The Top-5 Signs of Furnace Failure

1. Your Furnace Is Old

Your furnace may have served your family well for 15 years or more, but it's now likely approaching the point that it needs to be retired. If you have an older furnace, it's a good idea to call a professional and have it checked out … it may also be running extremely inefficiently and wasting money. You may also want to consider replacing it now instead of waiting for it to break down.

2. Your Heating Bills Are Rising

If you notice a steady rise in your energy bills, your furnace might be the primary reason. An old furnace has to work harder to provide the amount of heat necessary to make your home comfortable. It might not be the best idea to repair it if you can afford to buy a new furnace or boiler now and avoid more expensive repairs down the road.

3. Your Rooms Aren't Receiving the Same Amount of Heating

If some rooms in your home are cold and others are hot, this a major sign that your furnace is about to conk out. You should call duct cleaning companies that can help determine whether your ducts are blocked or dirty, or if your furnace is the one to blame. If it's an old furnace, it might be a wiser move to just have a new one installed.

4. You Hear Strange Noises

Strange noises coming from your furnace can mean a variety of things:

Clanging and rattling can indicate that there's a loose screw or piece of metal, or that your furnace motor has lost balance.

Popping noises are often caused by expanding ductwork. Round ductwork is quieter than square or rectangular ductwork, and thicker metal resists expansion better than thinner metal.

The furnace blower probably needs replacement if it's producing a loud humming noise.

Squealing or screeching noises are typically produced by a worn-out blower motor or inducer but can also mean something more serious.

Instead of going the DIY route for any of these issues, it's always safer to call a professional furnace and air conditioner maintenance provider if you hear any of these noises coming from your furnace or boiler.

5. Allergy Flare-Ups Are Becoming More Frequent

Allergic reactions can have different causes, including dusty ducts. One issue you might not have heard about, however, is the presence of soot around furnace registers. Registers are not grilles; rather, they have dampers that allow you to control airflow. Soot around your registers means your furnace has an excess of CO2, which causes dryness in the air that can cause allergic reactions. You're probably thinking that it would be simple enough just to wipe off the soot, but this is nevertheless a clear sign that your furnace needs replacing as soon as possible.

One other possibility is that your registers are releasing an abnormal amount of dust, which might be a sign that your furnace is pulling in dirty air from outside. At this point it's time to call a certified technician to check your heating equipment.

6. The Pilot Light Is Yellow

Okay, we did say this was the Top-5 Signs of Furnace Failure, but we just had to include one more because our mechanical specialists see this issue pop up frequently … so here's your bonus sixth sign:

If you still have a pilot light on your furnace, it's probably time for a replacement since that technology is no longer used or efficient. But if you do have a pilot light on a natural gas furnace, it should always be blue. If it's yellow, your furnace may be releasing carbon monoxide, which is poisonous. If you see this, shut off the furnace and call a technician immediately!

Vito Services is ready to take care of your heating needs. We can provide you with maintenance or replacement services. Call us today at 301-822-9325 or schedule an appointment online at any time!