Just as you would call a company like ClearviewPlumbing if your toilet wasn’t flushing properly, there are signs and symptoms that your furnace may benefit from a visit from a qualified furnace repair technician, too. If you’ve never had problems with your furnace before, it can be a challenge to know what signs to look for, however. This article will outline the kinds of common problems that can occur with a furnace and the warning signs to look for.
Most of the time, our furnace hum along in the background of our lives, keeping our homes and families warm and requiring not much attention from us. However, it’s important to know what to listen and look for that may be signalling your furnace’s need for some attention. If you do detect any of these symptoms, it’s important to have the issue addressed right away. Neglecting warnings signs will not make the problem go away. On the contrary! Neglecting furnace issues is a sure-fire way to make a small problem into a big problem.
Take note of things like:
Squeaking noises: If you notice that your furnace is making a noise that sounds a little like it is being powered by legions of mice, it could indicate a problem with the belts inside. Squeaking is a sign of too much friction inside the furnace, which can be serious. Friction causes heat, and heat can cause a fire. If your furnace is squeaky, call in a service technician ASAP.
Not turning on and/or off:
If your furnace won’t turn on or off when you want it to, that is an obvious sign of a problem, although not necessarily a big one. Failure to turn on could signal simply that the breaker has been tripped – an easy thing to fix. If that’s not the issue, however, it could also signal the presence of faulty wiring. The best way to be sure is to call in a professional to track down the source of the problem.
Frequent cycling on and off:
Although it is normal for your furnace to “cut in and out” at regular intervals as it does its job to keep your home at the pre-determined temperature, if you notice that your furnace is cycling more often than it should, there could be an underlying issue. It’s likely that your thermostat needs to be cleaned or that your heat anticipator has been improperly set. Both of these are relatively easy fixes that most homeowners can do on their own.
The smell of burning rubber:
If you smell a strong odour that reminds you of burning rubber, this can be a potentially serious issue. It may even warrant an emergency call to your furnacerepair company and/or the fire department. Like the squeaking sounds, a rubbery smell is usually an indication of the buildup of friction in the system. It doesn’t take long for that friction, when added to the heat present in your furnace, to cause a fire. If you smell a burning rubber smell coming from your furnace, seek help immediately.