Common Furnace Problems You Should Know

Overlooking the importance of your furnace is easy until the cold season sets in. Many homes rely on furnace systems and space heaters to stay warm. Sadly, your furnace will barely heat your home if it's malfunctioning. You have to know the problems that affect furnace systems in advance. This way, you can invite a furnace repair technician once you spot them. 

Furnace Not Producing Heat

The work of your furnace is to warm your space. You'd have no reason to turn on your furnace if it can't blow warm air. So, what would cause your furnace to blow cold air into your home? Well, you might have accidentally activated the fan setting. Once this setting is activated, the unit will blow air without warming up.

You should also check whether the thermostat is on or set correctly. If the setting is too low, don't expect the furnace to heat your space accordingly.

Noisy Furnace

Noise is another problem that might call for furnace repairs. Ideally, your furnace should operate quietly. So, any loud or weird noises coming from your furnace could raise many concerns. Your unit should only produce a clicking sound when the thermostat sends signals. Other strange noises could signal that your furnace has an issue. Some of the noises to look out for are rumbling, knocking, shrieking, banging, and popping noises.

Call an HVAC technician to check the source and cause if the above noises are exceptionally loud.

Cracked Heat Exchanger

A furnace system with a cracked heat exchanger can be deadly because it allows carbon monoxide to spread in your home. Combustion will not happen as expected if the heat exchanger is cracked. But how can you spot a cracked heat exchanger? Check for these signs:

• Strong, unpleasant odor
• Soot in the furnace
• Carbon monoxide poisoning signs, such as headaches, disorientation, nausea, and irritated eyes
• Water around the furnace

If these signs show up, shut down your furnace and call an HVAC technician immediately.

Dirty Burners

Burners also get dirty and need to be cleaned when they do. As long as you have been using the furnace, the burners will accumulate soot and get gunked up. As such, they'll have a hard time releasing the amount of gas required to create combustion. This means your furnace will struggle to heat your home. You can quickly tell whether your burners need cleaning by checking the flame color. Dirty burners will produce a yellow or orange flame. 

Other common problems are clogged filters, a faulty limit control switch, and a faulty pilot light. Contact a local HVAC service to learn more about heating repair.

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