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How Often Should a Furnace Kick on During the Winter?

Mark J. Biel • January 6, 2022

Your furnace, which is dormant most of the year, will find itself working overtime during the winter. And while the system should cycle throughout the day, kicking on too often may be a sign of an underlying problem. So just how often should your furnace cycle during the winter? R.A. Biel Plumbing & Heating, the premier  new air conditioning  installer in the area, answers this question here.

How Often Should a Furnace Kick on During the Winter?

Short Answer: It Depends 

The cycling frequency of your furnace will depend on a number of factors, including your home’s characteristics, its existing insulation, the outdoor air temperature and the actual age of the heating system. A furnace will generally perform an average of two to three cycles in an hour. However, you may notice this range increasing from 3 to 10 due to winter temperatures, meaning you shouldn’t assume the furnace is short cycling just yet. 

When Does Frequent Cycling Indicate a Problem? 

To determine whether or not the furnace is cycling too often due to cold weather, you should:

  • Check if your home still has sufficient insulation.
  • Inspect your roof, windows and doors for any gaps. If their seals are broken, heating energy may escape outside, causing your furnace to work overtime and cycle more frequently.
  • Note how your furnace runs. If it only turns on for a few minutes at a time–but your home remains cold–it may be short cycling. In this case, you’ll need to have a premier  new heating system installation  and repair expert like R.A. Biel Plumbing & Heating take a closer look at your furnace.

There may be something wrong if your furnace is still cycling often even when the winter season has ended. One possible reason for this is that your furnace is the wrong size for your home. If it’s oversized, it will heat your home quickly, but won’t evenly distribute the airflow. To try and keep a consistent temperature throughout your house, the heating system will short cycle. Again, it’s best to have your furnace inspected by a trusted HVAC professional so you’ll know what steps to take next.

Call Us Today

R.A. Biel Plumbing & Heating is your go-to company for exceptional  plumbing repair  services. If you need your furnace tuned up this winter, we can handle this task as well. Look no further for high-quality HVAC and plumbing solutions. We proudly serve Farmington, NM, and the rest of the Four Corners. Call us today at (505) 327-7755 or fill out this  contact form  to schedule your HVAC evaluation.

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