Dealing With Common Furnace Issues - A Basic Guide

Furnaces are sturdy pieces of equipment that can last many years if taken care of, but just like any heating or cooling system, they are still susceptible to issues. Though you may be familiar with how your furnace operates, any repairs or replacements are still best left to reputable furnace repair technicians in St. Albert.

Basic troubleshooting can certainly be done on your own, but until you have the proper assessment and diagnosis of the problems in your furnace, it’s best to hold off! Moving parts around might damage your equipment further and lead to even more expensive repairs—which is something you most definitely do not want.

Learning about the most common furnace issues will allow you to determine how urgently you need your HVAC technician’s expertise. Here are some of the most common furnace problems you can expect HVAC experts to identify during diagnosis:

Poor Heating Capability

Furnaces can sometimes keep running without spreading heat through the home efficiently. This is typically due to issues in airflow. Installing a new air filter for your heating system and changing it every other month will allow you to keep the energy needed to heat your home consistently low. If switching your air filters doesn’t work, then call your HVAC contractor as soon as possible.

Other possible issues include a malfunctioning blower motor and issues with ancillary or support systems, like leaking ductwork that allows hot air to escape into unconditioned zones.

Poor Maintenance

Most furnace issues that are identified could have been prevented in the first place with regular preventive maintenance. These include breakdowns or malfunctions, poor heating performance, and operating errors.

When getting your annual furnace assessment and tune-up, pay attention to the checklist used by your HVAC technician on which functions to take note of. It’s normal for your HVAC contractor to check your furnace health every year as part of the warranty upon purchase, but it can help to have these checks more frequently to ensure that you aren’t missing anything!

Problems with Ignition

Older and newer furnace models will sometimes have a pilot light to help ignite the main burner. However, when your pilot flame goes out frequently and cannot ignite the burner, you need to have your furnace serviced. This can also be a problem with newer furnaces that have electronic igniters, which can fail due to defective circuitry. Your HVAC technician will be able to find a more permanent solution to this issue, regardless if your model is older or more current.

Malfunctioning Thermostat

You might head into winter thinking that your heating system is working just fine until you notice that your thermostat is malfunctioning on an especially cold night. Not only will it cause wrong temperature readings and faulty control, but it can also cause your furnace to run for overly long cycles! If you still have a manual thermostat, then it might be worth calling in a furnace emergency in St. Albert to upgrade to an electronic one. You’ll save more money with consistent temperatures and lower operating costs.

Higher Operating Costs

An increase in your monthly gas expenses during the winter months is normal given the amount of use you get out of your furnace, but if the cost is blowing the top of your roof off, then it could be a sign that your furnace is eating up too much fuel to keep functioning. Repetitive heating and cooling will affect the most critical parts of your furnace over time. If you notice that your bills are much higher than normal, then it’s time to call in an Edmonton HVAC expert.

Conclusion

Your home’s HVAC system, particularly your furnace, is an expensive machine that requires regular maintenance to provide appropriate heating and cooling to your house when the season calls for it. Although it might be easy to take these machines for granted until they have an issue, making them a priority along with everything else on your property can save you expensive repairs and replacements. Properly managed furnaces are extremely dependable and will keep your temperature regulated as needed throughout their long life span.

Here at Soul Mechanical, we provide top-quality HVAC, refrigeration, and plumbing services to our customers. As one of the best HVAC companies in the area, we consistently use the industry’s best practices to exceed our customers’ expectations. Contact us today for a free estimate!