Oasis Heating, A/C & Refrigeration Blog

Furnace problems always arise at the least convenient times. We need reliable heating to keep our Fairfax, VA homes toasty and comfortable when the snows start to fall. And they don’t always need to involve a full breakdown either. In some cases, problems can lead to subpar performance, where the furnace continues to function but requires a lot more time and energy to do its job. What kind of issues lead to subpar furnace performance?

Some of it comes down to plain old-fashioned dust and build up. If you don’t have your furnace routinely maintained, then dust and dirt will accumulate on it. That increases friction on moving parts, as well as coating the pilot light and other key components with grime that might affect the furnaces performance. It will thus work harder in order to do the same basic job, and your monthly costs will go up as a result.

Similarly, a leak in the ducts, or a problem with one of the burners or another component will slowly leech your furnace’s productivity. Say, for example, that your furnace uses six burners. If one of those burners is faulty, the remaining five should still be able to generate enough heat to cover your home. Only they will have to use more fuel to do so and will take longer to heat your home. Again, this will end up costing you more in terms of your monthly heating bills, and the issue will likely get worse the longer the faulty component is left unrepaired.

Finally, sometimes simple age is enough to create a subpar performance. An older furnace not only has years of wear and tear to deal with, but may not be able to take advantage of new advances in technology, leaving it less efficient than more contemporary models.

If you think you are getting sub-par performance from your furnace, the next step is to contact a qualified professional to address it.  Give OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc. a call to set up a Fairfax, VA  furnace service today!

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Not every house has a connection to a natural gas line, and some homeowners prefer the safety of only relying on electricity to power appliances. For these homes, an electric furnace is always a good alternative source for warmth. Along with their flexibility, electric furnaces tend to have longer service lives than gas furnaces and they cost less upfront to install.

No furnace can be 100% free of problems, however. In this post, we’re going to look at what you can do if your electric furnace begins to lose its heating ability—or it stops heating altogether.

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Short-cycling refers to a problem that may occur in both heating and air conditioning systems: the unit starts to heat/cool, but shuts off too soon and doesn’t complete its cycle. A short time later, the unit starts up again, only to shut off once more… and the process repeats and repeats.

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The winter is almost here in Virginia. That can mean some rough times outdoors and some cozy times indoors. However, you can be in for rough times indoors as well if you don’t schedule the necessary repairs for your heater right now. If your heater is currently developing troubles or is sending signals (like odd noises and uneven warmth) that something is amiss, you can’t hesitate and hope the problem will improve on its own.

If you need heating repair in Arlington, VA, call OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc. as soon as you can. We have 24-hour emergency service!

Here’s what you risk when you delay repairs:

A single malfunction in your heating system will cause the entire system to work harder. A broken fan belt in a furnace, a leaky refrigerant line in a heat pump—these will make the heater strain to reach its target temperature, and that means additional wear and tear that could lead to a full breakdown.

And you know when that full breakdown will occur? On the coldest day of the year. This isn’t a case of Murphy’s Law at work; it’s mechanical logic. Your heating system will have to work hardest for you on the coldest day of the year, and that’s when the strain from lack of repairs will cause it to break. You don’t want to be stuck with a frigid house on a day when HVAC specialists are already scrambling to answer other emergency calls. You may end up with a long wait.

Delaying repairs usually means the repairs will be more expensive further on. Malfunctions won’t fix themselves: they will get worse from the heavier wear. By the time you do get around to scheduling repairs, two other malfunctions may have also occurred because of neglect.

Putting off repairs will cost you in another way: elevated energy bills. If your heating system is straining to reach its regular temperature, it will drain additional power—and that will show up on your bills.

Prompt repairs—and regular maintenance—will fix this

You should do more than schedule repairs the moment you know you need them. You should also enroll in a regular preventive maintenance program. A dependable HVAC contractor like OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc. will offer programs that provide you two check-ups and tune-ups a year—one for your heater and one for your air conditioner. These visits will fend off repairs and breakdowns, as well as give you the most efficient heating performance possible.

When it’s time for maintenance or heating repair in Arlington, VA, contact OASIS Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Inc.

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