When it comes to heating systems with combustion furnaces, like oil and natural gas furnaces, regular furnace repair and maintenance can be overlooked. It’s easy to do, especially here in South Alabama where, for most of the year, we don’t really need any extra heated air.
In fact, it’s exactly because of these months of disuse that it’s extra important to have your system checked out by
heating and cooling professionals before the fall and winter seasons to make sure the furnace is working. Below, you’ll find a list of some of the most common problems we see during our furnace inspection and heating repair service calls:
Typical Gas Furnace Repair Problems
• The
heat exchanger is cracked
• The furnace isn't heating well
• The blower motor's belt has slipped or frayed
• There is a faulty electric ignition or pilot light
• The
thermostat is set correctly, but is inaccurate or failing
• The pilot light is flickering or burning with a yellow flame
• The ball bearings are wearing out
• The furnace is constantly cycling
• The furnace blower runs constantly
• The furnace is making strange, loud noises
Typical Oil Furnace Repair Problems
• The fuel burner isn't working at all.
• The fuel burner works, but it won't light
• The burner smokes
• The burner cycles too much
• The furnace burns too much fuel
• There are strange odors or fumes coming from the oil furnace
• The chimney smokes non-stop
Of course, nearly all of these issues could have been prevented with regular,
bi-annual maintenance. Of course, our maintenance plan makes sure your air conditioner is running at high efficiency all year as well. In addition to treating your air conditioning, we’ll be regularly inspecting from your circuit breaker all the way to your forced air closet to ensure you’re getting pristine air quality. Regular, professional maintenance is more involved than everyday considerations, like replacing flimsy, dirty filters with clean, 5-inch pleated air filters. The
U.S. Department of Energy has a
great article about how preventative HVAC maintenance can save you a bundle in furnace repair or replacement and lower your monthly energy bills in the cold season.