Heating Repair in Charlottesville, VA

As a homeowner, your worst nightmare has become a reality. It’s the middle of winter and your heater has malfunctioned! While it may be easy to feel as if the sky is falling, there are things that you can do, such as call a team of professionals! Our team at The Otter Guys is here to help if you need heating repair services in the Charlottesville, Virginia, area.

What are Some Signs You Need Heating Repair Problems?

Understanding the signs of a malfunctioning heater can help you better understand when you need repairs. Recognizing the early signs of damage can help you get the repairs you need before the problem worsens. Here are some of the signs that your furnace is in need of professional assistance:

Strange Odors

It’s never a good sign when you’re smelling strange odors from systems inside of your home. While it’s not unusual for furnaces to smell like fuel, especially when they turn on for the first time in a long time, the odors should dissipate as the unit runs. If you notice the odor doesn’t go away, there may be an issue. 

Strange odors can be a sign of several different issues including a gas leak or excessive dust inside the unit. If you notice a strong smell of fuel, you should contact a professional as quickly as possible and turn off the gas in your furnace. Remember, the smell of gas was literally invented to be a warning sign, so take heed to that warning! 

Difficulty Turning on the Furnace

It’s not too uncommon to have issues getting a furnace to start, especially if it’s been a while since you used it. More often than not, this is due to old age and wear and tear. However, it can also be a sign that there is something wrong with the furnace that needs addressing. 

If you have to start the unit or restart your furnace several times throughout the day, you more than likely need repairs. There are several different reasons for this. Some of those potential causes include disconnected wiring or damaged thermostats. Replacing the affected part should solve the problem. 

Discolored Pilot Light

It’s important to frequently check on your pilot light. The pilot light is a small, blue flame that is used to ignite the natural gas being pumped into the main burner. As a homeowner, you should periodically check the color of your pilot light. If everything is working the way it should, the pilot light should appear blue. 

If it appears a different color, especially yellow, there might be a ventilation problem. Color changes happen when gasses like carbon monoxide don’t dissipate the way they should. This can be hazardous to you and your family. It also makes your heater more combustible if not addressed.

Inadequate Heat

This one might seem obvious, but if your heater isn’t doing its job properly, you more than likely need heater repairs. If your heating system is not producing heat or is only producing low levels of heat, you should first check your thermostat. If there are no problems there, it’s time to schedule repairs. 

One of the most likely causes of this is leaky ductwork. If there’s a leak in the ductwork, treated air will escape. It can be difficult for thermostats to properly relay this information to the furnace. Even if your unit is able to compensate for this by pumping more air, this spike in energy will show up in your utility bill. 

Loud Noises

No system in your home is dead silent. In fact, if your furnace is making zero noise, it’s often a sign that something is wrong. While we would like to hear something from our heater to make sure it’s still working, persistent loud noises can indicate a serious issue that needs immediate attention.

Pay attention to the sounds your heater is making and try your best to describe them to your HVAC contractor when he or she inspects the system. Any squealing or whistling noises should lead to an immediate call to an HVAC repair company. These noises typically come from the belt or fan, while banging or groaning comes from loose internal components. 

Poor Air Quality

Since your furnace pumps warm air into your home, it’s easy to see how much the furnace impacts the air quality of your home. A poorly maintained or damaged system can move dirt, bacteria, and other foreign particles throughout your home along with the heated air. If you notice floating dust in the air, it could be a sign that something is wrong with your furnace.

Poor air quality can lead to frequent coughing, cols, and other respiratory ailments. If you or someone else in the home has allergies, poor air quality can cause symptoms like itchiness, watery eyes, and headaches. Sometimes this is caused by something as simple as an air filter sticking around too long. In more serious cases, an HVAC expert will need to thoroughly clean the ductwork. 

Tripped Carbon-Monoxide Detector

Your furnace has a carbon monoxide detector that will alert you to the presence of any toxic gasses. If this detector goes off, it’s time to take immediate action. Turn your furnace off immediately and open all the windows in your home for ventilation. 

Next, you should immediately contact a professional and stay away from the inside of your home. A professional technician and your gas company will be able to determine the source of the gas.

If you notice any of the signs listed above, you should schedule an assessment and repairs as soon as possible. Putting off repairs will only lead to further damage and more expensive repairs down the line.

Why Choose The Otter Guys for Your Repair Needs?

When you need heating repairs, you need an HVAC service company that you can trust. At The Otter Guys, we have years of experience and expertise working with homeowners in the Charlottesville, VA, area! From the moment you give us a call, we will try our best to have a technician at your home within the hour.

On top of our top-of-the-line services, we provide the best customer service the HVAC service industry has to offer! When you work with us, our hope is that you never choose an HVAC company “otter” than us. The way we can achieve that is by providing the best service imaginable. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Heating Repairs

As a service company, we’re here to help our customers in any way that we can. One of the ways we can do this is by answering some frequently asked questions we get. Some of these questions include:

What’s the Best Way to Avoid Repair Services?

The easiest way to avoid pricey repair services is with regular maintenance services. Maintenance services will help ensure there are no underlying issues with your heater. If left unchecked, these issues can lead to expensive repairs. When you choose The Otter Guys for your maintenance needs, we will send a technician to your home twice a year to make sure everything is running smoothly. Maintenance services also prep the unit for the winter months, making sure it runs as efficiently as possible. 

Can I Perform Repairs Myself?

We often get asked if it’s possible for a homeowner to repair their unit themselves. While it may seem tempting to save a few bucks on repairs, we strongly recommend against this. Even though there are plenty of tutorials on the internet at your disposal, no one will understand the complexities of your unit quite like an expert. Without proper training and experience, you stand the risk of damaging your unit even further. More importantly, heating units are complex machines with many different parts, most of them electrical. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you place yourself at risk of injury. 

Do I Need Repairs Or A Replacement?

Sometimes the damage to a unit can be so bad that replacing the unit altogether is a better choice than repairs. However, this is an incredibly rare circumstance. If your machine is 10 years or older, it might be time to consider a replacement. One of our technicians will help you decide whether or not a replacement is necessary. 

We’re Ready to Help With Your Heating Repair Needs

If you’re looking for heating repair services in the Charlottesville, VA, area, our team at The Otter Guys is here to help. We offer a wide range of HVAC services, including HVAC repair, maintenance, and installation. Give us a call today to find out what it is we can do for you and your needs!