Furnace Repair: Five Signs That Your Furnace Needs Attention

Most homeowners think of a broken furnace as one that stops functioning, but that is not always the case. In addition to mechanical failure, there can also be subtle indications that repair is in a furnace's future, that the unit is actually broken but still appears to be functioning. If your furnace displays one or more of the signs below, you should consider it as an indicator that it may need repair, and schedule an appointment with an HVAC technician as soon as possible:

The Unit Makes Unusual Noises

No furnace is completely silent. If you hear unusual banging, whining, or groaning noises emanating from your furnace, it may be a sign that it has difficulty igniting, has a loose belt, or has a worn out part that will soon break. If the noises are caused by something else, you may need to call Ghostbusters instead of an HVAC company.

You Need to Set Your Thermostat Higher than Normal

When a home stops heating well, the response of most homeowners is to raise the thermostat setting. As the problem grows worse, though, even the highest setting can fail to deliver warmth. Before your home reaches this point, have a furnace repair technician perform an inspection. The problem may be a faulty thermostat, a problem with an intermittent pilot ignition system, or even leaky ductwork.

Your Energy Bills are Inordinately High

If your electrical bills are high this winter, it may be because your air distribution fan will not kick off, or because you raise the thermostat setting to compensate for a lack of heat. It could also be that your furnace performs inefficiently due to a clogged air filter or leaky ducts. Instead of paying a utility bill that matches your mortgage payment, call a repair technician instead.

The Pilot Light is Yellow

If you inspect your furnace and notice that the pilot light is yellow, it may indicate the presence of carbon monoxide. A blue flame indicates the gas mixture is normal; a yellow flame indicates it is not. If carbon monoxide is detected, the technician can determine whether your HVAC equipment or your home is the source of the problem.

The Unit has Trouble Kicking On or Staying On

If your furnace takes a long time to kick on, or it kicks on as usual but it does not stay on, a broken thermostat, faulty wiring, or a pilot light ignition problem could be to blame. There could also be a problem with the distribution fan motor. Like the other problems in this list, a furnace that has trouble kicking on usually gets worse over time.

Conclusion

The need for furnace repair usually occurs at the most inopportune time-when your furnace is busy heating your home. Ann Atlanta heating and air conditioning company that specializes in HVAC repair should be able diagnose and fix the problem quickly. For homeowners, the key is to recognize signs that indicate a furnace needs repair, and schedule an HVAC inspection before it stops working.