Is Your Heater Making Your House Too Hot This Winter?

During Iowa winters, wind chills can drop temperatures to below freezing. So for most homeowners, staying warm and cozy is a top priority.

That said, sometimes a heater can actually cause your home to be too hot. Although you have control over your thermostat, unknown factors can be at play, leading to an uncomfortably warm home.

To help you troubleshoot, we’ll look at three common reasons why your heater is making your home too hot:

We’ll then discuss how annual heating maintenance can help you avoid heating problems in winter altogether.

In most cases, a malfunctioning thermostat is the cause of your home’s overheating.

When the temperature sensor inside your thermostat detects the wrong heat levels, it will tell your heater to keep running even if your home is already comfortably warm.

For example, let’s say the thermostat detects that it’s only 50 degrees, and you want your home to be at 78. Even if your space is already 78 degrees, the thermostat will tell your furnace, boiler, or heat pump to stay on, leading to temperatures that are well beyond your desired setting.

If you suspect that a faulty thermostat is the culprit of your home’s overheating, you’ll have to manually shut off your heat and then call for a licensed HVAC technician to come and inspect it.

At Golden Rule, our comprehensive heating repair diagnostics are just $72, which we’ll waive if you choose to hire us for the repair.

Problems with your thermostat’s wiring can also cause your heater to stay on constantly.

Whether you have a furnace, boiler, or heat pump, a dedicated thermostat wire signals the heating system to shut off. If this wire has frayed or accidentally disconnected, your heater won’t know that it’s time to turn off, and you’ll have perpetually warm air blowing.

To get an exact diagnosis, a qualified HVAC technician will need to perform an on-site inspection. At Golden Rule, all of our technicians are NATE-certified and can fix most heating repairs in a single visit. To learn more, visit our heating services page.

Aside from thermostat issues, there could be an electrical failure within your heating system itself.

For example, a furnace has a temperature control switch to protect against overheating. If the switch breaks, the furnace will continue to run at dangerously hot temperatures.

Even if you’re comfortable with small electrical jobs like replacing light fixtures in your home, do not attempt to repair your heating system. Electrical problems are serious and need to be addressed by a licensed and trained HVAC technician.

For emergency 24/7 support, contact Golden Rule’s trusted heating professionals at (515) 393-4526

Annual system maintenance can help you prevent heating repairs altogether.

When a licensed and trained technician can inspect behind the scenes of your heating equipment, they’ll have a chance to spot things like frayed wiring or malfunctioning components before they cause problems like overheating (or worse, surprise breakdowns).

Just like a car, your heating system gets better mileage when properly lubricated, cleaned, and maintained. Furthermore, annual maintenance keeps your manufacturer’s warranty valid, which helps decrease your out-of-pocket expenses on potentially costly repairs.

At Golden Rule, we go above and beyond to deliver the most bang for your buck on heating maintenance. Our Gold Club membership includes two annual HVAC inspections, priority scheduling, a 10% discount on repairs, and much, much more. To learn more, visit our heating maintenance page.