Using Your Senses To Diagnose Your Furnace
- Heating
Winter is here in full force, and you’re probably using your furnace more than ever to keep your home comfortable, safe and warm. If your furnace were to stop working during this time, it could be inconvenient and dangerous. Even with modern technology, no furnace comes equipped with bells and sirens to tell us when it’s time to replace them. This is why it’s so important for you to know what to look for – how your furnace may be telling you it’s in trouble. Here are a few things you can pay attention to in order to figure out when your furnace needs to be replaced:
Listen
If you have an older furnace, it’s likely that it makes a few noises from time to time. No old furnace is completely silent, but you should take note when it starts to make new sounds. Any loud groans, bangs, or whistles are a sign that things aren’t working properly. It’s likely that an inner part has loosened or detached and needs repair. If you’ve already spent a considerable amount of money on past repairs, you should consider replacing your furnace. Costly repairs to an old machine can be a waste when it’s reaching the end of its lifespan.
Look
It’s important that you keep an eye on the pilot light in your furnace – it should always be blue. A blue flame confirms that the gases working inside of your furnace are balance perfectly, keeping you and your home ones safe. If the flame of your pilot light ever turns yellow, this means that the balance has been thrown off and that carbon monoxide is leaking into your home. Carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to serious injury or death, so you should treat this as an emergency.
Smell
When you turn on your furnace for the first time of the season, it’s normal to be able smell oil or gas. If you turn your it on a few consecutive times and you can still smell it, this is a telltale sign that your furnace isn’t working right. Contact a specialist right away to diagnose the problem because this could be far more serious that you initially think. Not only does it mean that your furnace is malfunctioning, but these materials are flammable and can pose safety hazards.
