Even If You Still Have Heat, These Signs Mean You Need To Call The Heating Contractor
To many homeowners, the HVAC contractor is the person you call when your heat goes out. It is certainly true that when your heat quits, you need to call the heating company. However, loss of heat is just one symptom of a heating problem, and it is often one of the later symptoms. If your heat is still working but you notice one of these signs, you still need to call the heating contractor.
Bad Odors
There are a few different odors that you may come from your heating system. One is the smell of rotten eggs, which can indicate a gas leak. In this case, you should call both your heating contractor and the gas company. Another bad odor is a metallic, scorched scent, which is often caused by hot wires and faulty electricity. If you notice this odor, turn off the heat until your heating contractor is able to come out as your home is at risk for a fire.
Frequent Turning On and Off
The furnace switches on, runs for a minute, and then it turns on again. It goes through this whole cycle again and again. You might assume everything is fine since the furnace is still working, but in fact, a "healthy" furnace should only turn on and off a couple of times per hour. This frequent on-and-off is known as short-cycling, and it can indicate any number of problems with the furnace, including a broken fan, a damaged thermostat, or an ailing thermocouple.
Banging
Do you hear a banging or booming noise when the furnace first turns on? Then, everything sounds pretty normal until the furnace kicks on again. This banging noise can indicate that the heat exchanger is cracked. A furnace will still continue to run with a cracked heat exchanger, but it does put you at risk for a carbon monoxide leak, so you need to have it checked out by a heating contractor for your own safety.
Faulty Ignition
Do you hear your furnace try to kick on a few times before it actually ignites and starts heating? This type of faulty ignition can occur when there's a problem with the pilot or thermocouple. Both parts are easy for your furnace repair contractor to replace, so there's no reason not to address them.
Loss of heat is not the only reason to call your heating contractor. Act quickly if you have any of the other heating issues described above. Reach out to a heating contractor today to learn more.
