How Do I Know When My Heater Needs a Service?

“My heater has been acting up. How do I know when my heater needs a service?” 

There’s nothing worse than a broken heater, especially during the snowy months. So if you’ve been experiencing problems with your heater, then you’ve probably been wondering: What’s wrong with my heater? Is it overdue on maintenance? How do I know when my heater needs a service? You may be worried that your heater is damaged, or you may even be worried that you’ll need to spend hundreds (or maybe even thousands) on a brand-new heater.

Sound familiar? Don’t worry. We’re here to help! In case you’re new to this blog page, we’re a team of certified HVAC professionals based in Colorado Springs. We love educating people about the HVAC industry. Our mission is to help people better understand the mechanics and the needs of their HVAC units. We’ll help you take better care of your HVAC units so you can enjoy them for a lot longer!

So, in this blog post, we’ll talk about how your heater works, and we’ll answer the question, how do I know when my heater needs a service? Then, we’ll tell you how you can get your unit inspected by an HVAC professional for free!

How does a heater work?

There are a variety of different types of heaters. Let’s briefly talk about three of the most popular types of heaters and how each of them works:

• Electric Heaters: Electric heaters operate primarily through “heating coils.” Every time you turn your heater on, the electricity heats up the heating coils. Every time electrical energy passes through the resistor, it is turned into heat. This is why electric heaters are commonly known as “resistance heating units.”
• Non-Electric Heaters: Non-electric heaters produce convection heat. They generate infrared heating by using metal tubes, which radiate heat outwards.
• Natural Gas Heaters: Natural gas heaters heat up water and store it in a tank. Then, a pump sends some of that boiled water through a metal coil, which then heats up. A fan then blows air over the heated coil and through your air ducts.

While there are many other types of heaters, all heaters operate relatively in the same way: through a series of intricately moving parts! If any one of these parts become damaged or worn down over time, then your heater won’t function properly. This is why HVAC maintenance is so important.

So, how do I know when my heater needs a service?  

On average, regardless of type, most heaters need to be serviced at least once per year. For best results, you should have your heater serviced once every fall right before heavy usage in the winter. Trust us: the last thing you’ll want to deal with is a broken heater during the winter months!

So, how do I know when my heater needs a service? I don’t know when it was last serviced or if the previous owners had it serviced regularly!   

If it’s been so long that you genuinely have no idea when it was last serviced, then it’s definitely time to get your heater checked out!

That’s where we can help. Like we mentioned earlier, we’re a team of HVAC professionals based in Colorado Springs. If you’re a homeowner or a business owner in central Colorado, then we’d be happy to handle all of your HVAC needs! Request your free consultation today, and we’ll inspect and diagnose your heater for free!