It is especially important that you be on the lookout for warning signs that your furnace is in trouble this winter. The heating season is the time of year when furnaces are placed under the most stress, and as such are the most likely to develop problems. If you can identify problems quickly and get them repaired, then you will be much more likely to prevent the damage those problems might cause. One of the more obvious ways to tell if your furnace is acting up is to listen for odd noises coming from the system.
Grinding
Your furnace is able to circulate air throughout your home by means of a part called the air handler. This part is basically a motor that rotates a large fan to blow air through the ducts while the furnace is on. Inside the air handler motor are a few oiled bearings, which are designed to reduce friction on the part while the furnace is running. Over time, these bearings will wear down and need to be replaced. The more worn out the bearings become, the more friction on the system increases. This will eventually cause a loud grinding sound to come from the air handler while the system is on. If you hear this sound, you should call for repairs right away. If you don’t act quickly enough, the air handler motor will burn out and need to be replaced entirely.
Booming
If your furnace is making a loud booming sound when it starts up, then you probably have a problem called delayed ignition. As the burner combusts fuel to generate heat, carbon particles build up on the jets. This buildup can eventually get bad enough that it will prevent one or more of the jets from firing on time. When the jets do ignite, they burn through a lot of extra gas at once to generate that booming sound. Professional burner assembly cleaning should be sufficient to resolve this issue for you. You should have it done quickly, though. If you wait, the jets could become so clogged that they stop firing entirely.
Short Cycling
Short cycling is when your furnace turns itself on and off every couple of minutes. This could be the result of a number of issues, whether from a short circuit or a clogged air filter. Regardless, it’s something that needs to be dealt with immediately. Short cycling increases the rate at which the system wears down. If it isn’t dealt with in time, it will dramatically increase the frequency at which the furnace requires repairs. It will also shorten the lifespan of the furnace considerably. So, if you hear your furnace short cycling, call a professional to repair it as soon as possible.
Total Comfort, Inc. offers comprehensive furnace repair services in Costa Mesa, CA. If you have reason to believe that your furnace is in need of repairs, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our heating experts. We can make sure your furnace is healthy this winter.