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With the dark winter months on the horizon, the need to keep your heating solvent is of the highest necessity. Yet there are times when furnace failure is imminent, and residents in Chattanooga, TN know that calling for furnace repair is strictly unavoidable. Yet calling for furnace repair will be a necessity at times, and what better company to answer that call than Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air.
Having your furnace checked on a regular basis is vital to the life of your unit, and failure to do so can have consequences that are disastrous in nature. When you’re going for general furnace repair, you should keep in mind that when something goes wrong, the proof will be right in the pudding. That said, there are omens to watch for that tell you that something is about to go wrong and go wrong quickly.
There are some common issues that plague furnaces everywhere including Chattanooga, TN to the point where furnace repair is necessary in order to get them fixed. Certain environmental hazards such as flying dust and dander can be connected directly to a furnace that’s in need of cleaning. Other ordinary quirks can happen as well. You may find yourself needing to adjust the thermometer to a higher level constantly, which may be a sure sign of age. But before you toss out your old furnace, you need to have it checked for any type of damage due to elements and other hazards.
Homeowners who have a furnace that’s gas-powered should know that the color of the flame is supposed to be blue. A light blue flame indicates that your heating system is in good standing and can function properly without any problems. However, it’s the smell of gas that should have you worried, and it should light a fire under you well enough to prompt you to make that call for emergency furnace repair. You should first turn off the gas supply to your home and evacuate immediately and without hesitation.
A yellow flame tells you a different story. All you have to do is peek inside and if you happen to see that it is yellow, then you can reasonably conclude either of two things. One is that the burner is clogged with dirt and grime, which only means that a good, professional cleaning may be in order for your next furnace repair appointment. Another is that there may be a heavy presence of dangerous carbon monoxide, a toxic gas that has serious and even fatal repercussions on the health and safety of you and everyone in your home.
Keeping carbon monoxide gas out of your home is one of many tasks that is supposed to be done by your furnace, especially as it works efficiently to heat up your home. But sometimes this could fail, and another reason that this happens is due to the rust and corrosion that’s present in the flue lines. Without them, it would be impossible for the furnace to wield out the dangerous CO gas, and that is something that your furnace repair experts should look at when doing an annual inspection.
Furnace combustion can be just as easy to detect as a gas leak, especially as you observe the warning signs that may lead to the actual event. Strange odors that are different from a gas leak may be indicative of higher CO emissions that pour out from a unit in distress. The mere thought of the spike in costs should be the one thing prompting Chattanooga, TN homeowners right into action, and taking that action requires a call for furnace repair.
Sudden loud and unusual noises that emanate from your furnace indicate loose or worn out parts, some of which may be the ones causing the noises to begin with needing furnace repair. In fact, any part that has been somehow knocked loose will be the very piece you hear that makes that annoying, clanging sound inside the tank of your furnace. But leaving this unchecked for much too long will cause more unit damage, and that means shelling out more money for repairs or a possible replacement. Any piece that’s left loose can hit something else inside your tank and cause all sorts of untold damage, so it’s extremely important that this not be dismissed as just some random annoying issue.
Any furnace that has issues with rapid cycling is something to be concerned about. In fact, any form of rapid cycling that involves a furnace turning on and off repeatedly for no apparent reason may have some origins in the heating system. Keeping in mind that your furnace and heating system work side by side, knowing what the issue is in your HVAC may help in order to get you straightened out right away.
Furnaces with ventilation issues can have an impact on the inside of your home causing a need for furnace repair. If you take a good look around you and happen to notice anything unusual, such as dewy droplets on the walls, ceilings, or floors, you may be having a ventilation issue that’s connected to your furnace. In fact, the problem may lie in its lack of ability to produce adequate airflow that’s needed to keep out the mustiness and humidity inside your home, thus causing you to feel smothered with hot, heavy air. Simply having the vents professionally cleaned may resolve this.
Believe it or not, furnaces can suffer leaks, and the severity of the issue depends primarily on where that leak may be coming from and when it happens. If you see the water around your furnace right after you’ve used the air conditioner, then the odds are great that the problem can be traced back to the condensate line in your unit. Thankfully, this problem is minor and simple for a technician to fix due to the fact that it has nothing to do with the complexities of your furnace. But if it happens after the heating unit is shut off, it may be more severe than you think and would most likely warrant emergency furnace repair service.
