Signs That Tell You It’s Time to Fix Your Furnace
It is not frequently that your furnace will need to be fixed, particularly if you maintain it regularly. Having said that, there are certain signs that will tell you that a call to a qualified furnace repair technician is needed. Here are some typical signs and the underlying causes.
Common Signs
When your furnace is not heating, it’s an obvious sign that something is wrong. Causes could be the circuit breaker, a bad fuse, a pilot light that has gone out, or there is something wrong with the gas control valve.
If the furnace is heating but the supply of hot air is not sufficient or not warm enough, this is probably the fault of the burners. This calls for a serviceman to come and inspect, clean, and modify them if necessary.
A typical problem is a strange or unusual noise. Squealing might be brought about by a belt or a motor that needs lubrication. A cracked belt can result in a thumping sound and an electrical issue might make a grinding sound. A thunderous sound may indicate the burners are clogged or the pilot is out of adjustment.
Running constantly could simply indicate that the fan control is set to “on” rather than “auto”. If this is not the case, a repair specialist needs to check the fan switch.
If you discover the blower coming on more frequently, there are several possible causes. Your filter could be clogged, the motor may be malfunctioning, or the thermostat is not working correctly.
When the pilot light keeps going out, a heating and cooling technician can check for the cause. It might be a draft that blows it out or there may be debris caught in the line of the pilot itself. It could also be a problem with the thermocouple.
When to Look at Replacing Your Furnace
If calls to the furnace repair technician are becoming more common, it may be time to install a new, energy-efficient furnace. This will cut back on energy bills and if you purchase and install a new ENERGY STAR model, it will be 15 percent more efficient than typical ones.
If your unit is more than fifteen years old you need to make plans to replace it. An updated model will be more efficient and need fewer phone calls to a service technician.
