Your furnace is arguably the most important appliance in your home during the winter season. It keeps your home warm and your family comfortable, but it also does more than that. Your heater protects your home’s pipes from freezing or bursting on the coldest winter days.
But when your furnace goes unused for around half of the year, it may need a tune-up before taking on the freezing temperatures that are around the corner for our community. If you need furnace repair in Lake Zurich, IL, give our team a call. You can also keep reading to learn more about the signs that your furnace needs repair.
1. Unusual Furnace Smells
When you first turn your furnace on for the heating season you might smell an odor. But it shouldn’t last for more than 20 minutes or so – and you shouldn’t smell odors at any other time. If your furnace has an unusual smell during normal everyday use, something is wrong. Odors can indicate a duel leak or excessive dust inside the system.
2. System Won’t Start
Age isn’t an excuse for your system not starting. Some homeowners think that as their furnace ages it’s normal for the system to struggle with starting. That’s not the case! Regular heating maintenance can help your furnace stay in peak condition so it starts every time you turn it on to heat your home.
3. Pilot Light Changes
The standard color for your furnace pilot light is blue. When everything is working the way it should, your pilot light will always be blue. If the color is different, there may be a problem with your furnace. For example, a yellow pilot light usually indicates problems with your system’s ventilation. This can be dangerous for your family if there is too much carbon monoxide in the system.
4. Lack of Heat
This may seem obvious, but something is wrong with your furnace if it isn’t heating your home adequately. You should always be able to feel warm air blowing out of your furnace when it is on. If the air is lukewarm or cool, something is wrong with your furnace. It’s possible that heated air is leaking out of holes in your ductwork or that your thermostat isn’t communicating with your furnace the way it should.
5. Unusual Sounds
Your furnace isn’t completely silent when it runs, but it also isn’t loud. Knocking, hissing and squealing can be a sign that something is wrong. Knocking can indicate that a part is loose or your fan blades are bent. Squealing may come from a loose belt. Hissing can mean that a gas line is leaking.
6. Air Quality
Have you noticed a lot of dust in your home? That’s usually a sign that your furnace isn’t working right. The filter in your furnace should eliminate a lot of the dust and dirt that circulates in your home. If you have to wipe down surfaces more often, your air filter may need to be changed. Holes in ductwork can also let dust and dirt into the air that’s circulating through your home.
Contact Althoff Home Services today to schedule an appointment with our professionals. Chicago’s Choice Since 1961. Hand It Off to Althoff!