Do You Need a Furnace Repair?
It can be challenging to determine how severe your furnace problem is and whether or not you should contact Hunt’s Services immediately. As a general rule, it’s best to have your heating issues fixed right away because additional components could wear down if you don’t have the unit serviced.
If you notice strange sounds coming from your system, such as rattling, humming, or screeching, you’ll want to call Hunt’s Services soon. The screeching sound could mean that the motor on your inducer or blower is on its last legs, and the unit as a whole will stop working once that component breaks.
Another situation where you could contact us right away is if the flame in your furnace is burning yellow, rather than blue. Often, a blue flame signals that you have a carbon monoxide leak, which could be deadly if not repaired. Turn your furnace off, leave your house, and call us right away if you see a yellow flame.
Smelling gas inside your home is also a sign that you should call Hunt’s Services immediately. The smell of gas could mean that your heat exchanger is cracked, which is a common problem in older heaters. Turn the furnace off and contact us to ensure that more damage isn’t done.
When your thermostat isn’t working when you try to adjust your interior temperature, there are a couple of potential causes. For starters, it could mean that you have an electrical problem with the actual thermostat, so your furnace isn’t being told to provide more heat. Another potential cause is a broken component that is preventing your furnace from delivering heat. Either way, Hunt’s Services can help.
Are your heating bills increasing? Often, spending more on energy means that there is an issue with your heating unit. If temperatures are in line with historical averages, and you haven’t any significant cold snaps recently, higher energy bills could mean that your furnace isn’t working at an optimal level and needs service.
Is a Furnace Replacement Necessary?
Whenever possible, Hunt’s Services will attempt to repair your current furnace. If the parts aren’t available, or if your unit is so old that fixing it isn’t possible, we’ll recommend that you replace the entire furnace.
Generally, furnaces only last between 15 and 20 years. While there are exceptions, once your unit reaches the age of 15, it’s time to start thinking about getting a new one. When multiple parts start failing at once, it’s a good sign that the furnace is reaching the end of its lifespan.
We might also recommend that you replace your furnace if we find that your current unit isn’t correctly installed. If a previous contractor didn’t follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, you could have an improper installation causing increased wear and tear on the furnace.
We’ll try to repair your furnace whenever possible, but in some cases, a replacement is unavoidable.