Bang, bang, bang you keep hearing the oddest sounds coming from the basement. Don’t worry, there is no cheesy slasher film going on down there; you are probably just in the population of people that need to do something about their furnace.
Here are 5 indicators that you probably need to get your furnace fixed or even replaced.
Odd noises
Let’s start with those odd noises you may or may not be hearing. Furnaces make a lot of odd noises when they are getting towards the end of their life. Your furnace could be blowing cold air or turning on and off a little too frequently.
Sometimes the furnace blower will turn on way too often, which can create a lot of odd noises and probably means you’re in for a hefty furnace repair bill.
Utility bill rising
As your furnace gets older it will lose efficiency and you will notice the difference in your monthly utility bill.
If it seems to take more and more money to keep your house warm in the winter, you probably need a repair done to your furnace.
Yellow pilot light
One surefire way to determine whether your furnace needs to be repaired is to check out the pilot light. If the pilot light or burner has a yellow flame instead of a blue one, there is a high chance that you’re breathing poisonous carbon monoxide.
This means that you are likely in need of a new furnace, or at least a repairman to look at it. If your furnace has a pilot light, then there is a very high chance that you have an old furnace in need of repair or replacement anyways.
Cold
If your furnace is not keeping your house warm or cool at night, it’s obvious that something is wrong.
Furnaces can have problems with distributing its supply which ends up making some rooms too hot, while others are completely neglected and end up as cold arctic voids.
Headaches
Your furnace will develop cracks as it gets older and leaks carbon monoxide into the air. If you’re feeling nausea, headaches, burning feelings in your eyes and nose or any flu-like symptoms, then promptly crack open that window, run out the door and call for a gas technician and probably a furnace repair.
Leaking Carbon Monoxide can be detrimental for your health, so it’s important that you get it taken care of right away.
Dust
Your furnace should be cleaning and moisturizing the air in your home, so if you are starting to notice dust and other problematic things floating in the air then you may want to look at your furnace. Dry skin, throat problems, and other such health irritants could be signs that you need a new furnace.
However, if you’re lucky, then the ducts might just be the problem. In some cases of higher dust levels in your home you may just need some new air filters, so make sure to check that first before you call anyone over to look at your furnace.
Odd noises, utility bill rising, yellow pilot lights, cold nights, headaches, and dust are all signs that you need your furnace looked at. Your furnace can be dangerous if it stops working properly, so it’s important to always be aware of it and maintaining it to ensure it lasts as long as possible without running into any serious problems.
If your furnace is 15+ years old then it might be a good idea to get it looked at just in case.
