The heating setup in a house or a place of business can often seem to just happily work in the background. At least, that is until it has a problem. No one wants to be caught in the coldest months dealing with a heating repair project, especially one involving a furnace, so these three tips will help you stay ahead of things.
Know What You Have
It helps to know in advance what type of furnace you're running. If you're not sure, have a pro come in and check it out. They can give you an idea of what year it was built, how efficient it is, and when it was last serviced. If you're not sure where to find basic components like the filters, professionals also can point these out to you. This will allow you to stay ahead of simple maintenance.
Get an Annual Check-up
Schedule an appointment with a qualified technician during the slow part of the year during the summer. They can visit your place and deal with more involved work, such as cleaning out the burners. By keeping the components free of junk, this will ensure that your setup will burn more cleanly, ultimately reducing strain on the entire system.
Know the Signs of Trouble
There are several signs that your system might require the attention of a furnace repair professional. Foremost, keep an ear out for any metallic thumps, particularly ones that consistently precede the heat coming on by a few minutes. This is a dead giveaway that the system is having ignition issues, and you should have it serviced as soon as possible. The same goes for picking up any gas odors from the system.
Other smells can be a little trickier to sort out as they're not always the furnace's fault. Many setups will have a dusty or musty smell for the first 24 to 48 hours after they come on during the first cold days of the fall. If such smells persist after two days, then you may need to have your furnace looked at. Any smoky smells should be investigated by a pro immediately as they may indicate that a component like a blower motor is grinding.
Sounds provide lots of clues, too. Squealing sounds tend to be related to the motor or the cage having trouble. Clanking sounds are likely indicative that there is a loose cage in the system.
Share18 April 2019
Does your air conditioner smell, make loads of extra noise, or fail to cool your home? If you have noticed any of these problems, there might be issues with your air conditioning unit. Fortunately, you don't have to let a bum system make your home stuffy and uncomfortable. Professional heating ventilation and air conditioning contractors can snap your AC unit into shape in no time. By carefully checking your condenser and evaluating your refrigerant levels, the experts might be able to dramatically improve the cooling capacity of your home unit. Read here to find out how to spot problems before they make your space uncomfortable.