. Tuesday. Consequently, the thermostat thinks that you are at work instead of home reading a book. To save energy, the thermostat sets the temperature low. After all, you wouldn’t likely need the house warm during the afternoon of a typical workday.

  4. The Battery Is Dead

    When the date and time are improperly set, the issue often stems from dead batteries in the thermostat. Without battery power, the thermostat has to rely solely on the power supply of your house. Consequently, the thermostat settings will reset following a blackout or brownout, whereby the time and date default to 12 a.m. Sunday following a mid-week power outage. In some cases, a thermostat will dump its settings when the battery runs low.

    You could easily go several months not knowing that the time understood by your thermostat is four days and 18 hours behind the actual date and time in your area, all because of a dead battery. Meanwhile, that same period could see your heating bills increase as you crank the heat to overcompensate for the lack of warmth from your furnace.

  1. The Circuit Breaker Is off

    Some of the more complicated furnace issues involve the circuit breakers. A heating system will have one or possibly two or three different circuit breakers, any one of which could trip and cause the furnace to stop. For example, if the circuit breaker to the furnace is off, the furnace will not generate heat. Likewise, if the circuit breaker to the blower fan is off, warmth will not be spread from the heating coils.

    If tripped, circuit breakers should not be tested more than once. An issue of repeat tripping should be reported to an HVAC service person immediately.

  2. The Filter Is Clogged

    A clogged furnace air filter can cause two types of problems, one involving blocked airflow and the other concerning tripped shutoff functions. In some cases, the buildup of dust and debris can thicken to the point where the passage of warm air is blocked by the filter. Therefore, while it might seem as though the furnace is not blowing air, the only real problem is that the furnace needs a new filter.

    The second, more common problem that arises with clogged furnace filters is when the restricted airflow causes the furnace itself to overheat and trigger the system’s safety shutoff. Thus, while you are left with the impression that the furnace won’t blow heat, the furnace has actually overheated and stopped due to a clogged air filter.

  3. The Blower Fan Is Not Working

    If the furnace isn’t blowing air with any degree of warmth — and the thermostat settings, circuit breakers and air filter have all been ruled out as possible causes — the problem could stem from the blower fan itself. The function of the blower fan is to blow air across the furnace’s heating coils and disperse that warmth through the air ducts. If the blower fan stops working, you have a more serious problem at hand.

    You can test the blower fan by turning off the heat — or, depending on your system, setting the thermostat to “fan only” mode — and switching the fan from “auto” to “on.” Wait for a few minutes to see whether any fan breeze comes forth.

  4. The Limit Control Switch Is Damaged

    In a household heating system, the limit control switch — alternately known as the fan limit switch or furnace fan control switch — controls the automatic on/off functions of the heating coils and fan. If you turn your furnace off or the room becomes sufficiently heated to the point where there furnace halts automatically, the limit control switch shuts the blower off to save energy. Likewise, when the heating coils warm, the control switch kicks the blowers on to disperse the heat through your household air ducts.

    If your furnace does not seem to be working, the limit control switch could be responsible in one of two ways. If the furnace overheats, the control switch will shut off the system as a safety precaution. This could be due to an overheating issue but it could also stem from a misreading on the part of the limit control switch. In the latter scenario, you probably have a damaged limit control switch.

  5. The Heating Coils Aren’t Functioning

    Beyond any possible issues with the blower fan, the most serious problems with a furnace are those that stem from the heating coils. If the coils are faulty, no thermostat settings, clean filters or switch adjustments will do the trick. If you have ruled out all the previous possibilities and even replaced the limit control switch, only to find that the blower fan still switches off, there is something wrong with the heating coils.

    On the upside, your blower motor is working just fine, though the heating-coil problem will require maintenance from a professional HVAC service specialist.

What to Do If Your Furnace Doesn’t Blow Air

There are a few steps that homeowners can perform to determine the source of a furnace problem. If the issue is minor, it can sometimes be fixed singlehandedly. In other cases where serious problems are involved, professional service is necessary, especially when a gas furnace is not blowing air. In any event, check the following:

  1. Check the Thermostat

    Before you declare any serious problem with your furnace, check the settings on the thermostat to see whether everything is set to the desired modes and levels. Given the possibility that someone else in your household might have changed the thermostat setting, check to make sure that the thermostat is set to “heat” instead of “cool.”

    To test the quality of the heat itself, raise the thermostat temperature by five degrees and wait for the system to activate. Do you feel warm blowing air? If the batteries are old, replace them — remember, if the time or date settings are off, the battery is likely dead. Also, clear away dust from under the thermostat panel.

