5 Signs You Need Furnace Repair
The furnace in your home is something you may not think about often—unless there’s a problem—but it’s nonetheless very important. If your furnace isn’t working properly, it could have a significantly negative impact on your home, especially in the cold winter months when you need it the most. So if you need furnace repair in Vancouver, WA, you shouldn’t put it off. Instead, make sure you get furnace repair from a reputable company, such as Entek HVAC, right away. You want to make sure a minor repair doesn’t turn into a major repair.
How do you know if your furnace needs repairs? There are several key warning signs that you should be able to spot that will tell you quite clearly if it’s indeed time for repairs to the furnace in your home.
Age
The life expectancy for a furnace is about 18 years, but much like an older car, if it gets more use than the average home, your furnace will likely need repairs along the way. Once your furnace gets to be around 15 years old, it’s bound to require more repairs, just like an older car with a lot of miles on it. This is especially true if that furnace has needed repairs multiple times over the past few years.
Just like with your car, when you spend a lot of money on repairs, you need to make sure you’re getting them done properly because, otherwise, you’re doing nothing more than propping up a dying entity, or even contributing to the problem. You’ll also want to keep up with regular maintenance. If you don’t get your furnace taken care of properly, sooner than you’d like, you’ll do the math and discover it’s actually less expensive for you to go ahead and get a new furnace, rather than to continue spending money to fix your old one. So tread carefully.
In addition to improving the overall quality of the furnace by getting it repaired and maintained correctly, you’ll extend the life of your furnace. And you’ll save plenty of money in the process, due to less need for future repairs and increased energy efficiency.
Out of Control Heating Bills
Speaking of energy efficiency, that could be a tell-tale sign your furnace needs to be repaired. If you’ve been doing proper maintenance and had your air ducts sealed, and your heating bills are still unexpectedly high, this is a common indication it’s time to call the HVAC professionals.
If this is the case, it might mean the internal parts of the furnace have been worn down. This could cause a steady increase in your heating bills, eventually making the monthly cost unmanageable. If your bills are rising, it’s best to get a technician in to inspect and complete repair sooner rather than later.
So which furnace repair company should you choose? Start your search by checking online reviews to see which companies are the best deal in terms of the combination of price and quality of work. Once you’ve narrowed your decision down to just a couple, or even just one, check their credentials. They should be insured, bonded, certified, and licensed. You want to make sure you use quality services that give you exactly what you’re looking for.
Thermostat Is Unmanageable
Are you having issues with your thermostat? Are the rooms in your home not getting to the temperature that you want? If this is happening, there’s a possibility it’s because your furnace is unable to distribute heat throughout your home in the necessary way.
Your best course of action here is to call an HVAC professional and get your furnace and thermostat inspected to see what the problem is. While thermostat repair or replacement is a fairly simple, speedy fix, if the technician determines the issue is the furnace and not the thermostat, it’s going to take a little more time and work. All the more reason to consult with a quality HVAC professional. You want to be confident about the necessary repairs and how costly they’ll be.
Weird Noises
If your furnace is making odd noises, like rattling, banging, or popping, this is a red flag. If there’s noise and your furnace is blowing cold air as well, give your HVAC contractor a call right away.
It’s important that you get these problems taken care of quickly because it could be dangerous. Noise and/or cold air can indicate the furnace is either on the verge of shutting down and leaving you with no heat, or worse, exploding and causing potential property damage and physical harm. Call a professional immediately to get their assessment of what needs to be done in terms of repairs. Depending on the issue, you may need to evacuate your home until those repairs are completed.
You Are Seeing the Wrong Colors
Your furnace’s flame should be blue and not yellow. If the flame is yellow, then that likely means the fuel isn’t burning in a clean and efficient manner. Worse yet, though, it could mean your furnace is pumping out carbon monoxide and putting your family’s health in danger.
Whether or not it’s yellow, if the flame isn’t blue, then you have a real problem. Carbon monoxide and leaking gas are both deadly. Don’t play games or mess around in any way. Simply leave your house and have your gas shut off immediately. Let an HVAC professional look at the furnace to determine what needs to be done to repair it before you reenter your home.
It’s not worth risking your life just to save a few dollars. Th And you should go the safe route and get the repairs recommended to you.at’s why it’s important to utilize an HVAC company you’ve vetted and can trust.
