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Short cycling is a term used in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) world to explain a situation where a furnace or air conditioner turns on and off too frequently. The “short cycle” is the period of time that your HVAC equipment is actually running, and the shorter this cycle, the harder your system needs to work. Our team at Kellermeier Plumbing & Heating wants you to understand the concept of short cycling, why it can be harmful and costly, what causes the problem, and what you can do about it.

If your furnace is producing heat inconsistently around your home, you’re not alone. Here are seven issues that could be causing uneven heat.

While an air conditioner’s efficiency is measured by its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, an electric or gas- or oil-fired furnace’s efficiency is measured by its AFUE, or average fuel utilization efficiency. This standard measurement is given in percentages, letting you know how much of your fuel is actually used to heat your Ohio home and how much fuel is wasted. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the unit is. Typically the ratings or percentages you’ll see on new furnaces range from 80 to 100 percent (contingent upon the fuel type of furnace being rated). If a furnace has an AFUE of 80 percent, this means the furnace converts 80 percent of the fuel to heat your house, while the remaining 20 percent is lost, usually out the chimney.

You turn on your furnace, and you smell gas. What should you do? First assess what the smell most likely is, and you may not need to call anyone. Of course, if you’re still nervous because you just don’t know, turn off your furnace and give one of our highly trained technicians a call at (419) 823-1394 to come out to diagnose the smell for you.

Long before the first night you’ll want to use it, you should have your furnace cleaned and checked by a professional.