The short Winnipeg summer is at another end, and soon it’ll be time to start arguing with your significant other about when to turn on the furnace.
Eventually, wearing a sweater or wrapping yourself in a blanket just won’t cut it anymore, and you’ll have to do what a lot of us dread doing – starting up the furnace.
In case you find some quirks when you start your furnace for winter, we’ve assembled a few common furnace problems and how to fix them.
1. Furnace cycle seems like it coming on again as soon as it stops
When your furnace powers up and starts to fill your house with warm air, you might have a problem if it starts again very shortly after its cycle.
This means your furnace is working harder than it has to and will be less effective every time.
Plus, more wear and tear on your furnace means that it could break down a lot sooner.
Most often than not, this is due to a dirty furnace filter. Replace it and monitor any changes in the cycling intervals.
2. Thermostat is on the fritz
If your home starts becoming uncomfortable in the temperature sense, take a look at your thermostat. You could be getting no heat, very little heat, or too much heat.
An improper working thermostat could affect your monthly heating bill. Recommended action is to change the batteries and monitor. If the problem persists, change the thermostat.
3. Pilot light or ignition not working
There are two main warning signs that your pilot light or ignition is not working.
- Check to see if your furnace is coming on when it’s supposed to
- Check to see if it’s blowing hot air
If you have an older gas furnace, be careful. Older furnaces may run the risk of letting gas escape into your house. Furthermore, if your house is well insulated, you could risk having an explosion.
If your pilot light or ignition do not work, turn off the gas, vent the house, and call your local Winnipeg furnace professional.
4. The blower isn’t turning off
If it seems like your fan blades are continuously rotating, it could be that your blower is malfunctioning.
Regardless of whether the heat is on or not, if you don’t fix it sooner than later, it could lead to damage.
A common cause is a faulty limit switch. If that’s the case, you might want to call an expert.
5. Air flow feels restricted
If you notice a reduction in air flow, it could be due to a problem with the belts, ducts, or bearings. This may lead to overheating, and that may lead to furnace damage.
Normally, this type of problem is associated with a lack of general maintenance or an aging furnace.
Get a furnace service company to check everything out.
6. There are strange noises coming from your furnace
Furnaces in general, especially newer ones, are designed to run relatively quiet, which adds to the comfort level of your home.
If you start hearing clunking or banging sounds all of a sudden, get your furnace checked out before minus 40 hits.
Strange noises from your furnace are not good.
Covering your assets with routine, professional maintenance
Like any mechanical equipment with moving parts, there’s going to be wear and tear, and there’s going to be breakdowns.
Most likely, if you’re like me, you’ll experience the breakdown at the worst possible time.
A good idea is to contact a Winnipeg heating company to regularly perform preventive maintenance on your furnace, so you avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Give us a try at Dean’s Plumbing & Heating!