As fall starts to turn to winter, you need to pay close attention to your furnace. If your furnace gives you any of the warning signs listed below, you need to schedule an HVAC contractor to come out and inspect your furnace. By paying attention to what your furnace is trying to tell you, you can stop your furnace from breaking down on a cold winter day when you really need it.
#1. Your Furnace Starts To Make Unusual Noises
No furnace is ever going to be completely quiet. However, your furnace should not sound like a beat-up car that is just barely wheezing down the road. If you start to notice additional or unusual sounds coming from your furnace, you need to have a technician come out and inspect your furnace. The issue may be as simple as tightening up the bolts and screws in your furnace, or a part may need to be replaced. A technician who works with furnaces every day will be able to distinguish between all the different sounds your furnace may make that signal a problem.
#2. Your Furnace Has Issues Staying On
Your furnace should turn on when it gets cool, and should turn off smoothly once your house is warm enough. If your furnace continuously cycles off before your house is even warm, you have an issue. Three primary issues generally cause furnaces to turn on and off incorrectly. The thermostat may be broken. If it is not working correctly, your furnace will not be able to correctly detect the temperature and this can cause your furnace to seem to act strangely. Faulty wiring can also cause your furnace to cycle on and off when it shouldn't. Finally, there may be an issue with your pilot light if you have a gas furnace.
The HVAC technician will be able to figure out which of the three issues above is causing your furnace to turn on and off correctly.
#3. Your Furnace Light Is Yellow
Finally, the light on your furnace should be blue. When the light on your furnace is blue, the gas mixture is balanced the way that it should be. When the pilot light on your furnace is yellow, the gas mixture is not balanced correctly and there may be a carbon monoxide leak. If this is the case, you should turn off the furnace and get the HVAC technician out to your home as soon as possible. They will be able to determine if your furnace is leaking carbon monoxide or if the gas line to your furnace is compromised.
If you notice that your furnace is starting to make unusual sounds, turning on and off unexpectedly or if the light on your furnace is yellow, you need to arrange for a furnace repair right away. When addressed quickly, you can keep your furnace in good working order. Don't ignore these warning signs; address them quickly so that your furnace keeps you warm all winter.
