When you prevent furnace problems, not only do you lower your energy bills, but you also increase your safety and assure yourself that you’ll have plenty of heat when you most need it. Without routine maintenance, furnaces can go out of adjustment and dirt can build, reducing the efficiency of your system and creating the potential for indoor hazards.

Furnaces exhibiting these systems need professional attention:

• Inadequate airflow to the registers – Forced-air systems deliver heated air through a network of ducts. If a duct collapses, loosens or becomes clogged, the airflow slows. If you have a room that was otherwise comfortable but is now chilly, your ductwork may have developed leaks or other problems. Running your furnace with a loose duct can bring more dust into your air, along with carbon monoxide (CO).
• Dirty filters – If you haven’t changed your air filter, you probably have a lot of built-up dirt in the air handler. A clogged filter slows the airflow through the air handler, making the heat exchanger stay warm longer. This contributes to metal fatigue and the heat exchanger may eventually crack, causing your furnace to be red-tagged and disabled. A cracked heat exchanger has the potential to emit CO into your home. You can avoid it by checking the filter monthly and changing it when it gets dirty.
• Fan doesn’t run – The fan inside the air handler needs oiling at least once a year to prevent furnace problems. Neglecting to do this can burn the motor out faster. If the burner turns on and the fan doesn’t after a few seconds or a minute, the fan may need replacing. Continuing to run the system without the fan is dangerous.
• Short-cycling – If the furnace runs for short periods frequently, it may need adjusting or the thermostat is working improperly.

A furnace that isn’t working as it should needs to be checked sooner rather than later to prevent furnace problems that could become more serious. Powers Heating & Air provides HVAC services for the Peachtree City area and can help you with routine and emergency furnace services.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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