As the winter season winds down, we can all begin to look forward to warmer weather in spring and beyond. But March is a notoriously temperamental month, and cold temperatures can come roaring back at any moment. You’ll still need your heating system ready to keep your house comfortable.

With all the stress the heater has accumulated over the winter, now is the time when it is most likely to suffer from a malfunction or even a complete system breakdown. Below are some of the more common problems you might see from your heater at this time of year. Call us for repairs right away when you notice any of these:

• Delayed-firing burners: The burners in a gas-powered furnace or boiler can develop a layer of grime during the winter. This will make it harder for the gas jets on the burner to ignite, causing a delay before thet come on. This will create a noticeable “booming” sound. The burner needs to be cleaned off, and only professionals should do this job.
• Leaking refrigerant: If you use a heat pump for home warmth, pay attention to any drop in its heating power or a sound of hissing coming from the cabinet. This often mean refrigerant is escaping through a leak, and this can endanger the whole system and cause the compressor to burn out. Technicians can find and seal the leak and the recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.
• Miscalibrated thermostat: Over the months, the thermostat may start to detect incorrect temperatures. Even being only a few degrees off can make your heating system turn on and off at the wrong time, or start to short-cycle, which is highly destructive. Technicians can trace the problem to its source and fix the thermostat, or recommend replacing it.

Lifeline Plumbing, Heating & Cooling has urgent care for heating repairs, 24/7, in Saint Charles and throughout Chicagoland and Fox Valley.