Your furnace is just like that piece of electronic in your house; it can experience operational problems. Thus, it is essential to conduct routine furnace repair procedures. It may help if you developed a relationship with a professional furnace technician or a company that offers such services. This prevents it from failing when you require it. Inadequate maintenance may cause your furnace to fail during a harsh winter when you need it the most. It is also essential to develop a basic understanding of how a furnace works. Most furnaces work similarly; cold air gets in the system, then it’s filtered. The air then undergoes heating, powered by gas or electricity, after which it is pushed into the room, using ductwork. The other rooms access the warm air through a vent. When the air cools down, the cycle repeats. Furnace problems vary in type and scope. The following are some of the issues you may experience;
Filter clogs
The cold air that enters the room through the filter carries debris and dust. Over time, the particles may build up in the filter, causing it to clog. This becomes a problem since the furnace needs to put more effort into forcing the air through the filter to warm up the room. The extra work may damage numerous parts of the system, leading to damage to an area like the motor’s switch. At this point, the furnace system is working on overload. To improve airflow in the air filter and duct system, ensure you clean out the ductwork particles and switch your filter once in a while. This is a simple activity which you can perform efficiently by yourself. If you still experience a lack of airflow after those changes, the problem has probably extended to the motor or blower belt. At this point, call a furnace professional to inspect the system.
Thermostat Problems
The thermostat is like the brain part of your furnace. It communicates to the furnace the ideal temperature your house should be. A thermostat also controls how many times the furnace runs to sustain the temperatures in the room. When the thermostat starts failing, the furnace does not receive sufficient instructions on how to function. Sometimes the thermostat may give the wrong temperature. Problems may be in the link with the furnace, the thermostat system, or the wiring. Mercury thermostats have metallic springs, which may become weak over some time. They also have contact switches, which may become less efficient. It would help if you had a professional to fix thermostat issues. For more extended service, it is better to use electronic, programmable thermostats.
Strange Noises
This is perhaps the most apparent problem. Most people call in a furnace professional when they hear sounds emanating from their furnace. Some sounds are standard when a furnace goes on or off. Noises such as those from expanding or contracting metal ducts are common. However, when you turn on a furnace and hear squeaky sounds, it signifies a failing bearing or blower motor. Roaring sounds when you light the burner indicate combustion problems. To solve the blower motor problem, you can oil the parts. When you can accurately see that the sounds result from air pushing through the ductwork, you can opt for insulation. You insulate the ductwork to reduce noise transmission to the house. It is advisable to ask for a professional opinion first to diagnose the issue. Your life and that of your neighbors may be at stake.
Ignition Problems
Ignition problems make it challenging for the furnace to heat the home. This is because it cannot produce heat to push through the rest of the space, even if the rest of the system works properly. There are several parts of the ignitions, meaning the issue could be on any of them. Traditional gas furnaces have a standing pilot light, which ignites the primary burner. You may have problems with the thermocouple if the pilot flame dies out several times. As a short-term solution, you can light the pilot flame manually. Modern furnaces have electronic igniters, which may also fail after some time due to wiring problems. In other cases, you can try switching the power switch on the furnace off and on to see if all the ignition needed was a reset.
Burner Contamination
A majority of burner problems have a link to contamination. Thus, always ensure your burners do not have debris. You can do this by inspecting the flames. The flames should always be blue, and even if the flame is yellow, it’s an indicator of a dirty burner. To clean the burners, you can use a vacuum cleaner. Clean the burner and the area around the blower. Remember to turn the gas off before cleaning.
Additionally, be vigilant of the changing seasons. Summers are dusty, which means more dirt may accumulate. Before the cold season begins, clean out the furnace since you need the heat. Also, check on the state of parts of the burner and clean them out or replace them. Apart from dust, soot and condensation is also a considerable threat.
Failure of Parts
Over time, parts of the furnace will deteriorate in quality. Areas that are susceptible to a lot of friction are bearings, fan blades, motors, belts, switches, and pilots. Regular check-ups are essential to keep stock of the condition. You can also carry out simple maintenance practices like oiling the furnace blower motor. To oil it, you first switch off the circuit breaker that powers the furnace. You then remove the furnace’s access then find the blower motor assembly. Find the screws and loosen them, then remove the motor from the housing. Put about two or three drops of oil in the shaft and motor ports, then activate the furnace. Do this once a year.
A furnace system is quite complicated. Whatever problems you may be experiencing with yours, seeking help from a furnace professional is essential. When you detect trouble at an early stage, it is easier to fix. There are reliable companies that offer furnace maintenance services. Also, gauge when it’s time to get a new furnace. An aging one may cause your heating charges to shoot.
