As you gear up for the winter season, getting your heating system serviced by a licensed professional is an absolute necessity. This will help to greatly reduce your risk of experiencing a breakdown and help keep the warranty coverage on your system active. Unfortunately, your gas furnace may experience a malfunction over the winter months that will require professional repair service. We’re going to go over some of the most common signs of a problem that you’ll want to be on the lookout for this upcoming winter season.
1. You Smell Rotten Eggs
If you use natural gas to heat your home, we’re sure you enjoy all the energy-efficient benefits it can provide. However, one of the dangers of using this resource is that it can be dangerous when it leaks out into your living environment. Natural gas is fairly flammable and can lead to some serious dangers if large quantities are emitted into your home. One of the most obvious signs that you have a natural gas leak is that you smell rotten eggs. This sulfur-like smell is the result of a substance known as mercaptan that’s added to natural gas to help homeowners detect a leak.
If you start to smell rotten eggs, it’s important to ask swiftly to protect your home and your family. The first thing you’ll want to do is shut off the main gas supply going to your furnace to prevent any more of it from leaking out. Be sure to open up doors and windows to allow the natural gas to go outdoors. You also need to evacuate. Lastly, you’ll want to turn off your furnace and call for professional repair service. You should never try to run your furnace if it has a gas leak as it can be very dangerous.
2. Not Starting
Another reason that you may need to call for professional gas furnace repair service is that your furnace simply isn’t starting up. You’ll want to start by checking your thermostat to ensure that it’s working appropriately and that the circuit breaker wasn’t tripped. If everything looks fine there, then it’s likely a problem with the ignition components inside of your furnace. Most newer furnaces rely on an electric igniter to send a spark to the burner so that it can burn fuel. If your system isn’t sending a spark, then it’s an indication that the igniter may be bad and needs to undergo replacement service.
If the igniter is sending a spark but your burner isn’t staying lit, then the issue likely lies somewhere with the burner or the gas supply. One of the most important safety components of a gas furnace is the flame sensor. This is positioned near the burner and helps to detect if there’s a flame. If it doesn’t detect a flame on the burner, it will shut off the gas supply to your furnace to prevent gas from building up inside your home. Unfortunately, if the sensor goes bad or the sensor’s eye gets covered in debris, it could falsely read that there’s no flame when there actually is one.
Another potential issue that could be causing this no-start problem is a blockage in your gas supply line. It isn’t uncommon for the gas orifice to get clogged with debris. If there’s too much dirt and such, the natural gas won’t be able to flow through the supply line into the burner. You’ll need to have a professional remove the debris to help free up the flow of gas.
3. Odd Noises
Another common indicator that your gas furnace may be experiencing an issue is that you’re hearing odd noises coming from it during operation. It’s very common to hear a clicking noise followed by a whooshing noise when your furnace first starts up. However, if you start to hear other noises coming from your furnace, it’s usually an indication that something is amiss. Typically the tone of the sound that your furnace produces will give you some insight into where the problem is likely at.
For example, if you hear a grinding noise while your furnace is running, it usually means that the ball bearings inside the blower motor are wearing out. However, if you hear a squealing noise, it usually means that the fan belt is on its last leg. As soon as you notice a noise out of the norm, it’s necessary to have a repair professional address the noise promptly to prevent further damage from happening to your system.
4. Insufficient Heating
One of the more frustrating issues you may experience with your furnace is that it isn’t producing enough heat for your home. This issue will typically either come on over time or suddenly depending on the root cause of the issue. One of the best places to start is to check your furnace filter to see if it needs to be replaced. If that doesn’t solve the issue, then it’s best to have a professional evaluate your system. Some potential causes of insufficient heating include a dirty burner, an uncalibrated thermostat, and even an aging system.
5. Not Blowing Air
Another troublesome issue that you may experience with your gas furnace is that it isn’t blowing any air out of your air vents. If you check your furnace and it seems to be kicking on and running, then the issue likely lies with the blower components. One of the more common issues that many people experience is a broken fan belt.
When the belt finally frays, the blower fan will not be able to spin and circulate air throughout your ducting. Some other culprits behind this issue include a faulty blower motor, a jammed pulley, and even a faulty limit switch. One of our HVAC technicians will be able to evaluate your furnace and determine the root cause of the issue.
Preventing Repair Issues
While it’s not completely possible to eliminate your risk of experiencing a furnace malfunction during the cold winter months, there are many things that you can do to help drastically minimize your risk. One of the most effective things you can do is to get annual maintenance service. When one of our HVAC professionals performs service on your furnace, they will identify any malfunctioning or worn-out parts so that they can be repaired before you need to use your furnace every day.
Another preventative step is to make sure that you’re keeping up with air filter changes. You’ll want to check the filter on your system at least once a month and always have a spare filter ready for when a replacement is needed. Lastly, if you know that your gas furnace is getting up there in age and nearing the end of its manufacturer’s estimated lifespan, it’s time to think about a replacement. By being proactive and replacing your unit before it completely malfunctions, you can avoid the inconvenience of being without a heating system when it’s cold outside.
Reliable Gas Furnace Repair Service
Horizon Services offers reliable gas furnace repair service for the Denver, CO community. We can assist with all your heating, air conditioning, plumbing, commercial, dry vent cleaning, indoor air quality, and garage door repair needs. Call us today to book your next service consultation.
