Landmark Home Warranty will go over some telltale signs that your furnace needs to be repaired or replaced.
Before humankind’s ability to heat their homes with electricity or gas powered machines, it was a cold, cold time. Now we expect our homes to be heated during the cold months of winter, and when they aren’t we immediately know something is wrong. Although no homeowner wants his or her furnace to fail, it’s much better to know the warning signs of a failure than to wake up one day in a freezing home. Luckily, your furnace will tell you when it’s not feeling too well. Here are the telltale signs that your furnace needs repair or is going to fail soon.
THE AGE OF THE FURNACE
Looking at the age of your furnace is a good first step to take when determining how well it is working. Furnaces generally run for 15 to 20 years, according to the National Association of Home Builder’s Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components. If your furnace is starting to move up in age, there’s a good chance it will need repairs or a replacement soon.
LUKEWARM AIR
Is your furnace blowing cold air? If you keep cranking up the thermostat but the air your furnace is producing is mildly warm at best, it may be time to repair or replace your furnace. Cold air could mean a faulty pilot light, an electrical issue, or a leaking duct. All of these need professional care so make sure to call a service professional. If you have a home warranty, make sure you get a heating tune-up before the cold season so you can mitigate pilot light, duct work, and electrical problems.
HEATING BILL HAS SKYROCKETED
Have you been using your furnace as usual, but your heating bill has increased dramatically? This can be a cause for concern. Your furnace is telling you that there is something wrong … and you’re paying for it out of your pocket. High heating bills without any change in furnace use shows that your furnace is not working efficiently. It also could mean there is a crack in the heat exchanger, which can leak poisonous gases out to you and your family to breathe. Make sure to call a professional before attempting to fix this issue.
FURNACE WON’T TURN ON
Although a furnace that doesn’t turn on could be a faulty thermostat or dirty flame sensor, it can also point to a problematic pilot light or dying fan motor. If your furnace has failed and you have a home warranty plan, you can call your home warranty company to help repair or replace the furnace for a $60 service call fee. As long as your furnace has failed from normal wear and tear, you will be able to save thousands on its repair or replacement.
ODD SMELL
An odd smell coming from your furnace may be your furnace telling you it needs some help … and you can help it by changing its filter! Dusty and dirty smells coming from your furnace can be fixed by cleaning dust out of the furnace and replacing the filters frequently. If you smell natural gas from your furnace, though, you should call a professional immediately.
PILOT LIGHT IS YELLOW
Your furnace’s pilot light should be blue, not yellow. Make sure to call a professional if you see a yellow flame, because it could mean your furnace is producing carbon monoxide, a toxic gas.
UNEXPECTED NOISES
Much like how children cry when they don’t feel well, your furnace will make noises as it nears the end of its lifespan. If you hear rattling or popping in your furnace, it may be failing. If you have a home warranty and your furnace fails, you can repair or replace it for $60, as long as it failed from normal wear and tear.
If you have any questions about home warranties and how they can save you money on your repairs and replacements within your home, go to www.LandmarkHW.com.
