With our brutal winters here in Syracuse, NY, a furnace breakdown can be a scary thing to experience. Not only are you left in the cold without a heating system, but you’re also stressed by not knowing what could be wrong and how much it’ll cost to fix it.
That’s why it pays to learn about the most common furnace repairs you’ll probably need someday as a homeowner. Let’s go over the signs of 5 basic furnace issues you’re likely to experience someday.
1. Weak Airflow or Lukewarm Air
When a furnace is working properly, you’ll notice a strong flow of hot air from the vents. If you’ve noticed a decline in airflow, or if the air isn’t as hot as it should be, check and change the air filter if it’s dirty. If that doesn’t help the problem, it could be the blower fan.
The aptly named blower fan blows the heated air through the ductwork where it eventually reaches the rooms of your home. If it’s not working, you’re paying for the furnace to heat air that’s not reaching your home.
2. Uneven Heating
Sometimes your furnace and blower fan are working perfectly, but it’s the ductwork that’s causing problems. If you have an older home, the ductwork is especially susceptible to trouble spots such as leaks, tears, holes, and disruptions between connections. You’ll notice ductwork issues when there are cold spots in rooms that are otherwise warm and toasty. Or the heat won’t reach certain rooms at all.
3. Short Cycling
Short cycling occurs when your furnace repeatedly turns itself on and off without completing a heating cycle. This can happen for many different reasons such as a dirty air filter or blocked vents in your home. Not only does short cycling keep your home from warming up properly, but it’s also incredibly hard on the furnace.
4. Loose, Dirty, or Faulty Wiring
Nothing lasts forever and this is certainly true of wiring. Sometimes a loose wire or a dirty fuse can cause a miscommunication between the thermostat and the furnace. You’ll notice this when you notice a disconnect between the thermostat’s reading and the actual temperature of your home.
Something as simple as a single loose wire can also lead to a short that will stop your furnace from heating properly. If you suspect a wiring issue with your furnace, this is a job to leave to a professional HVAC technician.
5. Miscalibrated Thermostat
Even when your wiring is working perfectly, the thermostat can sometimes struggle with reading the exact temperature of your home. This is called a thermostat miscalibration and when it happens, the thermostat thinks it’s cooler or hotter than your home really is. If the thermostat thinks it’s 5° F hotter than the actual temperature, then the thermostat won’t tell the furnace to turn on even when it feels cold in the house.
Live a happier, healthier, and more comfortable life—trust Breathe Easy of CNY Heating & Cooling for your furnace repairs in Syracuse, NY! We are consumers too! Contact us today!