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Heating Guides
26 guidesAustin winters are mostly mild, with a few hard freezes mixed in, and that pattern shapes which heating systems work best here. These guides explain heat pumps, electric heat strips, gas furnaces and dual fuel, plus what your thermostat is telling you when the weather turns cold.
Start with Aux Heat vs. Emergency Heat, then compare systems in Heat Pump vs. Gas Furnace vs. Dual Fuel in Central Texas and read Can a Heat Pump Keep Up With a Texas Freeze? before the next cold snap.
To learn more about the heating equipment common in Central Texas homes, see our heating services page.
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HeatingAre Space Heaters Safe to Use Alongside Central Heat?Yes, if you follow the CPSC's basics: keep an electric space heater at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, plug it straight…
HeatingHow Long Should a Furnace or Heat Pump Run Per Cycle in Winter?There's no single right number. Many thermostats aim for about three heating cycles an hour, so each run lasts longer as it gets colder:…
HeatingPre-Winter HVAC Checklist for Central Texas HomesIn Austin, get your heater ready in early to mid October: change the filter, test-run the heat, clear the outdoor unit, test smoke and…
HeatingWhy Does the Thermostat Say Heat Is On but Nothing Happens?When the thermostat says Heat is on but nothing happens, the system is often just waiting: many thermostats pause a few minutes before starting,…
HeatingWhy Does My Furnace Turn On and Then Shut Off After a Few Seconds?A gas furnace that lights and shuts off within seconds usually can't confirm its flame, and the most common cause is a dirty flame…
HeatingWhy Is My Furnace Blowing Cold Air?A furnace that blows cold air usually has a simple cause: the thermostat fan is set to ON, the furnace is in its first…
HeatingWhere Should CO Detectors Go in a Home With a Gas Furnace?Put a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of the home and outside each sleeping area, as CPSC and NFPA recommend. With a gas…
HeatingCan an Air Conditioner Produce Carbon Monoxide?No. A central air conditioner or heat pump runs on electricity and burns no fuel, so it cannot make carbon monoxide. CO comes from…
HeatingWhy a Bigger Furnace Isn’t Better: The Case for Dual FuelMost Austin winter days need only a little heat, so an oversized gas furnace short cycles: it blasts hot air, shuts off and repeats,…
HeatingHeater Smells Like Burning? What’s Normal and When to CallA light, dusty burning smell the first few times you run the heat each fall is usually normal and fades within a few cycles.…
HeatingHeat Pump vs. Gas Furnace vs. Dual Fuel in Central TexasFor most Central Texas homes, an electric heat pump with backup heat strips is a practical main heating system, since winters are mild and…
HeatingWhat Drives the Cost of a New Heat Pump in Austin?The cost of a new heat pump in Austin comes down to the size your home needs, the efficiency tier (SEER2 and HSPF2), the…
