No, Atlanta is not setting any national records for low winter temperatures. No, this does not mean that you don’t have to worry about keeping your heater in great operating condition. We may not get nailed with snow or subzero temperatures like they do up in the northeast, but it gets more than cold enough to necessitate the use of a good heater in our homes. That is why you need prompt home furnace repair in Atlanta when something goes wrong.
Because we don’t rely on our furnaces all that much, it can be easy to overlook potential problems with the system. That is going to become a major issue when you really do need your furnace, though. That “minor” issue that you ignored or overlooked previously may be the straw that breaks the furnace’s back when it goes into heavy rotation. With that in mind, we’ll use our post today to discuss some common red flags that furnaces may be in need of repair.
How’s the Temp?
Regardless of how cold it actually is outside, and “cold” can be highly subjective, your heater should be pumping out heat at a consistent level. If it seems like the air coming from your vents just is not as warm as it should be, or if a single room seems to be receiving cooler air than others, let us know right away. This is not the level of performance quality that you deserve from your furnace!
You may have an issue with leaky ductwork, for instance, which can result in cooler temperatures in those rooms serviced by the leaking duct. You may have a problem with your zone control system, if you use one, resulting in irregular temperature regulation. It could even be that your furnace is struggling to produce enough heat to start with. We’ll figure out precisely what is wrong.
How’s the Cycling?
Many homeowners don’t really pay attention to the way in which their furnace is running, so long as it is running. If your only criteria for proper operation is starting and stopping, though, you’re missing an important consideration. Yes, your system needs to start and stop—but not too rapidly!
If it is running in a short burst, your furnace is short cycling. That wastes energy raises heating costs and leaves you feeling less comfortable, too. You may just need to change your air filter to prevent overheating, but you may also have something like a malfunctioning thermocouple on your hands. We’ll diagnose the problem accurately so that it is resolved entirely.
How’s the Noise?
Furnaces don’t operate in total silence. You may hear the system kick on. You may hear air being forced through ducts. You may even hear some clicking when the system shuts down (though if it is clicking constantly, that’s its own problem). All that being said, it shouldn’t be making a ton of noise.
It also shouldn’t be making strange new sounds. Clanging, screeching, grinding, and other unusual sounds indicate that there is a problem. It may be anything from a loose blower mount to a worn-out belt. Again, only a trained professional is going to diagnose the problem accurately and fix it properly.