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What are the most common signs of furnace problems?

It can be difficult to know when your furnace needs repairs. In general, the home furnace is the last thing on our minds.

But, when winter approaches and the weather gets colder, it’s a good idea to check on the main appliance responsible for keeping you comfortable. That way, you’ll be able to tackle furnace problems early and make sure everything’s functioning properly when you need it most.

Let’s dive straight in so you know what to look for when you’re assessing your furnace for problems.

It’s unusually noisy

Most furnaces have a characteristic hum that’s noticeable but not too bothersome. If you’ve lived with the furnace for a few weeks while it’s regularly in operation, you should have a good idea of what its “normal” sound is like.

You’ll want to pay closer attention if you hear high pitched whistling noises or anything that sounds like scraping or grinding.

High pitched sounds are usually caused by air escaping through damaged vents. That’s bad for all the reasons you’d expect: hot air doesn’t go where it’s supposed to, your rooms remain cold, and – because of that – your furnace keeps running and using energy.

Grinding or scraping noises can often be traced to a fan which has worn or misaligned bearings.

There’s no heat even though it’s running

Another common problem is that the furnace seems to be in operation but you don’t feel any warm air coming out of the room vents.

Sometimes this is caused by dust and debris that have collected in your filters over time. Eventually, if those filters are not replaced, they can clog and prevent hot air from flowing through. If you notice that your house is still cold with the furnace on, the first thing you should do is replace your filters.

Aside from clogged filters, another common reason that furnaces seem to be running without generating heat is fuel failing to ignite. Resetting the furnace can sometimes resolve this issue, but if it doesn’t, you’ll need to call a professional heating company to diagnose and fix the problem.

You see leaking water or signs of it

Seeing a small amount of water dripping from the main pipes of the furnace is typically fine, but if you find water pooled around the furnace, or water stains from previous water pooling, it’s a definite sign that your furnace needs a closer inspection.

Leaking furnaces need to be repaired as soon as possible, as temperature variations can complicate the situation — water expands as it freezes, which can cause significant issues in and around your furnace if water gets into the wrong places.

A professional plumber or furniture repair person will ensure that the pipes in the furnace are cleared of debris and that the pipes are repaired or replaced if necessary.

The air or furnace unit seem too hot

A furnace is supposed to maintain a certain temperature range steadily, but if the filters or blowers are not maintained properly, it can overheat and cause a lot of wear and tear to the supporting components.

While having extra heat in your home might not seem like a bad thing, overheating furnaces aren’t running the way they were meant to. In other words, they’re running inefficiently, which is bad news for your utility bills.

It goes without saying that you should always be careful when handling a hot-running furnace. If the unit feels unusually hot, turn it off and let it cool down before checking whether a simple fix like a filter replacement resolves the issue.

It’s constantly running

There are a few reasons for this: electrical issues, leaks, or poor insulation.

Sometimes, a problem in the electrical circuitry causes the furnace to ignore the control system. When that happens, you can turn off the gas supply to the furnace to stop it from operating, but you’ll need to call a heating professional to replace the electrical components.

In the case of leaks or poor insulation, your furnace is working correctly, but hot air is escaping at different points in your home. Sometimes, like we mentioned in the section about unusual noises, air can escape from ducting. In that case, repairing the ductwork can resolve the issue.

Other times, however, hot air correctly reaches the rooms in your home, but quickly cools down because of poor wall and window insulation. If your rooms aren’t reaching the temperature set on the thermostat, your furnace will just continue to run. Switching to a more powerful furnace can help to resolve this issue, but the real culprit is poor insulation — if you can afford to upgrade it, you’ll end up saving money and feeling more comfortable in the long run.

Noticed a problem? Get a free estimate

If you have any questions about furnace repair or replacement, call Hillcrest Plumbing & Heating. Our talented team has the accreditation and local experience to assist with even the toughest furnace repairs and installations.

It’s as easy as calling (604) 879-1415 or sending us a message online. With us, you’re getting 50 years of proven professionalism and success in the industry, plus available 24/7 emergency service for those fixes that just can’t wait.

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