Keep in mind that a furnace is just like a machine in that it abides by Murphy’s Law. Anything that can go wrong will at any given time, and this knowledge alone should keep you on your toes at all times. Quality furnace repair that’s done as part of routine maintenance should be done by an HVAC professional and in a way that any problems that can be caught early on should be before they worsen.
That said, knowing when to replace your old furnace can be tricky. Keep in mind that it is not uncommon for most furnaces to last for a period of roughly twenty years, and keeping it running anytime after that is just like living on borrowed time. Older furnaces have survived years of use, wear and tear, and yet they still try to keep your home warm as faithfully as they did when they were first installed. Yet there is only so much they can do to help, and with age comes other problems. Breakdowns can occur, you may experience higher than normal energy costs, and you might notice that the amount of money you’re spending on repairs exceeds the actual value of the furnace itself.
Making a good investment is critical to choosing the right kind of furnace for your home needs. Your furnace repair specialist should be able to explain to you what type you might need and go over the features with you. Most states now have laws that state you must buy something that’s energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly, and looking at a furnace that has the EnergyStar logo on it is your safest bet for compliance. But the main concern should also be the type of furnace that can help keep your home sustainably warm in spite of the harsh Texas winters, and there are two types in which to consider for installation.
Single-stage furnaces can be cheaper and much easier to install than a two-stage brand. They have the capacity to heat up your home very quickly using only one burner, but the only trouble is that the energy efficiency on them is very poor. Although you may believe that investing in one will put more money in your pocket, the truth is that you will be spending far more money in energy costs in the long run. This type of furnace can burn out very quickly from hard overuse, and there is no guarantee that your home will remain consistently cool for very long. Having your furnace repair specialist help you explore better alternatives would be best.
Unlike the aforementioned brand, a two-stage furnace has a dual burner that allows it to live up to its name very well. In fact, this type can not only heat your home up but will keep it that way for hours at a time, thus helping you keep your monthly energy bills well within your price range. Its patented two-stage system has both a low and a high burner, which gives you the option of adjusting the settings on your furnace for more efficient heating purposes. Keeping it running on low will reduce your energy bill greatly and allow you to enjoy the comfort you deserve. The only trick is remembering that you will need to be ready to shell out more dollars, but considering this a worthy investment just might motivate you to do so.
There are furnaces whose blower speeds can make a difference in how they spend energy while heating up your home. Standard blowers that are limited to only two speeds can only perform two functions: heating and cooling. This handy option may be cheaper and easier to maintain, but does have one central drawback. It uses more electric power than something that uses more than two speeds. Plus, the noise volume of the motor is so great that it might keep you up at night, so if you have ears that are sensitive to sound, then investing in another alternative could be a better plan for you.
Furnaces that have more than two blowers are more expensive but are definitely worth it, as they can automatically adjust to the temperatures in your home for optimal comfort. Plus, its motor is so quiet you’d hardly know it was running. The only difference would be in the comfort and peace of your home. Furnace repair could be more expensive with this model, so extra thought and care should be taken before having this type installed by your furnace repair expert. This type may work well with central air systems for better performance.
If you’re Chattanooga, TN home is lucky enough to have any form of central air, then there is a relationship between your AC and the furnace. When having your AC upgraded, you should do likewise with the furnace to keep that efficiency going strong. Furnace repair should include these upgrades on a periodic basis, especially for older, less efficient systems that have undergone a complete battery of expensive repairs in the last few years.
Since central air systems rely on duct work to disperse the air throughout your home, it does follow that it makes sense how the furnace and the AC are interconnected. In fact, it is the furnace’s blower that allows air at any temperature to be blown around so that your home can remain comfortable in spite of the conditions outside. In this case, if the furnace happens to somehow wink out, you would be in trouble regardless of season and in serious need of furnace repair.
Getting to know your home’s HVAC system is vital to choosing the type of furnace that works best for you. Factor in the cost of repairs and other key points before deciding what’s best for your home. If you have questions about furnace repair or installation, contacting the professionals at Metro Plumbing, Heating and Air is best. You can call or visit them online today, it’s that simple.