Home care comes with many responsibilities and with the winter months approaching us, you must ensure that your furnace is working properly to keep your home warm. Our experts at our Franklin HVAC shop have been called out to many homes with broken furnaces right when the cold months come rolling in. So, before the winter months go into full effect, it is best to make sure that your home is ready for it.
Dust
Have you ever noticed an unusual amount of dust coming from your heating vents? This is a good sign that your furnace may be going out. An accumulation of dust on your furnace vents would show that your furnace is no longer able to properly clean the air and getting weaker. Your first step should be to change the filters to see if the fixes the problem. If you have done that and dust still builds up, call your local HVAC technician to come take a look at it.
Age
Just like most things, furnaces have life span and like a car they require maintenance. In fact, the older the furnace the more maintenance it requires to keep it functioning. The Franklin HVAC experts will tell you that most furnaces have a lifespan of 15-20 years. It is right around the 15-year mark that we start to see units begin to break down, need more maintenance, and eventually just go out altogether. If you have an older unit and it might be pushing the limit, it may be time to think about replacing it.
Cold Air
If you turn on your heat when you get home and only feel cold air coming out, then you more than likely have a problem with your furnace. This problem can occur for a variety of factors and if you have this problem occurring in your household, then you should call an HVAC technician immediately.
Strange Noises
If your furnace starts up and loud noises are coming from your unit then this is a huge sign that something has come undone within the unit. A bolt could have gotten loose, or a piece could have broken off. Regardless, if you are hearing strange noises from your unit then call someone to come look at it.
Increased Heating Bills
When you see this sign, it would be in the best interest of your wallet to replace your unit as quickly as possible. An increased heating bill is an obvious sign of a unit that is on its last leg. They no longer can push out the same level of heat that they use to, and it takes more energy to heat up the entire house therefore raising your bill. You may not want to fork out the investment a new furnace comes with, but in the long run you’ll save on future maintenance and have a warm house to outlast the cold.
