It might not feel like it now, but the winter months are quickly approaching. Recently we had customers asking about forced air unit (FAU) / heater repairs so we sat down with Bill Howe Heating & Air Field Supervisor, Eric Sanchez, to get answers to our customers "FAQs on FAUs."

Q: What are the most common causes of heating problems?

Eric: It really depends on the age and type of the furnace. If we're talking about an old furnace, it's really common that the pilot light is out, especially at the beginning of the cold season. Other times it's usually a problem with the gas valve, the thermocouple or sometimes air leaks that are killing the pilot flame. Sometimes the unit isn't heating because of the air filter is full of debris and the system isn't receiving enough air flow.

With newer systems, common causes include electrical shorts or a defective ignition device. Even with newer systems, a dirty air filter can cause issues as well.

Common issues with heat pumps are usually low refrigerant or a dirty filter.

Q: Are there any signs (other than just not getting any heat) that would indicate a problem with a heating system?

Eric: Yes, certain sounds and smells can be a good sign that there may be an issue with the unit. For instance, if the blower motor is out of balance it will make the unit rattle or sometimes the unit will hum because there's a problem with the motor. We also receive a lot of calls from customers who are concerned about smells that come from their air ducts when they turn on their unit. That's due to a lack of service on the unit. Sometimes dust will come through the vents and even set off smoke detectors. Customers can avoid this by having a tune-up before they need to use the unit, but if it's too late and the smell/dust is already there, they can have a professional come out to clean the heat exchanger. Eventually this dust and smell will go away on its own, but it tends to take awhile. Sometimes, if it's a really old unit, that smell is not going to go away and the unit is too rusted beyond any type of repair.

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If there is a question about plumbing, heating, air conditioning or restoration services that you'd like to "Ask the Experts" let us know!

On November 1, 2012, we'll officially be in our new office at 9085 Aero Drive, San Diego, CA 92123 with more than double the space we currently operate out of at our Morena Boulevard office! Don't worry, we'll still be serving all of the areas of San Diego County we currently service and no matter how large our company grows we'll always keep our commitment to providing our customers the highest quality work at the lowest possible price.

Do you know "Howe" Bill Howe Plumbing started? Way back in 1980 Bill started this company in a 253 sq ft studio apartment in Pacific Beach. Almost every 10 years since then we've moved to larger offices to accommodate our growing company and it's all thanks to you! Read more about our history and the new move.

And thanks for helping us become a company of success stories!