Think of your furnace as the heart of your home, pumping heat through the vents and out of the registers. When your furnace starts to experience problems producing heat, then your home becomes uncomfortable, and in some climates, unliveable.
We all need our furnaces working effectively and efficiently throughout the entire year. But how do you know your furnace is starting to experience operational problems?
Today, we’re going to take a look at signs you can catch so you can tell if your furnace needs a repair.

The Furnace Isn’t Turning On
It should be no surprise that the #1 sign on our list is the fact that your furnace isn’t turning on at all.
Your furnace can fail for a variety of reasons. Still, a complete failure is usually indicative of a problem that was allowed to develop over time without intervention. You can tell if you are experiencing a furnace failure if you notice no heat is being produced or if the blower motor isn’t making any sounds.
Some of you might fancy yourselves as the handy type, and that’s great! However, before you dive in and take a look at your furnace yourself, we always recommend scheduling an appointment with our technicians first. There are plenty of parts inside your furnace that can be dangerous if the right precautions aren’t taken. So, for your safety, please call a professional before attempting any at-home repairs.

Discoloured Pilot Light
For your home to get any warmer, your furnace is going to need a heat source. And if your furnace is gas-powered, then it needs to have a burner to produce that heat. For a burner to work, it needs a pilot light.
The pilot light is a little flame that stays on at all times, serving as the ignition flame for the gas burner. In normal working conditions, pilot lights emit a blue colour. This means the flame has enough air to combust the fuel used.
However, if you are seeing a yellow colour being emitted from your pilot light, then there is most likely a problem with the airflow in the combustion chamber.

Poor Heating
The main job of any furnace is to heat your home. If you notice your furnace is performing its job poorly, then it is time to schedule a repair. Different things can cause your furnace to fail to produce enough heat, such as a dirty air filter, a clogged or broken blower motor, or even a blocked air duct.
One of the first steps towards fixing this problem is checking the air filter of your furnace, located between the return air duct and the blower motor chamber. If this is clogged, then a replacement filter may solve your issues. If the problem persists after this easy fix, then it is time to call in the professionals.

Weird Noises
If your furnace is making sounds that don’t sound normal, then there is either a problem developing, or a problem already exists. Some of these strange noises may include humming, clicking, banging, squealing, rattling, or even scraping.
Different sounds typically correspond to different issues. If you hear excessive humming or scrapping, there might be an issue with your blower motor. The fan of the blower motor is held to the motor through a series of different mounting bolts and screws. If any of these are loose, it can cause a rattling or scraping sound.
Depending on the motor, a belt might be used to spin the fan and transfer heat around your home. If the belt is frayed or worn down, it could cause a humming or squealing sound.

Poor Air Flow
Not only does your furnace produce heat, but it also transfers that heat throughout your home. However, if your furnace is having a problem with providing sufficient airflow, then it might be time to get it looked at by a professional.
Airflow problems can stem from blower motor issues, dirty air filters, or even blocked ductwork.

Your Home is Dusty or Dry
If you find that your home is continuously filling up with dust or if the air feels unusually dry, then there might be a problem developing with your furnace. This is often caused by a dirty air filter. If your home is starting to experience sub-par airflow, this could be indicative of blower motor issues or even clogged or broken air duct systems.

six signs your furnace is in need of repair