Understanding the common signs that you need furnace service in Colorado Springs, CO is a basic part of owning a furnace. But furnaces can fail in several ways, and some of the signs aren’t ones you’ll frequently find on lists of furnace repair warnings. These are often more subtle, but they can give you an early heads up that you should call our expert technicians. Repairing a furnace promptly not only protects you from getting trapped in a house with no heat, it also helps ensure the furnace operates at its safest.
Here are several of the lesser-known signs of a furnace that’s malfunctioning…
Changes in the burner flame color
Atmospheric combustion furnaces draw the air for the burners directly from around the furnace. You can look into one of these furnaces through a small peephole and see the blue glow of the burner flames. (With sealed combustion furnaces, you won’t be able to see the flames.) The flames should always burn blue. If the flame is another color, something is wrong. A yellow flame means incomplete combustion of gas, probably from a dirty burner. This not only means lessened heater performance, but it can also mean the production of carbon monoxide.
Moisture mysteriously appearing in your house
Our winter weather is dry, and indoor humidity is rarely something you’ll have to deal with. You should only notice moisture on windows and surfaces from activities like cooking and showering. If you do begin to notice moisture on windows, walls, and other surfaces, you may have a problem with the furnace improperly circulating air, leading to the stagnancy that creates this moisture.
Water leaking from the furnace
This can baffle people when they first see it. Why is there water around the base of the furnace? The furnace doesn’t use water! What many don’t realize is that the furnace creates water vapor from the cooled combustion gas, which it then sends out a water condensate line. If this line because clogged, water will drip out of the furnace, and the furnace may shut down.
Restless thermostat syndrome
We just made this name up, but it fits: instead of leaving your furnace on a single steady temperature during the day, you have to constantly fiddle around with the settings to get the comfort just right. This might be a problem with the thermostat, and you’ll need technicians to repair it, but it can also warn that the furnace itself is inconsistent or losing its heating power. Either way, stop fiddling with the thermostat and call for assistance.
You’ve been calling us too often for repairs
Don’t get us wrong—we love helping our customers! But if you have to call us regularly to repair the furnace, then something more serious is going on. Your furnace may be on the way out permanently. Ask our technicians to give you a diagnosis of the future of the furnace, and we’ll help you find out if it’s worthwhile to continue with repairs or to get a new furnace.
Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning serves Colorado Springs and the surrounding area. Call us for 24-hour response when you have a furnace emergency.
