“It’s always sunny in Southern California.”
That’s something a lot of in the rest of the country believe, but those of us who live here in Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley know that it frequently can feel quite cold – especially if your furnace is not working properly.
As furnace repair professionals, we frequently receive calls from homes and businesses complaining about the cold. So we can attest that Los Angeles and the Valley can experience their share of cool and cloudy days just like anywhere else.
Typical Furnace Problems
The most common types of furnaces in Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley homes are fueled by either gas or electricity. Both types of furnace rely on a combination of mechanics and electronics to maintain a steady, comfortable interior temperature – any which can break down.
There are four basic parts of any home heating system: The thermostat, the furnace itself, the blowers and the duct work. Problems with any three of these elements can cause your furnace system to malfunction.
It’s Usually the Thermostat
The same people who believe it’s always sunny here in Los Angeles are the same people who believe that “Computers never make mistakes”. That’s another misconception.
A thermostat is simply a circuit board with a built-in thermometer, which measures and monitors the interior temperature of the home. When the temperature falls below the temperature that the thermostat is set at, the thermostat automatically turns on the furnace, which blows heated air throughout the home’s interior space until the temperature rise to the thermostat’s setting.
Thermostats aren’t exactly high-powered supercomputers – although more sophisticated models can include such features as automatic timers, pre-set temperature changes, and other frills – so there’s not a lot that can break down.
Why Most People Call for Furnace Repairs
But there is one part of the thermostat that is highly susceptible to failure and is the cause of most calls to furnace repair companies: The battery.
While some thermostats are hard-wired to the home’s electrical supply, most rely on batteries and as anybody who uses a battery-powered radio at the beach can tell you, batteries eventually lose power.
While the draw on a thermostat battery isn’t very large, it’s constant. So a battery can last anywhere from a year or two to just a few months, depending on the brand and how much of a charge it had in the first place.
Professional furnace repair service workers can tell you that a high percentage of outcalls could be avoided if the person on the other end of the phone simply replaced the battery in the thermostat.
Other Common Furnace Issues
The blowers on furnaces circulate hot air through vents that usually are located near or in the ceiling. They then recirculate air by capturing it in return vents, which usually are located on the floor or at the baseboard. As this air circulates, it picks up dust, pet hair, smoke and other debris which is filtered out through disposable air filters that are attached to the intake vent of the furnace. These filters need to be changed on a regular basis – usually quarterly – otherwise they can become clogged.
When air filters are clogged, it’s harder for a furnace to suck in air. This puts more stress on the furnace’s motor, causing it to work harder. So failing to regularly change filters can cause motors to become overworked and eventually burn out faster.
What We Do
Our Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley furnace repair service fixes or replaces furnace motors that aren’t working properly. We also clear ductwork and vents from built-up dust and other debris that can clog them up over time plus, we perform routine tasks such as changing thermostat batteries and replacing dirty air filters.
People in Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley may not use their furnaces as often as those in other places, but when they want their furnaces to work properly, they depend on Los Angeles furnace repair service experts like us.