At Tri City, we understand that your furnace is often the last thing on your mind. Tucked away down there in the basement, it’s easy to forget that it even exists until you come home one day to a house barely warmer than the inside of your refrigerator.
A broken furnace is no joke and can mean hundreds of dollars in repairs that you’d rather spend elsewhere. Early detection is key, which is why we’ve put together this list of early warning signs to look out for when something’s not right with your furnace.
Strange Noises
A furnace has several parts that need to move, and other parts that should never move at all. Luckily, if something in your furnace has either stopped moving or started moving when it shouldn’t, then it will most likely start making noises. It’s a good idea to know the most common sounds of a furnace in trouble.
When you run your furnace, does it make an angry sort of scraping sound? This could be an indication that the ball bearings in your furnace are worn out. Make sure to turn off the furnace if you hear it because prolonged use with worn-out bearings will cause permanent damage to your furnace. Likewise, if you hear a rattling or a keening sort of squeal, it’s probably time to contact a furnace repair professional—these are both signs of interior damage, from a broken blower belt to a cracked heat exchanger.
Weird Smells
It’s a fact of running a heater that you’re converting fuel into energy. But unless something in your furnace breaks—or is about to break—you shouldn’t ever notice the smell of fuel in your home.
If you smell natural gas—a rotten egg or sulfur smell—the first step you should take is to get out of the house and call your local utility provider’s emergency line. However, there are other indicators of gas coming out of your furnace as well. It’s always advisable to invest in a carbon monoxide detector—an odorless gas, carbon monoxide can pose a serious health hazard, or even fatality if it isn’t detected.
Odd Patterns
These are harder to pin down and require more of a keen eye for how your furnace typically operates. However, there are a few key things that can tell you something is wrong, including a surprising increase in your heating bill, poor air quality, or difficulties in keeping your house consistently heated.
Even if you don’t think about your furnace often, you should consider keeping an eye out for any sign that its operation has changed. Anything out of the ordinary could mean that your furnace needs attention. If you notice your furnace acting strange or showing any of these signs, contact us today. Tri City HVAC can help keep your house warm so you’re never left out in the cold.
