Furnace Repair Tips To Keep On Hand
One requirement for all homeowners is to have a few furnace repair tips on hand at all times. For instance, homeowners must be aware of the best times to have their furnace inspected, tuned up, and repaired. This is generally at the end of summer or early fall. You always want to be ready for when a sudden cold snap occurs, which is typically the time when the majority of furnace breakdowns happen.
During warmer months, the farthest thing from your mind is your heating system. You don’t worry about this until it starts to get cold. Nevertheless, it is important to consider its performance early so that it will maintain a comfortable indoor environment for your family during the winter months.
Basic checkups from a professional HVAC technician will help identify problems in the making. Getting them repaired ahead of cold weather will ensure your family will be safe and warm throughout the cold months. Older systems are most prone to failure. However, that doesn’t mean a newer model won’t have trouble as well, especially if it worked hard the previous year.
In this article, we are going to go over some of the most common signs indicating your furnace needs repair. We will also include some basic troubleshooting tips to help keep your furnace working properly. Finally, we will provide you with some tips that can be used to search for a reputable and local furnace repair company.
Signs That Furnace Repair Is Needed
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Naturally, older furnaces are more likely to malfunction. However, that doesn’t mean a newer one is immune to failure. Damage or neglect are contributing factors as well. Even the most up-to-date models will succumb to issues. Being aware of these signs will help you determine if it’s necessary for you to seek furnace repair.
Uncomfortable Living Conditions
You can be sure that something is not right with your furnace if your home is either too hot or too cold. There could be worn components, a damaged fan motor, clogged filters, loose belt, or a variety of other conditions affecting your furnace’s functioning.
Increased Energy Bill
Your furnace should be energy efficient if it is working correctly. You’ll see this reflected on your energy bill. If your energy consumption goes up for no apparent reason, you should be concerned. This is a good time to give your local HVAC technician a call and have them perform an inspection.
Hot Or Cold Spots
Uneven cooling can be the result of clogged drain or filter, worn components, or damage to your heating system. Efficiently operating systems heat or cool the space evenly. If you notice areas of your home that are warmer or cooler than others, have your service provider inspect this appliance immediately.
Gas Leak
The unmistakable odor of fuel or gas near your furnace is a good sign that there is a gas leak. Immediately turn the system off, leave the house, and reach out to your favorite HVAC company. This is not a time to delay repair because a gas leak can be dangerous. Just a small spark can ignite a fire or explosion.
Troubleshoot Your Furnace
Not all problems with your heating system need the attention of a qualified HVAC technician. Many issues can be dealt with by the homeowner. You can perform these basic preventive techniques yourself and keep your heating system running efficiently.
- Furnace Filter Inspection: Indoor air quality is negatively affected when clogged filters prevent proper airflow through the system. When the filters are severely clogged, the result is often breakdown. However, the risk of fire also increases. Avoid such problems by checking your filter every month. Replace or clean it when necessary to maintain the efficiency of your appliance.
- Thermostat Inspection: Periodically, inspect the thermostat for dust and dirt. Clean it with a soft brush or dry cloth as required and change the batteries regularly, as well.
- Power Inspection: If your furnace stops working, take a look at the electrical panel and on-off switch on your heating system. If the switch is off, or a breaker is thrown, or a fuse is blown. Consequently, your system will not work. Look for damage such as discoloration or melted fuses in the fuse box and replace these with fresh ones.
- Pilot Light Inspection: Take a look at your furnace’s pilot and flame. If necessary, relight the pilot, but follow the instructions in the owner’s manual to make sure you do it right. Wait until you have the unit inspected by a professional if you detect the odor of gas. Instead, turn the system off and wait for the service technician.
- Vent Inspection: Inspect all registers and vents to make sure they are properly open. You cannot expect your furnace to heat a room efficiently if it is closed or blocked by obstructions. Remove objects from the vent and open the vents to allow air to flow through them. Clean them when they are dirty.
Some Common Furnace Repairs To Expect
When your heating system does not function correctly, here are some of the most common repairs that may be required to set things right.
- Loose Or Damaged Blower Belt Replacement: A high-pitched squeal coming from your furnace is a sure sign that the blower belt is damaged. A checkup by a professional HVAC technician is in order. You can help the technician by explaining the symptoms your furnace experienced, which is generally caused by the blower belt. That will give your tech a good starting point.
- Deteriorated Ball Bearing Replacement: A scraping sound often indicates that the ball bearings are worn out. Call an HVAC technician quickly if you hear anything like this.
- Frequent Cycling: When a furnace cycles on and off frequently, its a pretty good sign that there’s a problem. The issue could be with the filter or the thermostat itself. The airflow may also be blocked. If you cannot isolate the problem, give a professional a call.
