Heating Repair in East Lake, FL

Census Bureau estimates for 2019 to 2023 make one point clear. Electricity heats 12,866 of East Lake's 13,614 occupied homes. Utility gas heats 421, and bottled, tank or LP gas heats 103 more.

So in most homes here, the heat runs on electricity. Two electric setups are described below.

A heat pump with heat strips. Carrier, an equipment maker, describes auxiliary heat as a secondary heating source built into a heat pump system. It usually means electric resistance heating strips, similar to the coils in a toaster, inside the air handler. The air handler is the indoor cabinet with the blower.

An electric furnace. A Department of Energy Building America guide says electric forced-air furnaces distribute heat with an air handler and ducts, just like gas furnaces. They heat through resistance, not combustion.

Not sure which one you have? Our guide on how to tell if you have a heat pump walks through it, and furnace vs. electric strip heat explains the difference. If your home is one of the few with gas heat, say so when you call.

NOAA publishes 1991-2020 climate normals for a station at the Tarpon Springs sewage plant, west of East Lake. Those numbers show when a heating system near the station gets asked to work.

Heating degree days are the measure. The National Weather Service explains that when a day's mean temperature is below 65°F, you subtract the mean from 65. The result is that day's heating degree days.

• January carries the most, with a normal of 196.4 heating degree days.
• December follows with 144.9, and February with 115.0.
• November and March are lighter, at 54.7 and 61.8.
• June, July and August have a normal of zero.

The same station averages 14.6 nights in January with a low of 50°F or colder. December averages 11.4 such nights and February 10.0.

In plain words, the station's normals show no heating load in June, July and August, and most of it from December through February. A heating fault can stay hidden until the first cold night calls for heat. ENERGY STAR suggests checking the heating system in the fall, because contractors get busy once winter comes. Our heating tune-up guide covers that visit.

None of these needs tools or an open panel. Stop at any step that feels unsafe.

1. Thermostat settings. Set the mode to Heat and the set point above the room temperature. After months on Cool, this is easy to miss. Replace the batteries if the display is faint or blank.
2. The air filter. ENERGY STAR advises inspecting, cleaning or changing filters once a month. It warns that a dirty filter can damage equipment and lead to early failure. Swap a filter that looks clogged.
3. Vents, returns and the outdoor unit. Open the supply vents and move furniture, rugs or boxes off the return grilles. If you have a heat pump, clear leaves and debris from around the outdoor unit by hand.

Then give the system a few minutes to respond.

If a breaker for the heat has tripped, leave it off and call a licensed contractor. Do not switch it back on. ENERGY STAR notes that faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of a system. Finding out why a breaker opened is a job for a licensed contractor, not a homeowner. Do not open the air handler, touch wiring, or work on refrigerant lines.

A burning-dust smell when a furnace is first turned on for the season is typically temporary, Carrier says. It says dust settles on furnace components during the off months and can cause a burning smell when they first heat up. It puts that odor at about 30 minutes to a few hours.

Carrier treats other smells differently. A smell that lasts longer, grows stronger, or smells like burning plastic or electrical wiring means turning the system off. If you see smoke or flames, get out and call 911.

East Lake Fire Rescue is the East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District, a special district in northeast Pinellas County. The district covers 33 square miles and runs three fire stations. Its community services include home safety inspections.

Gas homes. Peoples Gas says that if you suspect a natural gas leak, leave the area and call 911, then call the utility. Carrier lists a rotten-egg or sulfur smell as an emergency.

Carbon monoxide. Pinellas County calls carbon monoxide a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, and says it is deadly. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises CO alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. If you suspect CO poisoning, it says to get outside to fresh air immediately and then call 911. See our guide to carbon monoxide detector placement.

If you plan to use a space heater while you wait, follow the U.S. Fire Administration's advice. It says to keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from heat sources, including space heaters. It also says to turn space heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed, and never to use an oven to heat your home. Our guide to space heaters compares the types.

A heat pump thermostat may offer Emergency Heat, often labeled EM Heat. Carrier says it is a manual setting that shuts off the heat pump entirely and uses only the backup heat. It says to switch to it only if the heat pump has broken down.

That backup is usually electric resistance heat. The Building America guide notes that, depending on local utility rates, electricity is still one of the most expensive heating fuels. Use Emergency Heat to get through a night, then have the heat pump diagnosed. Our pages on emergency heat and auxiliary heat explain both settings.

ENERGY STAR recommends having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups, and its checklist includes:

• Electrical connections and motors. Connections are tightened, and voltage and current are measured on motors.
• Controls. The controls are checked for proper and safe operation.
• Starting cycle. The system should start, operate and shut off properly.
• Gas equipment. Gas connections, gas pressure, burner combustion and the heat exchanger are checked. ENERGY STAR says improperly operating gas connections are a fire hazard and can contribute to health problems.

On a heat pump repair, refrigerant may be part of the diagnosis. Blume's refrigerant work is done by EPA Section 608 certified technicians, the federal refrigerant-handling credential. You get a written, upfront price before any work starts. For heat pump faults in more depth, see our heat pump repair page for Palm Harbor.

East Lake has no city government. The Census Bureau counts it as a census designated place: a closely settled, unincorporated community that is locally recognized and identified by name, without a legally defined boundary or an active, functioning governmental structure. That puts building permits with Pinellas County.

The county says its Building and Development Review Services issues permits for unincorporated Pinellas County. It says most construction jobs that change the structure, electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems of a home require a permit. Its Address Lookup Tool confirms whether a property is unincorporated. The county also advises verifying a contractor's license before work begins, with state-certified licenses checked at MyFloridaLicense.com.

One failed part is a repair. If an older system has a larger failure, Blume shows the repair and replacement side by side and does not sell equipment a building does not need. Replacement equipment is sized with an ACCA Manual J load calculation and Manual S selection, and financing is available through Synchrony Bank. Our Florida HVAC permit guide and our East Lake HVAC page cover the steps.

Blume Mechanical Service, LLC is a Class A licensed Florida air conditioning contractor (license CAC-1822618) and is fully insured. We are brand-agnostic and service all major manufacturers' equipment. Our office is at 2840 West Bay Drive #114, Belleair Bluffs, FL 33770, and our core service area is Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

What to have ready when you call

• Whether your home has a heat pump, an electric furnace or gas heat.
• What the thermostat is set to, what it reads, and whether Emergency Heat is on.
• Whether a breaker for the heat has tripped. Leave it off.
• Any smell, and whether it faded or grew stronger.
• Whether you live in a house, a townhome or a unit in a larger building.
• When the heat last worked.