Whether you have a furnace or a heat pump, you can pretty much always expect to encounter the occasional issue with your heating. While many heating issues may seem fairly minor, it’s still important to schedule an inspection and repair service at the first sign of a problem. Issues with a furnace or a heat pump won’t just magically go away on their own.
Ignoring any problem can potentially lead to much bigger consequences in both the short and long term. One concern is the risk of a sudden breakdown that leaves you with no way to heat your house until you can get your furnace or heat pump fixed. Prompt repairs are essential for avoiding all of these other things as well.
Higher Repair Costs
There are a variety of issues that can decrease the effectiveness of a furnace or heat pump, resulting in the unit having to run longer than normal each time it comes on. The concern here is that the more the unit has to run, the more wear and tear its components experience. This is one reason why heating issues can start snowballing, with one problem leading to another, potentially much bigger, one.
Another major concern is that some issues can put undue strain on a furnace or a heat pump or lead to it overheating. The biggest things you need to worry about are the compressor in a heat pump failing or the heat exchanger in a furnace cracking. In either case, you’re usually looking at spending well over $1,000 to replace the compressor or heat exchanger. Sometimes, the cost of replacing either component can be close to the same as what you’d pay for a new heat pump or furnace.
The increased wear and tear that occurs when a heating system isn’t working effectively can shorten the lifespan of various components. That means that waiting to get your furnace or heat pump fixed can result in more frequent breakdowns and you continually needing to have different components replaced.
Shortened Lifespan
You can usually expect a new furnace or a new heat pump to last for around 15 years or sometimes longer. However, this is wholly dependent on scheduling annual maintenance and acting immediately whenever you suspect any issues or notice your heating isn’t working as effectively. If you ignore any problems and your heating system has to run more and more each day, it can easily end up taking years of life off the system.
After all, the more hours a furnace or heat pump runs each winter, the fewer years it will usually last. By always being proactive with getting problems fixed, you can avoid finding yourself needing to pay to install a replacement far sooner than you’d originally planned to.
Potential Safety Hazards
You generally don’t need to worry about safety hazards with a heat pump other than if you attempted a DIY repair and caused an issue that could lead to an electrical fire. Furnaces, on the other hand, can develop issues that can make them a serious fire hazard. For instance, if the exhaust flue is clogged, it can result in the flames growing so large that they reach wiring or other components and cause the furnace to catch fire.
If the flames start escaping, they can also catch any nearby items on fire. Most newer furnaces have a flame roll-out sensor that is specifically designed to shut the unit down immediately in this type of situation, but many old units don’t. Even if your furnace does, there’s always the risk that the sensor is faulty.
Another issue you need to worry about with a gas furnace is the possibility of carbon monoxide leaking out into your house. It’s a common misconception that gas furnaces always produce carbon monoxide. Under normal circumstances, natural gas burns cleanly and only produces carbon dioxide and water vapor when it burns. However, if the burner flames aren’t receiving enough oxygen or the burners are overly dirty and clogged with soot, it can lead to the gas not fully combusting and carbon monoxide being produced.
If the heat exchanger has a crack in it from the furnace frequently overheating or the exhaust flue is blocked, the carbon monoxide can then leak out into your house. This would put everyone at risk of potentially fatal carbon monoxide poisoning. A cracked heat exchanger is especially problematic, as it allows the combustion fumes to mix with the hot air that gets circulated throughout the house.
Common Heating Issues to Watch Out For
There are a variety of different signs that can tell you that you should have your heating system professionally inspected and either serviced or repaired. One thing you should always watch out for is any unusual sounds coming from your furnace or heat pump. A squealing or screeching sound inside your house when your heating is on usually indicates that the bearings in the blower motor are beginning to wear out.
If you hear this type of noise coming from the outdoor heat pump unit, it also usually means that the bearings in the compressor motor or condenser fan motor are starting to wear out. Having a technician replace the bearings is fairly inexpensive. However, if you put off having this done, the motor itself will eventually burn out and require you to pay for a more expensive repair.
If you have a gas furnace, another thing you need to be concerned about is if it often makes a loud booming sound when the burners ignite. This sound indicates that the burners didn’t light immediately when the gas started flowing, which can happen for a few different reasons. What happens in this situation is that the combustion chamber starts filling with gas, and the gas then creates a fireball or basically a small explosion once it ignites. The concern is that the fireball can potentially be large enough that the flames reach wiring and other components, resulting in damage and creating the risk of a fire.
Another issue to watch for is weak airflow, as this can be a sign that the blower is dirty and needs cleaning. When the blower is caked in dust, it has to work much harder and can potentially end up failing as a result of it overheating. Uneven heating, increasingly long heating cycles and an unexpected spike in your energy bills are also signs that you need to schedule a diagnostic service. These issues can all result for a variety of reasons and can lead to additional problems arising if left unchecked.
One last thing to look out for is if your heating system frequently shuts off before it reaches the right temperature. This can indicate that your thermostat isn’t working correctly, but it can also happen as a result of overheating or a potentially serious electrical issue.
Call Us Today
When any type of problem with your home’s heating system arises, you can count on Precision Heating & Air for rapid, reliable repair services. We’ve been providing quality HVAC services in Dallas, GA as well as the Atlanta Metro area since 1985, and our technicians can properly fix any issue you may encounter. We work on furnaces and heat pumps from every manufacturer and are available 24/7 for any emergencies. To schedule an inspection or any heating or cooling service, contact us today.