  2. Check the Air Filter

    The air filter is one of the more obvious parts to check since it is easy to see how a clogged filter would impede the flow of air from a furnace. In a sense, it is like the lint trap in a laundry dryer, which needs to be cleared between each usage cycle. With your furnace filter, do an inspection every three months and replace the filter if dirt buildup has taken hold.

    Prior to accessing the air filter, shut off the furnace and thermostat.

  3. Check the Gas Supply

    If you have a gas furnace, check the gas supply to see whether the fuel supply is sufficient. Also, check the gas valve to make sure that it is set to “on.” Every now and then, a gas valve is accidentally left off after a round of maintenance and others in the house are confused when the furnace does not work as expected.

    If you discover a gas leak, turn off the gas valve and all the switches to your heating system and report the issue immediately. Do not light any matches or lighters near the furnace. Gather everyone in your household and exit the premise until help arrives.

  4. Check the Pilot Light

    Pilot lights are used on older, pre-electronic ignition gas furnaces. If the pilot light fails to remain lit, the problem might stem from a clogged orifice, which can be poked clear with a small piece of wire. Before you try this step, turn off the furnace and shut off the circuit breaker.

    A failing pilot light could also result from a loose thermocouple, a weak flame setting or a faulty cutoff valve, all of which are problems that are best handled by an HVAC service professional.

  5. Call for Professional Service Maintenance

    Aside from simple remedies to minor furnace issues, the majority of problems involving a furnace are best handled by service professionals. At Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration, we have been servicing furnaces in northern Virginia households since 1998. We perform furnace repairs and replacements on a variety of heating systems.

At Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration, we offer our services with competitive pricing and guaranteed quality. We also offer emergency service 24/7. Contact us today for help with your HVAC needs.

“Great timely service. Knowledgable and neat techs. Good value.”

“Would absolutely use their services again. Arrived on schedule.”

-Springfield, VA

*Last Updated 06/30/2021

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Why an Oversized Air Conditioner Is a Serious Problem

June 22nd, 2021

Oversized Air Conditioner Problems

Are you in the market for a new air conditioning system, either as a replacement for an older, ailing AC unit or as part of your new home? It’s important to have HVAC professionals involved in the process from the very beginning, not just for the actual few hours of work required to put the system in place and hook it up. You’ll want them to take the proper measurements, so you can be sure you have the correct size of unit for your home. If the air conditioner is too small, it will not provide the cooling your home needs. If it is too large, it causes its own set of problems.

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Identifying Your Home’s Heating System

June 16th, 2021

What Kind of Heating System Do I Have?

As a homeowner, it’s important that you know what type of heating system you have in your home. Knowing what type of heating system you have ensures you can keep your machinery properly maintained, which extends its lifetime. It also lets you potentially lower your monthly heating costs.

We’ve compiled the five most common heating systems installed in homes to help you determine what kind of heating system you have. If you’re still not sure, Call Oasis today!

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Why Your Gas Furnace Won’t Work When the Power Goes Out

June 11th, 2021

Gas Furnace Power OutWhen the weather outside is cold and windy, there’s nothing as enjoyable as a nice warm furnace inside your home. After all, it’s much more reliable than a baseboard heater or other form of electric heat, right? If you lose power in a storm, those electric types of heat will falter and leave you with a cold house. Your natural gas furnace would never do that, right?

Unfortunately, that’s not entirely true. If you’ve ever asked yourself if a gas furnace works during a power outage, the answer is that it is just as susceptible to power outages as electric heaters. While it might seem counterintuitive and confusing, your gas furnace still depends on electricity to power itself and heat your home. If the power is out, the odds are good your furnace will be out as well.

There are plenty of reasons why your furnace works the way it does and how you can interpret what’s going on in your current situation. There are also many options you can try if it seems like the power has returned, but your furnace hasn’t. If you’re experiencing a gas furnace with no power and wondering what to do when the power’s out, we’ve compiled this quick and easy guide just for you.

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What Size Furnace Do I Need?

June 1st, 2021

What Size Furnace

When it’s cold outside, we want to stay comfortable inside. To ensure comfort during the winter months, nothing is as essential as a furnace — the great workhorse of domestic heating in the United States. For the furnace to work properly, however, it must be the right size. Buying the wrong furnace size for your home is an all-too-common mistake that can lead to uncomfortable temperatures and unnecessary expenses. To avoid these headaches, follow our detailed guide on how to accurately calculate the furnace size that is most suitable for your home.

The size of a furnace is based on how much heat it can produce in an hour, as measured in BTUs, or British thermal units. A BTU is the energy required to heat a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. The higher the BTU rating a furnace has, the more warmth it can provide.

Please note: This blog is for informational purposes only. Please always consult with an HVAC professional when choosing the right size furnace for your home. 

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