In the middle of a cold day, there’s nothing worse than finding out that the furnace isn’t pulling its weight. As the temperature drops inside your home, you realize that you’re running out of sweaters to layer on in order to stay warm. This is a common situation and one that can often be fixed quickly by a plumbing and heating Winnipeg trained professional. Here are some signs that you need to pick up the phone and call a professional right away.
Flashing Light on the Furnace
Most modern furnaces will have a small diagnostics light. If the light is constantly lit then that means the furnace is usually running well. If the light is blinking, it means there’s a problem. A qualified technician will be able to identify what the blinking light sequence means and begin working on a fix right away. Usually the light will use a series of blinks to pass along an error code to the technician; allowing them to determine the problem faster and find a fix.
No Air Pressure
If your furnace is working but the house isn’t staying at your set temperature, then that could mean there’s an airflow issue. Holding your hand over the heat register will confirm if there’s an issue or not. If you can feel a steady stream of warm air then you may just have to wait for the furnace to catch up to the set temperature. If there is a weak stream of air then that may indicate an airflow issue. This could be caused by a variety of problems or blockages somewhere throughout the system. Once again, a professional would be the best for determining exactly what the issue is.
Blower Isn’t Kicking In
If the blower isn’t kicking in to blow the hot air throughout the house, then eventually the entire system will shut itself down. Blowers are not an easy replacement that most people can do on their own. A professional will have to step in. Luckily, blowers are not terribly expensive parts and they can be replaced very easily by an authorized professional. Some experts will check for any issues that may have caused the older blower to stop working. Sometimes a bad fuse or cable can cause a blower to break. Simply replacing the blower with a new one only solves half of the problem while the other problem still remains.
Smell of Gas
This is one of the most alarming things that can happen with a furnace. If you smell gas coming from your furnace room, evacuate the home immediately and call 911. If the gas is not being burnt completely by the furnace, then the home could fill with gas. An ignition could cause a deadly fire or explosion. Regular furnace maintenance can go a long way in helping prevent major issues like gas leaks that could be hazardous to the health of you and your family. If your furnace is not lit and burning gas correctly, do not attempt to manually light the furnace.
Furnace Overheating
Sometimes your furnace may run for several minutes before suddenly turning off. This could be an indication that the furnace is overheating. Even if the furnace is not actually overheating, it may be tripping a sensor that causes the furnace to believe it’s doing so. Dirt and dust can cause overheating problems, as well as problems with certain sensors. A heating and cooling expert will be able to inspect the furnace parts to ensure there’s no buildup of dust or dirt. If there is, an expert will also be able to clean or change the part in question.
Thermostat Problems
“No heat” situations may not be a result of the furnace but may instead be related to the thermostat. A thermostat with weak or dead batteries will not be able to send the proper messages to the furnace. Turning the thermostat off for a few minutes and trying again is a good way to initially check where the problem is. If the furnace still does not turn on, there could be several problems with the thermostat. Once again, a heating and cooling expert is the best person to call in this situation. They can quickly fix most thermostat problems, and if the thermostat turns out not to be an issue they have at least narrowed down the potential list of problems.
Trust the Experts
A furnace is not a simple appliance. There are a variety of issues that can go wrong at any given moment. It’s never advised to try to work on your furnace if you aren’t completely aware of how things work. Instead, always trust the experts with furnace repair.
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