4 Common Furnace Problems (and What to Do About Them)

By and large, furnaces are steady and reliable machines. Nonetheless, they do suffer damage from time to time, at which point, they need to be inspected and repaired. 

Curious as to the types of furnace problems you should be looking out for? Then keep on reading. Here are some furnace issues that you might come across. 

1. Dirty Filter

Perhaps the most common furnace problem is the problem of a dirty filter. Filters get dirty due to the contaminants within the air. Over time, these contaminants inundate them, preventing them from performing their intended task. 

As a result, their corresponding furnaces must work harder than they normally do. This results in more costly energy bills, not to mention increased wear and tear. 

Fortunately, changing a dirty filter is easy. It’s as simple as pulling it out and putting a new one in its place. 

2. Dirty Burner

It’s not just a dirty air filter that you have to worry about. You also have to worry about a dirty burner. When the burner within the furnace is dirty, the furnace struggles to function, resulting in increased energy usage as well as increased deterioration. 

How do you clean a dirty burner? By turning the furnace off, opening it up, and vacuuming out all debris. 

3. Loud Noises

Generally speaking, furnaces shouldn’t make much noise at all. Unless you’re actively trying to hear them, they shouldn’t show up on your sonic radar. If they are, then something needs to be fixed. 

Whereas banging noises indicate a problem with the furnace’s burner, squealing noises indicate a lack of lubrication, and rattling noises indicate a loose component. If you hear any of these, call up your local HVAC company straightaway. 

4. Broken Safety Switch

In order for a furnace to fire up, its safety switch must be engaged. This is a component specifically designed to prevent the furnace from starting a fire within the home. 

Unfortunately, the safety switch can break. When this occurs, the furnace isn’t able to start at all. At that point, there’s only one thing you can do: replace the safety switch. 

To do this, turn the furnace off, open up the door to its blower, and remove its damaged safety switch. Then, connect a new model by wiring it in the correct manner. Odds are, you’ll need the help of a professional in order to complete this task. 

These Furnace Problems Can Be Combated

While these furnace problems are fairly common, you should know that they can be combated. All that it takes is a bit of maintenance, and maybe a little furnace repair from time to time. Provided that you take these things seriously, you shouldn’t be needing a furnace replacement any time soon. 

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