Reasons You Might Need Furnace Repair
The furnace is an essential component of your home's HVAC system. And when it's not running, the effects are immediately obvious. Even if the furnace isn't running optimally, you can have issues in your home. Avoid a furnace disaster by watching out for the following issues and having them repaired in a timely manner.
Cracked Heat Exchanger
A furnace features a set of coils that loop throughout the case for the purpose of heating up the air. This heat exchanger can develop a crack along the loop. When this happens, you might see soot at the bottom of the furnace case or notice strange smells. This situation is dangerous because a cracked heat exchanger can expose you to toxic gases, so you should call for repair immediately.
Malfunctioning Pilot Light
If you have a gas furnace, it probably features a pilot light. This continuously burning flame ignites the burners to heat the air inside the furnace. As home improvement expert Bob Vila points out, the flame should be blue, not yellow. A faint or yellow pilot light could be another sign of a cracked heat exchanger, or a sign of dirty burners.
Worn or Frayed Blower Fan Belt
A furnace features a blower fan to blow the heated air out. In many furnaces, a motor attached to a belt is responsible for rotating the blades that create the air. If the blower fan belt is frayed, or if it's otherwise worn out, you will hear sounds that range from squeaks to high-pitched squealing. Typically, a worn or frayed blower fan belt needs replacing.
Worn Out Ball Bearings
The motor that drives the fan features ball bearings. Their main job is to reduce the friction caused by the typical function of your furnace. They consist of a hollowed ring with literal balls inside. The ball bearings can become worn out or misaligned, which results in a loud scraping sound. When this happens, you should turn off the furnace and call for repair before the bearings damage the motor.
Malfunctioning Limit Switch
A limit switch is a sensor that detects the temperature inside the furnace. It signals the blower fan to turn on or off. When it's malfunctioning, you might experience either a blower fan that keeps running or one that won't turn on. When that happens, either you're getting too much hot air or none. Usually HVAC experts must replace a malfunctioning limit switch.
Don't risk waking up to a cold home or, worse, letting toxic gases build up. Call a repair specialist, such as those available at Moore Heating & Air Conditioning Inc, if you think your furnace is malfunctioning.
