In most households, a furnace is a primary heating system. Like many people, you depend on the furnace in your home to keep everyone in the household comfortable during winter or when the temperatures drop.
A faulty furnace can cause property damage, unsafe living conditions, discomfort, or inconvenience. Because failure often comes with those risks, it would be best to know how to identify the following signs so you can have your unit repaired:
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Abnormal Furnace Smells
A furnace may smell like the type of fuel it uses, especially when you turn it on for the first few months. Mostly, the odor will dissipate as your furnace runs. But if you notice an abnormal smell of fuel, a scent that lasts longer, or an odor that appears suddenly, it means there is an issue.
The smell may result from issues, from excessive dust in the unit to a gas leak. It would be important to have a professional technician assess the smell to know the cause and offer furnace repair Calgary services.
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Discolored Pilot Light
Your unit will need a reliable heat source to continuously heat your home. If your unit is gas-powered, it will need a burner to generate heat. And for that burner to work, it will need a pilot light.
This pilot light is simply a little flame that stays on every time and acts as an ignition flame for gas burners. In normal working conditions, a pilot light emits a blue flame. In this condition, the light has sufficient air to combust fuel.
But if your pilot light emits a yellow flame, it shows an issue with the airflow inside the combustion chamber.
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The Furnace is Not Starting
The older a furnace gets, the harder it gets to turn on. You might be forced to try several times to start it or realize it takes longer as it should.
In this case, the issue may mean damage to your thermostat, a damaged heat exchanger, or disconnected wiring. Minor issues like flame sensors, AC coils, or dirty filters can also cause starting problems.
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Strange Noises
When running a furnace that is in pristine condition, you will rarely experience any strange noises. But if you start hearing banging, popping, or rattling noise from the unit, it could be a sign of an issue.
Mainly, the cause of strange noises is wear & tear. When a specific part of your furnace develops problems, you will experience a recurrence of noise from the unit.
As a homeowner, you can handle simple, minor furnace repairs, but technical issues are better left for professional technicians to handle. If your unit seems to have a more serious issue than you can handle, call an expert or reach them with your info and the specific furnace issue. This way, you will get the help you need.