As winter approaches and we begin to prepare for the chill, one of the most important things to assess is whether we will face home heating issues. Our heaters are a vital source of warmth during the colder months, and without them, it’s safe to assume that many of us would consider moving south. But don’t pack your bags yet! If your heating system isn’t showing any of these signs, you may be in the clear.
Top 5 Home Heating Issues
- Starting and stopping on its own
- Water leaks
- Burner flame colour
- Animal activity
- Heating system won’t turn on
Starting and stopping on its own
If your furnace is cycling on and off by itself, this is usually a tell tale sign of trouble. Something in the system is causing the furnace to cut off prior to completing a full cycle. This issue unfortunately doesn’t point to a simple repair, as there are many different things that can cause a furnace to start and stop on its own.
The issue could be indicating that your furnace is overheating, or a dirty HVAC filter might be to blame. Whatever it is, you’ll want to hire an HVAC professional to examine the system and determine the root cause.
Water leaks
If you see a puddle of water surrounding your furnace, this is an issue you definitely need to tend to. The first step is figuring out where the water is coming from. If the water is coming from the furnace itself while the heating cycle is running, this is a serious issue that you should not try to fix yourself.
A water leak from your furnace will likely lead to an expensive repair, or even worse, health and property problems caused by mold growth. If you choose to not have your furnace repaired and this issue persists, your system will fail sooner or later.
Burner flame colour
If you open your natural-gas powered furnace, and the flame is yellow, this is cause for concern. The yellow flame indicates that the gas isn’t burning off completely. The cause of this is usually a dirty burner, and this means that your furnace isn’t heating to its full potential. It also means that carbon monoxide (CO), produced by the furnace, is not being vented properly. You will want to call an expert to assess this.
Animal activity
Rodents like rats, squirrels and mice might be small in size, but these animals can cause serious harm to home appliances. If you have come across animal activity near your furnace (animal droppings, nest material), you will need your furnace examined immediately. A professional will perform a full system inspection and look for signs of chewed wires and clogged vents. You will not want to deconstruct your furnace yourself.
Heating system won’t turn on
We don’t have to explain why stumbling upon this issue is irritating for homeowners. A heating system that won’t power on can ignite panic, leaving homeowners scrambling to fork up the funds for an entirely new system. But this problem doesn’t always mean your furnace is a goner.
This issue can be caused by several factors:
- No power to the thermostat
- No power to heating equipment
- Thermostat error
- Circuit breaker
- Broken furnace
Home heating issues are never fun to deal with. But by neglecting signs that your furnace isn’t functioning properly, you run the risk of the system failing entirely. Our team at CampbellCare are experts in all things HVAC. Nurturing our long-lasting relationships with customers since 1981, we are dedicated to making a difference. Contact us today!
