Furnace problems are going to become much more likely over the next couple of months, as the temperature starts to drop. The more you rely on your furnace to keep you warm over the coming heating season, the more likely it’s going to become to cultivate various problems. Preventive maintenance will help reduce the odds of these problems occurring, of course, which is why we recommend that you schedule it as soon as possible. Even if you have, though, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll spend the whole season heating issue-free. Have a look at the following symptoms that indicate a problem with your furnace.
Low Air Flow
If you don’t have a lot of air coming out of the ducts, it could be one of several issues. You might have a clogged air filter, which would prevent the majority of the air in the ducts from entering the furnace and thus being circulated throughout the house. You might have a problem with the air handler, which is the part of the system that is actually responsible for circulating air throughout the home while the system is operating. Finally, you might have some sort of problem with the ducts themselves. You’re going to need to have a professional technician check out the system to know for certain which it is.
Short Cycling
Short cycling is when the system turns itself off before it can complete a full cooling cycle, typically every couple of minutes. If your heating system is doing this, then you need to call for repairs right away. Short cycling prevents the furnace from heating your home properly, but it also increases the amount of wear and tear on the system. The longer the furnace is left to short cycle, the more prone it will be to developing other issues. Make sure that you have a technician repair the system as soon as you can, or you may end up having to replace the entire thing.
Delayed Ignition
Is your furnace making a weird booming sound when you turn it on? That is likely the result of delayed ignition, and it can cause some serious problems if it isn’t fixed promptly. Delayed ignition tends to happen due to the buildup of carbon particles on the jets in the burner assembly. The more the particles build up, the longer it takes the jets to ignite the gas stream to start the furnace. If you have a professional clean out the jets for you, that should fix the problem. Be sure to do it soon, though. The longer you wait, the greater the chances that the jets will become entirely clogged and stop working.
These are just a few of the many ways that furnace issues can manifest themselves. Make sure that you call for repairs if you notice anything at all that makes you suspicious that your furnace might not be entirely healthy.
TOTAL COMFORT, INC. OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE RIVERSIDE, CA FURNACE SERVICES. IF YOU NEED HELP WITH YOUR FURNACE, WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK. CONTACT US TODAY TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS.