Unless you’re a heating expert, it can occasionally be difficult to accurately gauge the health of your furnace. Most homeowners don’t bother worrying about this, assuming that any major problems will announce themselves with obvious signs like the heat not turning on. This can sometimes happen, but the goal of any homeowner should be dealing with potential problems before they grow into something major and expensive to fix. The following are some of the most common warning signs that you need furnace repair in Fairfield, OH.
Short-Cycling
When your furnace seems to turn on and off rapidly and continuously throughout the day, that is called short-cycling. Short-cycling is a phenomenon caused by actual or perceived overheating in your furnace system. This can be caused by an oversized furnace, a faulty thermostat, or a clogged air filter. The end result is the same, though. The furnace starts up in response to a request by the thermostat, and begins circulating heat. The furnace control system registers a heat output beyond what the furnace should be producing, causing it to shut the furnace down as a safety measure. After the furnace has cooled a little, it starts up again in an attempt to heat the house and the whole cycle repeats ad infinitum. If you notice your furnace short-cycling, call a professional immediately. Prolonged short-cycling wastes a lot of energy and drastically shortens the life of your furnace.
Increase in Heating Bills
It’s always a good idea to keep a close eye on the cost of your heating bills. Aside from the obvious benefit of helping you budget properly, this is one of the first ways that heating problems present themselves. The average forced air system loses about 20-30% of its heat on average to leaks in the ductwork. That translates to quite a lot of wasted money on heat that never reaches its destination. A sudden rise in your heating bills indicates that your furnace is losing heating efficiency, which is a pretty good sign that you have a problem.
If you’re experiencing issues with your furnace, schedule an appointment with Bartels Heating & Cooling. Our professional furnace repair service covers all of Fairfield, OH.