How To Tell If Your Furnace Needs Repairs

Furnaces are essential appliances for keeping homes warm and comfortable during the cold season. If you have one installed in your home, you wouldn't want it to break down when in use, especially during the wintertime. A broken furnace means living without the heat that the furnace is designed to provide until you can get it fixed, leaving your teeth chattering due to the cold.

If you want to avoid untimely furnace breakdowns, you'll have to watch out for early trouble signs in addition to performing timely maintenance on your furnace. Here are some common warning signs that tell you your furnace needs repairs.

Your furnace isn't producing sufficient heat.

A normally functioning is supposed to deliver enough heat to warm up your entire home. If yours has been struggling to do that of late, chances are high that it's not working at full efficiency. 

There are lots of reasons why your furnace may fail to produce adequate heat. Common causes of inadequate heat include:

• Clogged air filter.
• Faulty thermostat.
• Wrong thermostat settings.
• Dirty burner (for oil or gas-type furnaces).

An HVAC contractor can inspect your unit, identify the cause of the problem, and fix it for you.

Your furnace makes strange noises while it runs.

Furnaces aren't exactly the quietest of HVAC appliances available out there, so expect to hear some sounds while yours runs. A little humming, popping, and whistling during furnace operation is often harmless. However, some furnace noises are downright scary and should be attended to immediately. These include loud grinding, clanking, rattling, and banging noises.

Your heating costs are going up.

Furnaces cost money to run. If you're like most homeowners, you'll want to keep the cost of operating your heating system at a minimum. But if your heating expenses have been spiking for no apparent reason, it's best to get your furnace checked. In most cases, rising heating costs are an indication of an inefficient furnace that blows money instead of hot air.

Some common sources of furnace inefficiencies include:

• Leaky ductwork
• Incorrect thermostat settings.
• Dirty air filter.
• Bad thermostat.

Professional furnace inspection and repair will be necessary to uncover the real culprit behind your escalating heating expenses.

The secret to identifying signs of furnace trouble early is to understand how your furnace should work. Any deviation from the normal functioning of the unit is a potential trouble sign that should be addressed immediately. Don't hesitate to contact a local HVAC professional for furnace repairs if you suspect there's an issue with your furnace.