ALL ABOUT DUCTED HEATING SERVICING

09.04.2020

Is it the truth that Central ducted heating needs regular maintenance and checks?

How often should the heater be serviced? What should be done in a service?

Do I need to clean ducts? Who can carry out service on Gas Appliance?

Below is a quick and simple guide to learning what Gas ducted heating is and how it works.

SO WHAT IS CENTRAL DUCTED GAS HEATING AND HOW DOES IT WORK ?

A ducted gas heating system is an easy, comfortable and efficient solution to heat your entire home. It works by drawing cold air from inside your house through the heater, once heated, the air is then distributed via a series of ducts and vents into each room.

The central gas heating system consists of five major components:

The heater itself
Insulated ductwork that carries air from / to the heater
Vents that spread air into the rooms
Return the air grille to draw cold air in
And a Thermostat

HERE WE WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW IT WORKS IN 4 SIMPLE STEPS:

Fan motor in Ducted heater passing cold air over a warmed heat exchanger by a gas combustion
The warmed air is delivered through ducts into the home via a series of vents in the ceiling or floor
A thermostat maintains the desired temperature inside the home by sending a signal to the heater to cycle on / off
The products of combustion are all discharged safely outside the home via a flue pipe

WHY AND WHEN GAS DUCTED HEATING NEEDS SERVICING ?

You may not be aware, but the Ducted heating unit may collect a lot of dust within, this is because your system is continually circulating air and the fan will get dust build-up, especially if the filter is not fitted. This will seriously affect the heater’s performance and economic operation. Also, it can cause possible problems with the fan motor and other components. Natural gas and Carbon monoxide leak tests should be completed to ensure your ducted heating system is operating safely and correctly.

The general recommendations to ensure maximum efficiency and safety may range from checks on an annual basis to having the heating system checked every 2-3 years, depending on the brand and model. The best is to refer to the owner’s manual.
Maintenance is recommended to be performed before the winter season to keep warm and comfortable through the cold winter months.

WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN DUCTED GAS HEATING SERVICE ?

The service includes cleaning the unit and ensuring that the system is operating safely and at maximum efficiency, it also allows any minor problems to be detected early.

Also, any Maintenance or Repair works on the Ducted gas heating systems should be carried out by appropriately Qualified and Licensed Service Technicians to ensure the job is done right in the first place.

BELOW IS THE LIST OF OUR STANDARD SERVICING PROCEDURE:

CHECK and CLEAN COMPONENTS

Fan Assembly
Burners and flame sensors
Heat exchanger
Ignition system
Return air grille and filter

CHECK OPERATION AND SETTINGS

Check the capacitor and fan motor operation
Check gas burner pressures are set correctly
Check flue pipe is connected correctly
Check electrical connections for any damage
Visually inspect the ductwork for any damage

TEST SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY

Test for Carbon Monoxide and natural gas leaks
Test Calibration of thermostat
Check for adequate airflow from the outlets
Provide a detailed report on the completion
Advise on the best practices to achieve maximum efficiency

Energy Safe Victoria and the Victorian Building Authority recommend having a regular Ducted heating service done to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by faulty gas appliances.

SHOULD YOU GET YOUR HEATING DUCTS CLEANED ?

REPAIR Heating & Cooling does not provide duct cleaning service.

Over years of experience, we’ve noticed that regular duct cleaning is unnecessary for most householders and, in some instances, can cause more harm than good.

There are examples of ducts that have become badly contaminated with a variety of materials that may pose risks to your health. The duct system can serve as a means to distribute these contaminants throughout a home. In these cases, duct cleaning may make sense.

However, a light amount of household dust in your air ducts is normal. In fact, as you walk around in your house you raise a small cloud of dust particles wherever you go. Dust will be present in one form or another whether you have clean ducts or not.

Duct cleaning is not considered to be a necessary part of regular maintenance of your heating or cooling system.

Some duct cleaning equipment might result in damage to your air duct system.

Instead of having duct cleaning done, we recommend fitting a new Filtered Return Air Grill, to stop dust from entering into the system. In the future, you will need to clean the filter only, not the entire ductwork.

The price for a New Return Air Grill starts from just $120 incl GST.

6 Steps to get the best performance from your Ducted gas heater and maximize its efficiency:

Ensure your home is well insulated such as wall-to-wall floor coverings, drapes, pelmets and even wall insulation can help reduce your energy consumption. Ceiling insulation is mandatory.
By turning the heater off or setting the temperature below 17ºC at night you’ll save energy and lower your gas bill.
Keep the temperature setting low if you are active in the house. Normal operating temperature should be around 17ºC to 21ºC
Do not leave external doors / windows open. However internal doors are recommended to be kept open for balanced room air circulation.
For all systems, a minimum of 6 outlets must remain fully open to run the system without overheating.
Make sure filters in the return air is clean.