In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on common indicators that your home’s furnace is experiencing problems. While there are a few such problems that might take place during the upcoming winter season, luckily nearly all of them can be fairly easily detected by homeowners with a careful eye.
At Airtime Heating & Cooling, we’re here to help with numerous heater repair and replacement services, including for any issues your furnace might be having. What are some of the other top signs that your furnace is wearing down or has experienced damage, and what should you be doing if you notice any of these red flags? Here’s a brief look at several additional themes to keep in mind.
Have you noticed that instead of the longer, sustained cycles you’re used to, your furnace has begun turning on and off rapidly, over and over again? This is known as short-cycling, and it can happen with both the furnace and the air conditioner.
The most common cause of short-cycling: A system that was installed poorly, or is too big for the space it’s serving. This will cause the unit to misinterpret how often and how long it needs to run for, creating issues where it uses exponentially more energy – and still doesn’t create ideal heating or cooling despite costing you more. Our pros will provide simple solutions to short cycling.
In the case of a healthy system, your pilot light will appear blue in most cases (your model will note otherwise if this is the case). If the light has become a different color, however, especially if it’s yellow, this signals a potential ventilation issue that’s causing issues. Various gases may not be dispersing as they should be, which can lead to a combination of furnace issues (including combustion in severe cases) and health concerns. If this is the case, call our team for solutions.
One of these potential health concerns stems from poor air quality, which is directly impacted by your HVAC system. In some cases, you may simply notice that your air quality has gotten poorer due to increased quantities of dust, or due to increased allergy or other respiratory symptoms from yourself or someone else in your home.
The most common culprit here is the furnace filter, which must be changed regularly throughout the year. If you have recently changed or cleaned the filter and this is not the issue, however, it’s time to call our HVAC technicians for assistance.
A major air quality issue that deserves its own section is carbon monoxide, which can leak from cracks or other furnace problems and present major health issues. It’s vital to ensure your home’s C02 detector is always in working order, for starters, plus that if it is ever tripped, you immediately turn the furnace off and open your windows to begin ventilating the gas out. After this, contact both your gas company and our HVAC technicians for assistance.
For more on how to recognize and remedy furnace concerns this winter, or to learn about any of our HVAC services, speak to the staff at Airtime Heating & Cooling today.
