If your furnace stops working, it’s an emergency. But, what about when it’s operating strangely or you simply don’t think it’s creating enough heat? During the winter, even if it’s not very cold, you want your furnace to take the chill off your home and make it feel cozy. When you aren’t sure how a system operates, it can be challenging to know when to escalate your call from a standard repair to a request for emergency service.
Top Five Emergency Furnace Issues
There are several times when calling in the calvary to save your home from imminent danger from a faulty appliance is obvious. Most of us have been conditioned to understand that if you notice a gas leak, it’s an emergency. You don’t have to know what caused the gas leak, you simply have to know it’s a condition that constitutes an emergency situation. While the stakes may not be as emergent for your furnace, we’ve compiled a list of the top five emergency furnace issues that warrant a call to your licensed furnace repair specialist.
Your Furnace Has Electrical Issues: Much like the example with a gas leak, electrical problems within your system constitute an emergency. You don’t know what’s causing the electrical problems and you’re not in a position to investigate further without putting yourself in danger. You will know your furnace issues are creating electrical issues if you notice your lights flickering when it comes on or goes off.
Your Furnace is Loud: Your heater should be operating quietly in the background. It shouldn’t be loud or obnoxious. If your system is making strange noises it’s usually a sign something is wrong inside the machinery. It could be anything from a loose part or a foreign object inside your system. While this may not seem like an emergency, it is. There’s a chance something unknown could be causing the noisy operation, which means it needs to be inspected before continued use leads to a broken system or unforeseen hazard.
Cycling: When your system is turning on and off constantly in short cycles, this is called rapid cycling. There are many causes that could be responsible for the rapid cycling of your furnace, and all can lead to a broken system or property damage if you continue to use it before finding out the cause.
Strange Odors: This is a big one. If you smell anything out of the ordinary when using your furnace, it’s time to call in a professional. Gas leaks smell of rotten eggs, but you could also be smelling sulfur. If you have a gas furnace and come home to an odd odor in your home, leave the premises and call for help immediately.
Pilot Light Issues: Your pilot light should be blue. If it’s not blue, you need to contact a professional who can inspect your system for problems. A yellow pilot light can signal combustion problems. Don’t try to fix your pilot light. You need to elevate the issue to a furnace repair specialist who is trained to safely fix the problem.
What Should You Do if You Have a Furnace Emergency?
Once you know your system is malfunctioning and it’s an emergency, contact our team of professionals right away. We consider all the issues we’ve mentioned as emergencies, which call for immediate help. Not every emergency is a dangerous situation. Some emergencies are system-related. If you don’t act promptly, you could be wasting time and money. You could be using your furnace and causing greater damage to your system. While it’s true that a faulty furnace can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide or cause electrical fires, the more common outcome is an unrepairable furnace. While you may think your furnace is fine because you don’t use it as often in California as you would in a colder climate, you can still end up with a faulty furnace and emergency repair issues. Our team is available to help you with your furnace whether it’s an emergency or a regular maintenance call.
All Pro Plumbing, Heating & Electrical offers residential and commercial customers safe and affordable furnace services. Call our experienced technicians today at (909) 500-8193 to schedule an appointment.