- Flickering Or Yellow Pilot: A properly burning pilot light will have a blue flame with a yellow tinge at the tip. If the flame is flickering or it is mostly yellow in color, there may be too much carbon monoxide emitting from the gas furnace. Repairs should be completed immediately.
- Damage To The Heat Exchanger: If you discover a noticeable foul odor coming from in or around your furnace or anywhere in your house, a gas leak may be the source. This could be the result of damage or crack in the heat exchanger. Watch for noticeable cracks, soot or corrosion as well.
Furnace Repairs Or Replacement: Which One Is Best?
At times, repairs will resolve an issue with your furnace. Nonetheless, you may want to think about getting it replaced if any of the scenarios below are obvious.
- Age: A system that is 17 years old or older has lost its effective life, and repairs will only prolong your agony.
- Energy Efficiency: A noticeable rise in the cost of heating your home, even after recommended repairs have been performed, means your furnace is no longer energy efficient. A newer model can save a lot of money.
- Poor Performance: You may have noticed that there are hot or cold spots in your home. This is a good indication that your heating system is performing poorly. Repairs may help, but if not, consider replacing it.
- Frequent Repairs: If it costs as much as 50% of the price of replacing your heater, its time to replace it for a newer, more efficient model.
Top Reasons For Selecting A Furnace Repair Company
When you find a good HVAC repair company, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Knowing that you can trust a company when something happens, is a good feeling. You can get things back to normal without further worry about damages. There is nothing more powerful than peace of mind. With a trustworthy furnace repair company ready to help, you can rest assured that any inconvenience will be short-lived.
Of course, finding a competent and trustworthy heating service company is not all that simple.
At some time or another, all homeowners have had to deal with bad service providers. Technicians don’t arrive on time, or they never get there at all. They may never actually find or fix the problem, but they cause more damage while trying.
While searching for a reputable company, you need some tips to follow. We will discuss those tips below to help you find a reliable HVAC service company where you live.
Find A Specialist Heating Service Company
Don’t just look for anybody to repair your furnace. Look for a company instead of a furnace repair technician. It’s even better to find a company specializing in furnace repairs for several reasons.
A company will have a repair technician on call with the knowledge required to work on furnaces. Their experience will likely span numerous brands and models. This means they will not be unfamiliar with your brand of furnace. Working with a company instead of an individual, you have more than one tech available if necessary. So, if one technician is unable to resolve the problem, another one can be called in to apply their expertise to the problem. It’s true; a reputable company may be a bit more expensive. However, your initial investment will pay off by getting the work completed the first time correctly. Peace of mind is a priceless gift.
Check The HVAC Company Website And Independent Reviews
We cannot expect first impressions always to be reliable. However, they are a good place to start. Checking out the HVAC company website will give you a pretty good idea of their reputation. You’ll get a general feel for the company itself. If it is professional in appearance, there is a high probability that the people working there are too. If the site is out-dated with little information, consider it a red flag and flee.
Check independent reviews on the internet to find out what former customers have to say about them. Are they friendly and knowledgeable? Do they respond quickly to repair calls? Are they professional, or just good old boys? You can often answer these questions only by reading reviews from actual customers. You may find reviews on the company website, but remember, they are not going to post anything that will make them look bad. Therefore, be sure to browse the web to find impartial sites that carry HVAC company reviews. Taking the time to do so can prevent you from paying for the same furnace repair twice.
Reach Out To The Heater Repair Company
If you find a specific company that you are interested in, give them a call. Make sure to speak with a live person instead of just leaving a message. You’ll get a feel for their guiding principles and values that way. If you make a connection with the person you speak with, this might be the one. A disinterested, confused, or annoyed representative of the company may be a signal to call someone else.
Don’t let anyone give you an estimate over the phone. A reputable HVAC company will send a technician to your home to inspect your unit, free of charge. There is no way that any technician can know what is actually wrong with your unit unless they inspect it. Therefore, if you call a heating company and they attempt to offer you a quote over the phone, hang up and find another.
Contact McAllister Energy, Your Local Heating Service Company
McAllister Energy hires only NATE certified technicians for all their furnace repair and replacement work. If you are in search of a reputable and competent service company, give us a call. We will be happy to schedule an in-home free estimate for our services. During our consultation, we will discuss your problem and offer our best recommendation for a remedy so that you and your family can go back to living the comfortable lifestyle to which you are accustomed.
Call McAllister Energy today and schedule an appointment.
You can click here to contact us now or call us at (856) 665-4545 to find out more!