5 Signs Your Furnace Needs Repair

The start of winter is just weeks away now. Even though there is a sense of festivity and excitement because of the holiday season approaching, you also need to make sure you are ready for the freezing temperatures. Your furnace is going to be the most important appliance in your home over the next few months, so it’s important that you do any repair work now before it becomes an expensive emergency.

The good news? Like any other equipment, furnaces don’t fail without forewarning. As long as you know what to watch for, you can prevent furnace problems beforehand. Here are some of the major signs you should be aware of.

Insufficient Heat

This is one of the more obvious signs that your furnace has a problem. Inadequate heat implies it is not fulfilling its primary role. So, if you are experiencing no heat and/or low heat, even if your thermostat settings have not changed, call a reputable furnace repair service such as jakservices.com/heater-services/

Inadequate heat is often caused by one of two things. The first being leaking ductwork that is allowing heated air to escape. Or, a faulty thermostat that fails to communicate to the furnace unit correctly.

Poor Air Quality

A furnace has a direct impact on your home’s air quality. If faulty, it may move dust and other foreign particles through the system, along with heated air. Poor air quality may be visible to the eye in the form of an increase in floating dust.

Even where there is no noticeable rise in dust levels, you probably have an air quality problem if you notice an increase in respiratory and allergy conditions. These include coughs, colds, watery eyes, itchy throats and headaches.

Sometimes, poor air quality can be fixed by replacing the air filter. In more severe cases, you may need to have a professional to clean the ductwork and the furnace unit.

Unusual Smell Around the Unit

When you turn on a furnace after weeks or months, there is sometimes a smell as the system starts up. This isn’t a cause for concern as long as it dissipates after a few hours of the unit running. What you should be worried about is if the odor lingers, if the smell is particularly strong around the unit, or if the odor shows up suddenly despite the furnace being in regular use.

There are diverse potential causes of the smell, from an accumulation of dust in the unit to a persistent gas leak. Have a furnace repair service come and take a look to be safe.

Unusual Noise

A furnace is never completely silent. It will certainly make noise while it is in use, but you should still listen for unusual sounds – especially those that are persistent.

You can usually identify the cause of the noise from the type of noise. Whistling and squealing noises often point to fan or belt issues. Groaning and banging sounds may be due to loose or broken internal furnace components.

Difficult Starting Up

A furnace has a finite lifespan. That means you may run into problems turning it on or keeping it running as it ages. When you have to try starting the unit multiple times before you are successful, or if you are forced to restart it several times a day, chances are that you need an expert to have a look.

Fortunately, these problems arise due to something easily resolved such as broken or disconnected wiring, or a faulty thermostat. Once the problem part is fixed, your furnace should work as normal.

Non-Blue Pilot Light

An efficiently functioning pilot light ought to be blue in color. Any other color should prompt further investigation. A yellow colored pilot light may indicate a problem with ventilation. The color change is caused by the slow or inadequate dissipation of carbon monoxide and other gases produced by the combustion.

Pilot light problems are not only a threat to the furnace itself. The accumulation of toxic gases like carbon monoxide pose a threat to your health. Your furnace comes with a carbon monoxide detector to alert you of the increase in toxic gases. If the detector goes off, promptly turn off your furnace, open the windows and contact your furnace repair service.

The Earlier, the Better

Your furnace’s smooth function is vital, especially if you live in a region that experiences freezing winters. It is important that you regularly keep an eye on the furnace in order to quickly know when it needs repair or replacement. Catching problems early could significantly reduce the costs incurred on repair.