If you notice a small hole in a pair of pants, it might only require five minutes with a needle and thread, and you’ll be all set. If you ignore it and keep wearing the pants, the hole will surely get bigger. Pretty soon it will become a very large sewing project… or you might end up needing a new pair of pants.
This is true of all kinds of problems, including when your furnace needs repair. And since a furnace is a lot more expensive than a pair of pants, it’s all the more crucial that you get repairs as promptly as possible when they’re needed. To help you spot furnace issues early so you can get them fixed before major problems develop, we’ve got a handy list for you of things to watch out for.
1: Noises
Generally, any time an appliance or complex system makes a new and unexpected noise, it’s because there’s a problem that needs to be repaired. Furnace noises can include rumbling, groaning, rattling, clicking, screeching, booming, and more. The bottom line is, when you hear a noise your furnace has not consistently made before, you should consult a professional heating technician.
2: Smells
The one smell your furnace can make without causing you alarm is the burnt-dust odor when you first turn it on in the fall. This smell should dissipate pretty quickly, within an hour or so if you open some windows. Any other smell is a very bad sign.
If you have a gas furnace, the smell of sulfur or bad eggs is a sign that you have a gas leak. Evacuate your home and get emergency assistance. Both gas and electric furnaces have electrical components, so no matter what kind of furnace you have, a burning plastic smell or fishy odor indicates an electrical fire, which is also extremely hazardous.
3: Cycling Problems
When it’s working properly, a furnace will go through a heating phase and then turn off for a bit until your home’s temperature drops again. The time between startups should be fifteen minutes or more. Short cycling is when the furnace starts but almost immediately stops, only to start up again in just a couple of minutes. And sometimes, a furnace just keeps running, never shutting down.
Either of these is a huge waste of energy and will drive your utility bills up, but it’s also very hard on the furnace itself, causing a huge amount of wear and tear. Whether you have an airflow problem, a broken limit switch, or simply a thermostat sending the wrong signals, it needs to be repaired before it damages your furnace irreparably.
4: Comfort Problems
Is the air coming through your vents not warm enough, or just coming through as a slight trickle rather than a toasty blast? Does the temperature in your home swing too widely, getting too warm before the furnace shuts off, or too cold before it comes on? Are there cold spots where the heat never quite seems to reach? These issues can be resolved with repairs.
Be aware of these signs your furnace needs repair in Houston, TX and make an appointment right away. Our highly-trained, qualified technicians are ready to get your issue fixed before it gets any worse.
Reach out to Cool Care Heating and Air Conditioning, The Best Care for Your Air.