Furnace Repairs You May Need Before Winter
It is recommended that all homeowners know at least a few basic furnace repair tips. For example, it is vital that you make sure to have a professional inspect and repair your heating system some time from late summer to early fall. This way, you can be sure that your furnace will keep you safe and warm when the freezing winter arrives. Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about your furnace suddenly breaking down when you need it the most.
A furnace tune-up includes a careful inspection of your heating unit. This allows the tech to identify all issues and solve them before they escalate into bigger ones. Basic maintenance is especially a must when you have an older unit at home.
There are a couple of signs you can look out for when you suspect that your furnace needs repair. This article will delve into some simple troubleshooting steps you can take to ensure that your furnace is in tiptop shape. When the problem is more than you can handle, it is best to find a reputable heating repair company to help you. This article also includes a few tips to help you find the best HVAC company in your area.
Common Signs That You Need A Furnace Repair
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Your furnace’s age is undoubtedly a factor, but it is not the only reason you need repair. Relatively new systems can also suffer from neglect and damages. A few of the usual signs that your furnace needs repairs are listed below:
- Gas Leaks: Turn off your furnace the moment you smell gas permeating around it. The slightest spark can ignite a fire, so do not keep it running. Get in touch with your trusted HVAC tech immediately.
- Inefficient System: An inefficient furnace consumes more energy. Therefore, it is no longer cost-effective. You will notice a gradual or sudden increase in your energy bill when this happens. Call a professional and have your heating system inspected.
- Low Comfort Level: When the temperature around your home does not reflect the same setting as your thermostat, then you might have a faulty system. It could be due to many reasons, including worn parts, a clogged air filter, a loose belt, and a damaged fan motor.
- Uneven Cooling: Hot or cold spots around your house can be caused by clogging, worn components, and damages. An HVAC system that is in excellent working condition should cool or heat your home consistently and evenly. Get your furnace checked when it isn’t working as efficiently.
Troubleshooting Your Furnace
Some heating system problems you might experience down the line do not need professional assistance. As a homeowner, you can conduct preventative steps and simple repairs to ensure your system operates efficiently. Here are a few of these troubleshooting tips that homeowners can perform:
- Turn On The Electrical Breaker: If your furnace isn’t working at all, check the switch and electrical panel. Someone might have switched them off, and this could be the cause of your furnace not working. Check if there are any melted, damaged, or discolored fuses as well. Replace them with new ones when needed.
- Clean Clogged Furnace Filter: The filter accumulates contaminants as time passes. This will affect its performance and your home’s indoor air quality. It can even lead to system breakdown and fire if you continue neglecting it. Therefore, check the filters regularly. Clogged filters should be cleaned or replaced.
- Replace Thermostat Batteries: The batteries in your thermostat should be replaced every so often. If there is any dust and dirt on it, use a soft brush or a clean, dry cloth to remove them.
- Relight The Pilot Light: Check the pilot light and furnace flame. Relight them if they are off. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s manual when relighting. However, if you think there is a leak, turn the furnace off and immediately call an HVAC professional.
- Open All Vents & Registers: See to it that all registers and vents are open. Otherwise, your furnace won’t heat your home efficiently. Rearrange your furniture that might be blocking the airflow from the vents.
Common Furnace Problems
Here are a few of the most common furnace repair problems you might encounter:
- Damaged Blower Belt: A high-pitched squeal from your furnace might indicate a damaged blower belt. This needs to be replaced to get your heating unit to work properly again.
- Damaged Heat Exchanger: A strange odor that is detected near your furnace might be because there is a leak from a cracked or damaged heat exchanger. Other signs of this issue include corrosion and soot on your heating unit.
- Short Cycling: A furnace that switches on and off continuously might have issues regarding its filter, thermostat, or vents. If simple troubleshooting does not fix the problem, get in touch with a heating expert.
- Worn-Out Bearings: If you notice a scraping noise when you turn on your furnace, it might have worn ball bearings. This needs to be replaced by an HVAC technician immediately.
