Keeping the furnace in your house in good working order should always be a priority. After all, come the winter months, there are few situations worse than being stuck without heat. But more than that, furnace maintenance in East York needs to be a priority because a neglected furnace can be a hazard to your health and the health of your family.
The good news is that we’re experts in furnace repair in East York. But the problems begin with identifying when your furnace is actually in need of service and repair.
To that end, we’ve identified eight common signs that your furnace is telling you it’s time for a fix.
1. Abnormal Furnace Smells
While furnaces can be on the pungent side when you first install them, as time goes on, they should lose their smell.
If, however, you notice that there’s a lingering odour, or one that appears out of the blue and doesn’t go away, then it may be time to have the furnace serviced.
Strong smells coming from your exhaust could be a sign of poor combustion. While you can’t smell carbon monoxide, you can smell Aldehydes, which is a by-product of bad combustion.
2. Gas Leaks
This goes without saying but it’s always worth reiterating: if you smell a gas leak then you need to immediately contact an HVAC specialist in order to deal with the problem.
If an HVAC specialist can’t come out right away, your safest bet is to call Enbridge (the gas company that serves East York).
It’s also best to turn off the furnace immediately as the gas is highly flammable, so a single spark could spell disaster for your home.
And as an extra precaution, you’re better off leaving the house until the leak is addressed (or a professional confirms that the furnace isn’t leaking).
3. Difficulty Starting the Unit
Like all things, the older a furnace gets, the more service and maintenance it’ll require. Eventually, you may find that you’re having trouble turning the unit on and keeping it running.
If you’re finding that it takes multiple attempts to start your furnace or you’re having to restart it several times in a day, then you ought to get a professional in to take a look.
Many of these issues can stem from simple fixes like dirty filters, indoor AC coils, and secondary heat exchangers. It could also be due to a dirty flame sensor that causes the furnace to work intermittently.
It’s better to nip them in the bud and get your furnace back in working order as soon as possible.
4. Uneven Heating
If you’re finding that your furnace is doing a poor job at keeping your house at a consistent temperature, then it is likely time to get the unit serviced.
If your furnace is functioning as intended, then you shouldn’t find cold and hot patches around the house. Rather, there should be even heating.
One thing to note is that, naturally, different areas in your home will be different temperatures (e.g., the basement may be cooler and the upstairs warmer, etc.) but if you’re finding radically different temperatures in similar environments, that’s a sign that your furnace needs repair.
5. Energy Bills Increasing
If you see your energy bill growing each month, that’s probably a sign that your furnace is operating inefficiently and needs to be serviced.
While you can expect your energy bills to fluctuate with the season, as they normally do, if you see sudden or even gradual, inexplicable trends upward, then it could be a sign that your furnace isn’t working properly, and you likely need a professional to come and look at your furnace.
6. Carbon Monoxide Alarm Alerts
If your carbon monoxide alarm is going off, then that means you have a serious problem that needs to be addressed before it negatively impacts your health.
Carbon monoxide is deadly. A cracked heat exchanger in your furnace can potentially leak the gas into your home. Since carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, the only way to detect it is through the carbon monoxide alarm.
If your alarm begins to sound, evacuate the home, and contact emergency services as well as HVAC professionals immediately.
7. Strange Noises
Many healthy furnaces will maintain a consistent whirring sound, which is handy in letting you know that it’s in good working order.
If you begin to hear strange noises—banging, rattling, irregular hums, groans, rattles, etc.—then that could mean that there’s something wrong with the furnace.
If the noises don’t go away, get in touch with a professional so that they can identify the root cause of the noise and ensure that your furnace isn’t in danger of a serious malfunction.
8. Water Leaks
If you notice a puddle of water next to your furnace, it most likely means you have a water leak—but don’t worry, it’s not a complicated fix if dealt with immediately.
Most likely, the cause of the water leak is from condensation. You might have a clogged condensation drain or a break in the condensation line. Other causes of a water leak could be an internal drain system clog or a problem with your humidifier (if you have one connected to your furnace).
A furnace repair contactor in East York can identify the issue in a timely manner and ensure that the water leak doesn’t lead to more complicated problems, such as mould.
Furnace Repair in East York by Experts
Keeping your furnace healthy is, in the most extreme cases, vital to keeping you and your family safe.
What’s more, even in the less dire circumstances, a properly maintained furnace will keep you comfortable in your home during the seasonal weather shifts.
Whether you have Rheem furnace in Toronto or any other brand, AccuServ Heating and Air Conditioning is the expert furnace repair service you need.
We have over 20 years of experience on the job and know furnaces inside and out. We’re so confident in our services that we’ll replace all newly installed equipment if it fails more than three times in a single year—that’s our guarantee.
We pride ourselves on delivering industry-leading customer service, treating you and your unique needs with the care and attention you deserve. We also have staff available 24/7 to answer questions and concerns about your unit, so you’ll never have to face a furnace issue on your own again.
Whether you’re in need of furnace repair services in East York or just need us for a routine check-up, don’t hesitate to get in touch at (416) 269-2228.
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