While it’s never good to take things for granted, you know your furnace is in good working order when you hardly realize it’s there. Aside from the peaceful whooshing of air and the fact that your room is getting warmer, there shouldn’t be much else going on.
A properly working furnace is a lot to be thankful for. But at the same time, you don’t want to forget about the furnace issues that can ruin your comfort. Fortunately, they can be stopped with a bit of diligence and regular maintenance. We’ll explain what they are down below:
Troublesome Noises
If your furnace is making a noise that makes you say, “Did it always make that noise?” then you can be fairly certain that it’s a bad noise. And even if you’re still not sure you trust yourself, don’t hesitate to call an expert of heating in Santa Ana, CA and ask for their opinion.
Some of the noises you need to report immediately include:
- Booming: If the furnace is not igniting fuel properly, it can result in a “booming.” This sound is caused by what is literally a mini-explosion, so stop using the furnace for now and call for help.
- Scraping: This is most likely an issue with the blower wheel. The sound of metal scraping on metal is about as pleasant as it sounds, so we’re sure you’ll have no problem in wanting to call a professional quickly.
- Screeching: This can commonly indicate a problem with the blower belt, which is one of the components that helps the blower wheel spin.
Broken Limit Switch
The limit switch is in place to help your furnace run properly. It’s what triggers the blower fan to turn on once the air in the furnace has gotten warm enough.
On the other hand, it also can detect when the air is too warm, at which point it will shut off the burners. The reason it does this is to prevent your furnace from overheating. If your furnace gets too hot, the heat exchanger can crack under the extreme temperatures. Cracked heat exchangers are something we’ll go into just below.
Since the limit switch serves two functions, a broken limit switch will fail in both areas. In the first scenario, it will manifest as a fan blower that refuses to shut off. The second can cause the furnace to overheat until it’s forced into a “hard shutdown.”
Cracked Heat Exchanger
The worst problem you can encounter is a cracked heat exchanger. However, regularly scheduled maintenance can help you spot this problem before it becomes a serious issue.
The heat exchanger is responsible for turning combusted fuel into warm air. Through normal functioning, it will expand and contract as temperatures change. However, at some point, this repetitive action will lead to cracks. Exhaust and unburned fuel will seep through the cracks, resulting in poisonous gasses like carbon monoxide to flood into your home. This is part of the reason why every home with a gas furnace is required to have a carbon monoxide detector installed.
If you suspect you have some furnace problems, Contact Total Comfort Inc. to schedule service.