Unfortunately, furnace problems are not always obvious. Sometimes they manifest in the form of unusual sounds, but other times problems are quieter. If you notice any of the four (quiet) signs below, it’s time to schedule furnace repair in Gibsonia.
Even if it still feels like your furnace is running just fine and your home feels comfortable, these four signs can indicate that something is going wrong with your furnace. When you take preventative action and schedule service now you can prevent a total furnace breakdown weeks or months from now. Keep reading to learn more about four quiet signs that your furnace may be in trouble.
Bad Odors
Your home furnace should never produce air that smells bad. If you stand near a vent while your furnace is on, the air blowing out should not have an odor. If it does, that’s an indication of something being wrong with your furnace. There’s a chance of an electrical problem inside the furnace if the air has a burning odor.
There’s also a chance that bad furnace odors could mean exhaust air is not ventilating outside of your home properly. If exhaust gets trapped in your furnace and recirculates with clean air, it could produce a bad odor. Aside from ventilation problems, leaking exhaust can also indicate that you have a gas leak. Although gas does not have an odor of its own, smelling exhaust air means that you also need to get your furnace checked for a gas leak.
Lack of Heat
When you check air vents in your home, the air during a heating cycle should be very specifically hot. If the air blowing from your furnace is lukewarm or cool, then your furnace is not operating properly. There’s always a chance that your home still feels comfortable, even when your furnace is not producing enough heat. It is still important for you to schedule furnace service when you notice something unusual.
Something is wrong inside the system that is preventing it from heating the air as much as it should. Even though your home still feels comfortable now, the problem could worsen and lead to your furnace malfunctioning completely. Prioritize service now on your terms instead of risking an emergency later on.
Changes in Operation
When your furnace turns on for heating cycles, each cycle should last for an equal amount of time with consistent off periods in between. Usually, a furnace will run for two to three 15 minute cycles per hour. Having your furnace stay on slightly longer or turn off slightly sooner than this is not a big deal.
But if your furnace begins to turn on and off every few minutes or turns on and stays on for much longer than 15 to 20 minutes, then something is wrong with the system. With short cycling, a safety mechanism is triggering your furnace to turn off sooner than it should.
If your furnace is staying on for too long, it may be struggling to heat your home to your thermostat settings. Both of these issues can put a lot of strain on your furnace and lead to a breakdown if the problems go unaddressed.
High Energy Costs
It is also important to pay attention to your energy costs. While it is normal for your bills to fluctuate from month to month, you should not see a consistent upward trend or a sudden spike in energy use. If you do, your furnace is one of the first places to look. As one of the larger appliances in a home, it consumes a lot of energy in the winter.
Contact Kennihan Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our professionals. We treat your home like it’s our grandma’s home.