Whether we’re joking or gloating, we talk a lot about the mild, sunshiny weather and warmer summers in Sarasota-Manatee. But let’s get serious: Many of us Sarasota homeowners will need our central heat systems to function on an annual basis, too.

Experiencing that first dip into the 40s of the winter season is definitely not a joke. Folks up North may take these sorts of temps for granted (especially since they’ll have much colder weather to deal with every year), but in Florida, cold snaps can take us by surprise. And depending on the state of the “heating” part of your Sarasota HVAC system, chilly weather can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.

Here’s why you should get your heater serviced on an annual basis. And if you don’t, these are the kinds of issues we expect to see coming in as emergency calls this time of year.

Sarasota Heaters Aren’t Used Most of the Year

It’s one thing that your air conditioner gets run ragged in our summer weather. But having the heat system sit idle for much of the year doesn’t help, either.

Problems accumulate from disuse as much as overuse. When it comes to Sarasota heaters, issues that can arise just from sitting stagnant—especially if it’s been a while since you had your air conditioning on, too. Some potential problems include:

• Dust accumulation in the ducts, electrical circuitry and air filter
• Fan breakdown
• Damaged ducts
• Mold buildup
• Compressor damage
• Tripped circuit
• Old thermostat batteries
• Turning the heat to “On” instead of “Auto” (yes, it happens)

Some of these issues are things you can troubleshoot on your own, if you know what you’re looking for. Others are things you need a professional to handle.

How a Faulty Home Heater Affects Your Life

Like we said, we may joke about the weather, but a broken heater is a major pain—at the very best. If your heat stops working (or worse), here are some of the potential problems you’ll have to navigate:

• Your home will be uncomfortably cold, especially at night (and when you step out of the shower). This is the least of your problems, but it’s not fun. And it’s more serious if you have very young children or older individuals in your household, as well as pets, all of whom can be more susceptible to the cold. Plus you run up your water bill trying to use the shower to stay warm.
• Your allergies will be terrible as your system kicks up dust and/or mold and can’t filter your air. And the season’s dry air will make them all the more irritating.
• Your electric bill will spike as your heat system operates inefficiently or improperly.
• You risk causing expensive damage to your entire HVAC unit as you run it in improper or ill-advised conditions.
• You risk an electrical fire.

Sarasota Heat System Maintenance is a Much Better Deal

Now’s the time to have your heater checked and serviced—before the holidays, the guests and visitors, the expenses and everything else. It’s much easier to schedule an appointment than to fix a problem after it’s occurred.

Of course, Air America handles Sarasota heater emergency service, too. But for your sake, we just hope it doesn’t come down to that.