With temperatures as high as they have been in our area, you’re probably not giving your heater much thought. However, now is a great time to stay ahead of furnace repair in Boulder before the fall and winter seasons arrive. And cool weather will be here before you know it.
Chances are, if your furnace needs repairs you probably noticed the signs toward the end of the last winter season. You can keep reading to learn more about six signs that your furnace needs repairs before temperatures cool down again. It’s always better to stay ahead of problems than to put off a service appointment and wait for a potential breakdown.
Energy Bills
If your energy bills were higher than normal last winter, that’s a red flag that something was wrong with your furnace. Of course, you have other appliances in your home using energy. But when it comes to energy use, your furnace is arguably one of the larger appliances that consumes the most energy.
You may think that it’s completely normal for your furnace to lose efficiency over time and cost more to operate, but it does not have to be. Furnace maintenance is a great way to take care of your system and ensure that it is always working at its best without costing too much to operate.
Furnace Age
Another indication that it may be time to make some furnace repairs is your furnace’s age. Most furnaces last for an average of 15 years. Once you reach that 15-year mark, repairs become more and more likely.
Last Service Date
You also want to consider the last time that you had your furnace serviced. Consistent annual maintenance is the best way to stay ahead of repairs. But if you skipped out on furnace maintenance last year or for even longer, then repairs become more and more likely.
Excessive Dust
If you are noticing a lot of dust inside of your furnace or blowing out from the vents that’s another indication that it’s time to schedule an appointment for repairs. Noticing excessive soot buildup if you have a gas furnace can mean that the gas burners are experiencing problems.
When the gas does not burn efficiently, it can create a soot-like buildup around the igniter. But even electric furnaces can have dust buildup. The system should be fairly airtight so that dust and dirt cannot enter from holes and crevices. Noticing a lot of dust may mean that components are loosening up or coming apart completely.
Unusual Sounds
Of course, your furnace will not be completely silent as it operates. But you should have a pretty good idea of what sounds are normal and what sounds are not. Any loud or alarming sounds coming from your furnace can indicate that something major is wrong. Even if it seems like your furnace is working perfectly, you should never ignore unusual sounds.
Poor Results
Another common misconception is that furnaces lose some of their power over the operating lifespan. But this does not have to be true. When you take care of your furnace, it should work consistently well over its entire lifespan. Noticing a decrease in heat output is a red flag that something inside of the system is wrong.
You may be tempted to set your thermostat higher in an effort to get better results, but this may just leave your furnace working harder without the means to provide enough heat to your home. Instead, you should schedule an appointment to get your furnace checked out.
Contact Meyers Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule an appointment with our professionals.