It seems that everything beeps or chirps these days, from smoke detectors to cell phones. No matter what is making the sound, it’s calling for your attention. Home heaters used to give no alerts until they quit altogether. By that time, there was probably a very expensive repair heading your way.
Fortunately, many modern systems include an alerting system that notifies you that something needs attention long before you have a major breakdown. The question is what the issue is. Your system may be programmed to do different patterns of alarms to give more detail about what it needs. These can be translated with a key that will be in the owner’s manual. Of course, owner’s manuals often get lost, so here is a guide to some of the most common reasons your heater might be beeping or sending other alerts.
Time for a Filter Change
Clean filters are key to the efficient performance and long life of your HVAC system. The more dirt and dust accumulating inside the unit, the more energy it will use. The extra strain will also shorten the life of the internal components. That’s why manufacturers give specific recommendations on how frequently to change filters and what type to use.
When the expiration date has arrived for your filter, your system may make a beep. While an old filter is not as pressing a need as some of the other things we’ll look at, it is still important not to ignore it. Changing your filter will not only improve the system’s life span and energy efficiency, but it will also help reduce the amount of dust in your home. This keeps allergens out of the air and makes it easier to keep the house clean. If your system is telling you to replace the filter, do it as soon as you can.
Excess Condensation
Anytime you have moisture in the air and cold surfaces, you will have condensation. That is a given in a heating and cooling system. The humidity from outdoors will always find its way into your house as you come and go, introducing water vapor into your climate control system.
During the summer, your air conditioner generates condensation on the cold components of the system. Still, the same can happen during cold weather as well. This moisture is supposed to drain out through a line that carries it out of the house. If something goes wrong with this process, you can quickly get moisture in places where it can cause damage.
For example, an air handler in your attic will be installed inside a plastic basin that keeps moisture from damaging your house. This basin is equipped with a wet-dry switch that will activate if any moisture accumulates around the unit, shutting it off to prevent damage. Sometimes, this issue can be prevented by an internal condensation alarm that beeps to advise you to check on things.
Defective Sensors
The most common sensor in your HVAC system is the thermostat. It detects the indoor temperature, compares that to the level you have programmed into the unit, and sends a signal to the system to adjust the temperature as needed. There are also many other sensors in your system, each performing an important task.
Some systems include sensors that alert you to excess moisture, overheating, loss of pressure in the compressor, and many other things. This can be enhanced with smart thermostats that can send performance reports to your home and your HVAC company. These problems used to go unnoticed until the system failed completely, so any time you hear a beep on your system, remember the possibility that something very important could be involved.
Other times, the system being monitored by the sensor is perfectly fine, but the sensor itself is malfunctioning. Fortunately, some modern HVAC systems are so smart that they realize when these false alarms are taking place, and they will send out a real alarm to notify you of the problem. Bad sensors are often the first step toward damage to a component that might otherwise have been unaffected.
Other Signs of Problems
While the team at Specialty Heating & Cooling LLC in Tigard sees plenty of these calls for beeping systems, they also deal with a lot of other problems with heaters. Our team provides not just diagnosis of the problem but also repair service, installation of new systems, and preventive maintenance to avoid HVAC issues.
Many HVAC issues will give warning signs ahead of time that may or may not trigger a beeping alarm. It’s also helpful to know the symptoms of a malfunctioning system if yours doesn’t include smart alert functions. Here are some things you should watch out for, whether they trigger an alarm or not.
Inability to Maintain Temperature
On really hot or cold days, your system will always run more than usual. However, if it simply cannot achieve or hold the appropriate temperature during moderate weather, you may need help.
Unusual Noises
Your HVAC system can create all kinds of strange sounds when something goes bad. Whirring, clanging, humming, and many other noises may come from either the indoor air handler or the outdoor unit. When things don’t sound right, call for assistance.
Strange Odors
You should not have odors coming from your registers or the units. The only exception is when you first activate the heater after a long period of time, when you might get a burning odor as the electric coils come on and burn off a light coating of dust. Other than that, you should never smell an electrical odor or any kind of burning.
Decreased Air Velocity
Your system should move air steadily through your home. After all, that’s the only way to introduce enough conditioned air to affect the indoor temperature. If you’ve lived in your home for very long, you have a good idea of how hard the air should be blowing out of your vents. If it feels like it’s not putting up that kind of velocity, you may have a blower issue. You may also notice that the air at the vent seems to be adequately warmed or cooled, but the house just isn’t getting comfortable because the air is moving too slowly.
Tripping Breakers
Your entire heating and cooling system is carefully engineered with dedicated circuits to ensure the correct voltage is moving through each component. If part of your system is experiencing problems, it may try to pull extra current, tripping the breaker. While an occasional tripped breaker may not be a big deal, frequent trips to the panel should tell you something is off.
Silence the Beep Today!
Don’t let the persistent beeping of your heating system annoy you for another day. For professional help with furnace repair, maintenance, and installation of heating and cooling systems, as well as indoor air quality enhancements, backup generators, and much more, let a pro take care of your problem. Contact Specialty Heating & Cooling LLC today!
