During the winter months, your heater or heating system is one of the most important things to your household, so it is essential to look after it and make sure it is in the best condition possible. At Northwest Heating and Cooling, to look after your heating system we recommend that you let your heater breathe and to get it serviced every year.
What do we mean by “Breathe”?
Letting your heating system breathe means turning it on at intervals throughout the year for at least five minutes. This is to stop the mechanics and air vents of your heating system from clamping up or collecting dust.
It’s important to let your air systems breathe for a number of reasons. One of the biggest reasons to do this is so you know when to get your heating system serviced. By turning it on at intervals, you should be able to notice changes in your heating system such as air pressure, airflow and unusual noises. When these begin to occur, we recommend giving us a call to check out your heating system before other issues arise.
Why should I let my heating system breathe?
1. Efficiency
Checking on your heating system and letting it breathe will improve its efficiency and help your home heat itself to an optimal temperature. Many people don’t realise that by leaving their system off during the warmer months means that your system can overwork trying to heat your home in winter. It’s not because it is incompetent but is because it has actually been on standby for 6 months or more. Any electrical appliance when not used frequently and left out in the open does become less efficient because it collects dust and is often exposed to a variety of weather conditions even within your own home.
2. Ventilation
Modern-day homes are designed to be tight. By tight we mean that there are no gaps or air bubbles because they have been engineered out. In a “tight” home your air can become stale and make your home more open to contaminants. By turning on your heater or split system at least once a month, you are providing your home with the needed ventilation to exhaust stale air.
3. No bad smells
When you let your heating system breathe, you are ensuring that it does not collect dust, debris or harmful bacteria within its filters. This process also removes the likelihood of your home smelling bad, and your family having potential health issues as many harmful bacterias can build into mould and emit an unpleasant odour. By remembering to turn on your system at least once a month you can be confident the air you are consuming is fresh and clean because there is no build-up of debris from being left on standby for an extended period of time.
Why should I get my heating system serviced (it’s working normally)?
Getting your heater serviced every two years is recommended by Energy Safe Victoria to ensure that your heating system is functioning properly. It’s important to follow this recommendation because many internal issues can occur that you may not notice. When left alone and unnoticed issues can develop into more serious problems such as emitting carbon monoxide. Getting your heating system serviced also means you can be sure the mechanics of your heater are working correctly and that there is less chance of it breaking down in the colder weather. In our heating services, we check and clean every part of your heater and provide you with a written copy of the work that has been completed and recommended next steps. Additionally, we recently wrote a blog that explored all of the benefits of getting your heater serviced before the peak of winter.
Booking an appointment
At Northwest Heating and Cooling, we recommend you let your heating system breathe, and that you get it serviced every year and alternate services between a carbon monoxide service and a thorough heating system service to cover all of your potential heating issues.
If you are experiencing a change in your heating system, a bad smell or noises coming out of your heater do not hesitate to get in contact with us at Northwest or call (03) 5277 1111 and book an appointment with a heating specialist to service your system.