6 Reasons Why Your Furnace Can't Keep Up With Cold Weather

The coldest months in New Jersey are harsh, even with a smoothly running HVAC system. But when your furnace fails to do its job, those rough winter days can become even more unbearable.

You need a furnace you can trust to heat your home when the temperature drops to its lowest points. But even a top-of-the-line furnace can't keep up with cold weather if it's misused, misplaced, or mistreated.

The high-quality HVAC units you need to keep your home warm in the face of New Jersey's harshest elements come at a high cost. But furnace repair professionals in Hillsdale, NJ, can handle many of the issues preventing heaters from working as intended.

So before you go rushing to a department store to buy a new one, you need to know these six typical causes of ineffective heating systems and what you can do to fix them.

1. The Furnace Is Too Small for Your Home

Most people leave their furnaces on until the room temperature feels comfortable. But if you have a small furnace and use it to heat a big room, you might never get to the comfort level you're hoping to feel.

Small heaters might provide some level of warmth in large, open spaces, but since they need to cover more ground and are relatively undersized units, they will likely not do enough to heat your home. In addition, ineffectively sized furnaces are detrimental to your HVAC's overall health.

A heater left running for too long will overheat and eventually blow out its motor, preventing it from working at all. Luckily, you have an easy way to test whether your furnace is the right size. If you raise the temperature on your thermostat by five degrees and the room doesn't noticeably heat up, it is usually a sign that your furnace is too small, and you need to replace it.

2. You Turn Your Furnace Off When You Need It Most

It takes time for the effects of heating systems to kick in, even for high-quality models. And if you turn your furnace off during the winter months when you need it most, you will allow the cold weather to build up in your home.

When you force your furnace to compete against the frigid elements by leaving it off, not only will you need to wait for it to power up, but you will need to wait for it to remove all that cold air.

If your furnace can't keep up with the cold weather, leave it running throughout the winter and drop the temperature on warmer days. That way, you will not need to wait for it to turn back on or blast the temperature to compete against the build-up of cold air.

3. Your Thermostat Is Broken

Even if your furnace can't keep up with cold weather, there's a chance nothing is wrong with it at all. For example, if you leave your HVAC system running all day and night and don't notice a change in air temperature, it might be a sign of a broken thermostat rather than a malfunctioning furnace.

To check whether or not your thermostat is functioning correctly, increase the temperature by five degrees and wait for the system to click. If the air coming through the vents doesn't feel warmer, it is likely a sign that your thermostat needs replacement.

If your home does need a new thermostat, your local HVAC technicians at Gladiator Services are ready to help. Our team offers top-of-the-line programmable thermostat models that allow you to set your home's temperature automatically at certain times of the day.

4. Your Furnace's Fan Is Broken

Not all furnace problems are related to heat. Sometimes, when your furnace can't keep up with cold weather, it often relates more to the parts within the HVAC system rather than its overall heat output.

One of the most problematic pieces of a furnace is the blower fan, which is responsible for pushing out the warm air and distributing it throughout your home. If that fan wears down or breaks, your furnace will keep producing warm air but will fail to heat your home.

If you can feel warm air coming from your heater but don't notice any temperature change in your home, it could be a sign of a broken blower fan. Unfortunately, finding a suitable replacement fan can be tricky, and installing it is even more challenging without the right tools and experience.

Gladiator Services' HVAC technicians are available to inspect your home's heater further and repair or replace the fan if needed.

5. The Furnace Needs To Be Cleaned

Furnaces and HVAC systems are complex machines. Still, sometimes all they need to get in working order is a simple cleaning.

When you turn your heater off in the spring and summer, the air filter spends months sitting idle and gathering dust. These blockages can prevent the heater's airflow from spreading throughout the house when you turn it back on. Thankfully, dirty air filters are simple to clean and replace without help from a trained technician.

6. The Furnace Needs To Be Repaired

One of the many pieces of your home's HVAC unit can give out with enough wear and tear. Unfortunately, broken parts can be challenging to spot and nearly impossible to fix without the right tools and training.

If your furnace can't keep up with cold weather, it could be due to a broken part. Gladiator Services can inspect your HVAC system thoroughly, identify any problem areas that could cause significant issues down the road, and keep your home warm for the winter. If we cannot repair or replace the part, it may be time to replace your furnace.

HVAC Cleaning and Repair From Gladiator Services

Gladiator Services has been helping New Jersey communities keep their homes warm against harsh winters for years. We know the last thing you want is for your heating system to give out when you need it most, but if that time ever comes, our team will be there in a flash with unrivaled service.

To learn why your furnace blower is not working or schedule an appointment for HVAC repair, Contact us Gladiator Services today at (201) 512-8972.