Just like the health emergencies that people in Chicago endure every day, your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system can suffer emergency situations too. While these appliances won’t have to deal with the pain and agony that human health issues may cause there are still a number of symptoms and side effects that accompany a failing heating system. One of the most obvious signs that something is wrong with your HVAC is a weak flow of air through the ventilation. Another is unusually cool air coming from the furnace instead of the well warmed air you normally get.
A weak supply of air through the vents could have several causes. The first thing that heating companies in Chicago should check is the HVAC’s filter system and make certain the airflow isn’t inhibited. If the filter cover is free of blockage and the filter itself is clean the next possibility is the appliance’s blower system. HVAC appliances have an internal blower, sometimes called a squirrel cage because of it’s circular shape, that draws air through the filter and pushes it down the vents. If this blower is dirty or the motor is wearing out the airflow will be low. Another possibility could be something trapped in the vents themselves and blocking the flow of air.
To verify the cause of a reduced warm air supply, heating companies in Chicago will need to run several tests on the system. In this case, the problem may depend on the type of furnace you have installed. For example, an electric based furnace uses heating elements that take advantage of electrical resistance to generate heat. These elements will degrade over time and produce less heat for the energy they consume.
Gas and propane furnaces might have a simple blockage problem reducing the amount of fuel being burned. Alternately, the furnace exhaust may be blocked or damaged restricting the airflow in the burning chamber. Reduced airflow causes the flames to burn at cooler temperatures and reduces the efficiency of the furnace. Another problem that might be experienced by either type of furnace is a problem with the automatic regulation of the system. If the furnace doesn’t cycle at regular intervals the system may still be pushing out air just at the wrong time. Thankfully, heating experts like heating companies in Chicago can diagnose your HVAC to determine what ails it.


