A furnace malfunction may not seem like a significant problem to most people. But when your furnace starts malfunctioning, several issues could arise. It may mean that your furnace is about to give out.
Hence, if your furnace malfunctions, you should immediately call a heating contractor. Many people don't know how to tell if their furnace is malfunctioning. As a result, they wait until it fails to call a heating contractor.
If you are such a person, here are three signs that indicate you need to call a furnace repair contractor.
1. Unusually High Energy Bills
After using a furnace for several months, you should expect to receive energy bills within a specific range. Thus, if you receive an energy bill significantly higher than usual, your furnace could have an issue.
Unusually high energy bills occur when your furnace loses its energy efficiency. After losing its energy efficiency, a furnace consumes more energy than usual, thus leading to higher-than-usual energy bills.
Call a heating contractor as soon as you receive an unusually high energy bill. The sooner you call them, the sooner they can reinstate your furnace's energy efficiency. Promptly calling a heating contractor can prevent another expensive energy bill.
2. Insufficient Heat From the Furnace
Most homeowners preset the ideal heating levels on their thermostats for comfortable heating. They don't usually need to adjust their thermostats to receive adequate heating.
However, when a furnace malfunctions, you may encounter insufficient heating despite presetting the thermostat. Consequently, you have to keep cranking up the thermostat to get better room temperatures. But cranking up your thermostat forces your furnace to overwork and the furnace consumes more energy to provide more heat, resulting in higher energy bills.
Common reasons why your furnace or HVAC system is not providing enough heat include:
- Damaged filaments in an electric furnace
- Clogged vents or filters
- Insufficient power supply
Therefore, when your furnace fails to provide enough heat for your home, call a heating contractor to assess and fix the issue.
3. Frequent Gas Detector Alarms
If you use a gas furnace in your home, it should have a gas detection alarm system. The gas detector alarm is a safety feature that warns you when you have a gas leak. If your gas detector gives frequent warnings, your furnace is leaking gas.
A gas furnace can leak gas due to several reasons, such as:
- A damaged gas delivery system
- The furnace failed to burn the gas efficiently
- Cracked heat exchanger
Ignoring a furnace gas leak is dangerous because if the leaked gas ignites, it could start a house fire. Hence, when your gas detector alerts you of a gas leak, immediately turn off the furnace and call a heating contractor.
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