There’s no denying that when it’s winter in our climate, you need a reliable and efficient furnace. There’s also no denying that this furnace needs professional maintenance, at least once a year, to operate at its best.
Of course, even with maintenance, there’s always a chance that you may need unexpected Vancouver, WA furnace services. Your furnace, after all, is just like any other important home comfort appliance in that it suffers from natural wear and tear. The trick is, knowing the signs that your furnace needs repair before it has the chance to lead to a breakdown. Read on as we uncover some odd behaviors you might want to watch out for from your furnace, and give us a call if you notice any of them!
The System is Short-Cycling
Short-cycling is the name given to the process where your heater turns on and off rapidly, never actually completing a full heating cycle. This can happen with your air conditioner as well!
The unfortunate part of this is that it’s not only a symptom of a problem, but it can cause further problems for your HVAC system. It’s typically indicative of an electrical problem in the system (yes, even if you have a gas-powered furnace) but the short-cycling itself is really inefficient and can cause a domino effect of problems for your furnace.
Your System Has Low Airflow
How strong is the flow of air throughout your living space? If it’s not as strong as it used to be–let’s say it feels okay at the front of the house where the indoor unit is located but airflow is weakened at the back of the house–then you may have a problem with your ductwork.
Aging air ducts can start accumulating pinhole leaks and small tears that allow conditioned air out into unoccupied spaces like your attic, crawlspace, or wherever you have ductwork.
There are Concerning Smells Coming from the System
When you first turned on your heater this season, did you notice an acrid odor? This can be indicative of nothing more than dust burning off the coils and the rest of the system. This won’t be a problem at all if you had furnace maintenance done in the beginning of fall, since cleaning is a big part of your tune-up.
But let’s say you notice this stench and it’s not going away after a couple of days. You might have components that are smoldering inside your furnace, such as wiring. Please don’t ignore this problem! Turn off the system and give our team a call right away so we can assess what’s going on.
You Have Higher Than Average Utility Bills
Have you noticed that your utility bills are a lot higher than they were this same time last year? Or how about in comparison to what your neighbors are paying? If they are higher than you think they should be, it’s a sign that something in your home isn’t working as efficiently as it should, and it could very well be your furnace. After all, your HVAC systems account for half of all your home’s energy use.
Speak to our team today to find out more about what we can do for your home’s air quality. Clawson Heating & Air Conditioning is “Connecting People to Comfort”!