Your furnace has been running smoothly for many years. You don’t expect to run into any problems this winter either, but a sudden system breakdown can occur at an unexpected time. Often, your furnace is presenting subtle signs of failure, even if it still keeps your home warm and toasty. It’s important to pay attention to these signs and to never delay repairs so that your furnace operates smoothly and safely for the season to come.
This year, get to know your furnace and see how seemingly normal behavior can mean your furnace is headed for a breakdown. Here are some of the subtler of signs that your heating system might be failing soon.
#1: Strange Noises
You expect heating and cooling systems to make some level of noise. The whir of the fan and the hum of a system startup is normal to you, so you may not be surprised to hear other noises come up from time to time. But anything other than the typical blower fan noise should never be ignored.
A squealing noise, for example, may mean a fan belt is failing, and replacement is simple for a technician to do! However, when you wait to replace it, you raise the chances that the furnace will stop working entirely. A loud bang or pop could indicate dirty furnace burners, a small problem that turns into something huge as it could crack the heat exchanger, leading to a carbon monoxide leak!
#2: A Drop in Temperatures
How well is your thermostat working? Does it seem like you have to turn the temperature up higher and higher every day to get the furnace to run as often as you need? If temperatures in the home seem to be dropping and you have to set your thermostat to a higher temperature than you normally would, this likely has nothing to do with the thermostat itself.
Rather, your furnace is not able to run smoothly, causing it to have to work harder to keep you warm. The motor of the fan may be worn down. In some cases, all you have is a dirty filter blocking the airflow! However, there could be a more sinister cause, and you don’t want to risk any potential safety issues. Don’t just turn up the thermostat: call in professionals to find the root of the problem.
#3: An Increase in Bills
A drop in temperatures can be so subtle, you don’t even notice, especially as your furnace works hard to compensate. However, you might notice the change to your monthly bills. Of course, you should expect your bills to go up as the weather gets chillier, but there should not be a significant change from year to year.
Again, you can always try changing the furnace filter first and foremost. You should be changing the filter every 1-3 months anyway. A clogged furnace filter won’t be able to allow air to flow through, which could force a furnace to run longer and raise your bills as a result.
On the other hand, high bills could mean an electrical problem that’s easy to fix, or it may indicate a major part or a safety switch needs replacement. Don’t delay!
For furnace repair in Colorado Springs, CO, reach out to the friendly team at Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning as soon as possible!
