Your home is your sanctuary. It’s where you spend most of your evenings and where you enjoy family dinners. Unfortunately, poor residential heating units can make your home feel like you’re living in a blazing nightmare instead of your dream house. Problems with your heating system can make you sweat in your sleep or bundle up because you’re freezing. If your home is unusually hot, and you want residential heating unit services in Austin, TX, call 512-613-6345 to schedule an appointment with the HVAC service professionals at Schneider Mechanical.
Types of Residential Heating Units
Boilers, space heaters, furnaces, and heat pumps are the standard types of residential heating units.
Boilers
Boilers are devices that use radiant heat. Radiant heat uses infrared radiation chemicals to warm your household. A professional residential heating technician can install a boiler into your home by using radiators, hot water tubing, or electric mats. A skilled technician will also give you the option of receiving a dry floor or wet floor installation.
Whether you should use a dry or wet floor installation depends on your preference, the size of your system, and household floors. In a dry floor installation, we install a layer of concrete that aids in emitting heat throughout your floors, warming your house. In a wet floor installation, we do not use a layer of concrete, and a cylinder heats water to warm your house.
Space Heaters
Space heaters are small to medium-sized, portable objects that emit heat. Space heaters can be plugged into your wall, affixed to your walls, or cordless. We install space heaters into your wall. Space heaters installed into walls are commonly known as “wall heaters.” Most likely, you have seen wall heaters in hotels and motels.
Furnaces
Furnaces, which are known as “forced air” heating systems, utilize the air within your home to create heat. Furnaces absorb air, heat it, and then disperse it throughout your house. If you want a furnace installation or modification, you can choose between a gas, oil, or propane furnace.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are slightly similar to furnaces. Heat pump systems utilize the air within the surrounding area to create heat. Equipped with special technology, heating pumps repurpose the natural heat that’s in our soil, wasted from a factory, or produced elsewhere. Then, the pump increases it and distributes it throughout your house.
Signs You Need A New Residential Heating System
You may need a new residential heating system if one or some of the following warning signs is true:
You Electricity Bill Has Been Higher
When your heating system has begun to lose efficiency, you will notice that your energy bill will slowly begin to increase. It may be hard to pinpoint your heating system as the issue, but if you notice that it’s running a lot and is struggling to get your home to the temperature set on your thermostat, it could be the cause. When your heating system is trying to make up for its own inefficiency, it will continue to run, which only raises your power bill.
You Hear Odd Noises
Odd noises are a common symptom of a malfunctioning heating system, most commonly a furnace. These will likely sound like banging or popping. Your furnace will likely make these sounds anyway, as it creates heat, and the ducts expand and contract. However, when the sounds become noticeably loud or unusual, this is a sign of a problem.
Your Heating System Is Too Hot or Too Cold
There are a number of reasons why your heating system could be producing too much or too little heat, such as issues with the ductwork, blocked ducts, blocked vents, inefficiencies due to age, and more. This can be repaired in most instances but may require replacing if the heating system has become inefficient from years of running.
Your Heating System Is Leaking or Has a Weird Smell
If your heating system is leaking and/ or has an odd smell, this can be a huge problem. In the case of a gas leak, you may first notice that you or others are reporting headaches, nausea, or lightheadedness while it’s running. Second, be aware of any odd smells, like something burning or gas. This is likely due to a gas leak and is incredibly dangerous. Please contact us as soon as you notice a smell like gas or any of the previously listed symptoms.
Further, if there is a leak, this could cause damage to your home, electrical shortages, and more. This is considered an emergency, and you should contact our team right away.
In both cases, this could be patched up quickly but may require replacing if your system is too damaged or the parts cannot be found due to age.
You Have an Old Heating System
Just like everything else, heating systems don’t last forever, even with proper maintenance. With time, older models can age out, and their parts begin to become too expensive or hard to come by. Eventually, it becomes more difficult to repair and maintain them and is more efficient to replace. The average lifespan of the most common residential heating systems is as follows:
-
Heat Pump: 15 years
-
Furnace: 15 to 20 years
-
Electrical: 20 years
It is possible to keep your heating system for longer if it’s in good condition, but you should be aware of what it’s costing you to maintain it and how that compares to new systems.
You Keep Scheduling Repairs
Don’t get us wrong—we’re pleased to do high-quality heating repairs for you—but if you’re calling us frequently for maintenance, it might be time to upgrade. Buying a new unit is an investment that can ultimately save you money by reducing or eliminating the need for maintenance.
Hire Schneider Mechanical For Residential Heating Unit Repairs And Installation
The history of Schneider Mechanical dates back more than ten years. During this period, we have become very well received by the community and have become the industry standard in the maintenance and installation of residential heating systems. Contact us at 512-613-6345 if you’re ready to hire a team of experts that can complete your project without a hitch.