- Flickering Pilot Light: Keep in mind that pilot lights are typically blue with a slight yellow tip. A flickering and yellow pilot light indicates that there is a high carbon monoxide level in the gas furnace. Call a professional to assist you as soon as possible.
Know When To Replace Your Furnace
There are a few situations that call for a furnace replacement instead of repairs. Some of these are listed below:
- Old Age: A system that has been continuously used and is more than 15-20 years old.
- Reduced Efficiency: There is a significant increase in your heating costs despite regular maintenance and proper repairs.
- Poor Performance: Your furnace does not operate effectively like before. You might also feel hot and cold areas throughout your home.
- Numerous Repairs: If repair prices are at half or more than the cost of getting a replacement unit, buy a new heating system instead.
Tips To Follow When Selecting A Furnace Service Company
It is great when you have a trustworthy HVAC repair company that you can contact when you have furnace problems. This gives you peace of mind knowing that your furnace is in good hands and that it can operate as it did before. It also means that you won’t experience the hassle and frustration that comes with furnace breakdown.
However, finding a reliable furnace service company is not easy. At some point, most homeowners experience something unpleasant with an HVAC company. The contractor might have shown up late or not at all. The technician might also cause more harm than good when they fail to pinpoint the furnace problem.
Therefore, we will discuss some of the steps you can take to find a reputable company in your area:
Search For An HVAC Company That Specializes In Heating Systems
Search for an HVAC company instead of a repairman. Furthermore, look for a company that specializes in heating systems. This is beneficial as you will have professionals who are trained and skilled to work on furnaces. They will have the knowledge and experience working with different brands, makes, and models. This way, they won’t have any problem checking your furnace.
Working with a company rather than a single repairman also means you get access to many other technicians. If one technician cannot find the problem, then another from the same company might solve the issue. Although a reputable company might cost you more initially than cheap furnace repairs, the peace of mind that you get knowing that your furnace is in capable hands will be worth it.
Look Into The Website & Read HVAC Company Reviews
If you want to know more about a furnace repair company, check their website. This way, you get an impression of how the company is. A professional-looking website with lots of information provides you with a good first impression. Whereas, some red flags include a site that looks old and lacks information.
Read the reviews as well. This will let you know what previous customers think of the company regarding their response time, professionalism, and knowledge, among other things. Some companies include reviews on their website. However, note that since the company owns the site, they control what gets published on it.
To read real ratings and reviews, search Google and other review sites. These sites allow past customers to write reviews without the companies controlling what gets posted. This enables you to get a glimpse of how the company truly is. Search for words like “gas furnace repair near my location” or “furnace repair near me” to find a local, trusted HVAC company.
Contact The Furnace Repair Company
Before hiring a particular company, call them first. Speaking to one of their representatives lets you know the company’s values and principles. They should be knowledgeable about their services and sound happy to help you. If the person on the other end of the call sounds uninterested and confused, it might be best to look for another company. However, if the conversation went well and you are satisfied with the answers they give you, give the company a chance.
Contact Townsend Energy For All Of Your Furnace Repair Needs
It is essential that you have a skilled and certified technician to solve your furnace problems. This should never be a do-it-yourself project. A professional tech can understand your heating appliance and repair it correctly. Keep in mind that not all HVAC companies provide the same quality of work. Therefore, find the best company to help you.
Are you looking for an excellent furnace repair company? No worries. Give Townsend Energy a call. We’ll be happy to assist you and discuss your furnace problems with a free, in-home estimate.
Townsend Energy has highly trained and certified technicians. Our services include furnace repairs, AC maintenance, boiler installations, ductless air conditioning replacements, and more.
All the techs in our company are knowledgeable and experienced, so rest assured that we can correctly service your system. We offer the most competitive heating service costs in the area. We can also help you find the best heating system replacement that is within your budget. Book an appointment with us today for a free, no-obligation, in-home consultation.
Contact us now at (800) 722-4101 to find out more!