Furnace Repair:
A furnace can be a complicated piece of machinery, with multiple parts working together to keep your home warm. But like any piece of machinery, your furnace will occasionally need a tune-up. The best way to avoid costly repairs is by keeping up with your furnace maintenance. A little bit of regular maintenance can also keep your energy bills lower and improve the life expectancy of your furnace.
Before any work can be done on your furnace, it’s important to ensure that the power is completely cut off. This can be accomplished by ensuring the HVAC switch is turned off at the main electrical entrance panel, or by removing the fuse that controls the unit. This step is vital because gas furnaces use flammable fuel to function, so an unintentional spark could cause a fire.
Ignition Problems
If your furnace is having problems starting, it’s likely because a part like the flame sensor or the igniter is dirty or malfunctioning. It’s important to call a technician right away to diagnose and fix these issues, as they can be dangerous.
Poor Air Flow
If you notice that your furnace is blowing Furnace Repair cold or warm air at random times, it’s possible that the ductwork is not properly sealed. This can reduce the amount of hot air that gets delivered to your rooms, and it’s usually a fairly simple fix.
Furnace Noises
A rattling or pinging sound coming from your furnace is a sign that there may be loose panels or screws that need to be tightened. The sound may also be caused by your ductwork expanding and contracting as it heats or cools your home, or it can be due to a clogged blower fan.
High Heating Bills
If you find that your energy bills are suddenly higher than usual, it’s time to call for a service appointment. It’s likely that your furnace needs new ignitors, a cracked heat exchanger, or some other serious issue. If the issue is too severe to repair, it may be better to replace your furnace.
Leaking Heat Exchanger
Your heat exchanger separates the warming flame from your house’s air. If this part cracks, it’ll be unable to heat your home, and you’ll need a furnace technician to inspect and replace it.
Low Ignition
The ignition system on your furnace is critical, and a malfunctioning igniter or flame sensor can lead to an unexpected shutdown. This is a major safety concern, so it’s vital to have these issues fixed right away.
A blown motor can be expensive to repair, and a new one can cost even more. However, some experts suggest using the “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rule, which means that if your furnace costs less than 50% of what it would cost to replace it, it might be more cost-effective to repair it rather than replacing it altogether. This is especially true if your furnace is nearing the end of its lifespan, or you’ve already spent several hundred dollars on repair bills.