Know What You're Looking For: How To Tell When Your Furnace Needs Repairs

With winter just around the corner, it's crucial that you have a working furnace in your home. This is especially important if you don't have access to another heat source, such as a fireplace or wood-burning stove. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell when your furnace is going to go out during the winter. The only thing you can do is provide pre-season maintenance and then watch for the tell-tale signs of an impending malfunction. That's where a little knowledge comes in handy. If you know what to look for, you know when to call for repairs. Knowing when to call for repairs can help you to avoid a catastrophic breakdown this winter. Here are three problems you need to watch for. If you're confronted with any of these issues this winter, schedule furnace repairs right away. 

No Flame From the Pilot Light

If you're like most people, the only time you think about the pilot light is when you're starting your furnace up for the first time each winter. In most cases, that doesn't cause any problems. But if you're not monitoring your pilot light, you might not recognize a problem as quickly as you should. If you have a gas furnace, problems with your pilot light can actually cause a gas leak. To avoid that risk, it's a good idea to inspect the pilot light several times throughout the winter. If you notice that your pilot light is flickering, is non-existent, or has turned orange or red, call for repairs right away. 

No Combustion From the Burner

When it comes to your furnace, you might not realize how important the burner actually is. The burner creates the heat that gets the heat exchanger started. Without heat from the burner, the heat exchanger can't do its job properly, which is to get heated air through to your home. You can tell that the burner is having problems by feeling the air in your home. If you've got pockets of colder air in your home, or if the air coming from the vents is taking longer to heat up, there's a good chance that your furnace burner needs to be repaired. 

No Warm Air From the Blower Motor

If you've noticed that some of the rooms in your home are warmer than others, pay attention to where those rooms are located. If the warm rooms are located closer to the furnace, chances are good that the blower motor is malfunctioning. Turn the furnace on and then test each of the vents. If the flow is good from some of the vents but lacking in others, your blower motor isn't working right. You'll need to call for repairs.