When you have a well-maintained furnace, either gas or electric, in your home, you won’t have to worry about how cold it gets outdoors during the winter months. But even with the best maintenance, furnaces can run into malfunctions—and sometimes these are urgent problems that require calling for 24-hour furnace repair in Madison County.
Handling urgent furnace problems so our customers can get back to enjoying their homes in winter is one of the reasons we have 24-hour service available. To help you know when you need our fast assistance, we’ll take a look at signs of major furnace problems to watch for.
Strange Noises
What counts as a strange noise from a furnace? It’s anything you don’t expect to hear when the furnace is running. This includes:
- Loud clicking sounds
- Booming
- Clattering and rattling
- Metallic clanging
If it’s surprising or loud, it’s not something you want to hear from your furnace. We recommend shutting the furnace off and calling for assistance.
Strange Odors
When you first turn on your furnace for the season, you’ll notice a dusty burning odor. This is normal: it’s dust burning off the heat exchanger. It will stop within an hour. If you start detecting a similar burning odor at other times, it could mean a motor burning out or an electrical fire (and yes, that can happen with a gas furnace), so shut down the furnace and get help immediately.
Another odor to pay attention to is a rotten egg smell. This is from an additive in natural gas that makes it easier to detect. A gas leak is potentially very dangerous, so leave your house first and call the gas company before seeking repair service.
Burners Won’t Stay Lit
When the burners in a gas furnace come on, but don’t stay on for long enough, it can point toward several major problems, such as leaks in the gas main, insufficient airflow, or a malfunctioning safety mechanism called the flame sensor. You don’t want any of these to continue, so get our technicians out to your house right away.
Frequent Cycling
Your furnace will run through heating cycles that will last for around 15 to 20 minutes, followed by a period of inactivity. If your furnace starts going through shorter cycles with little downtime, the system is short-cycling. This requires immediate attention because it drains power and can cause extensive damage to the furnace.
CO Detectors Go Off
If you use a natural gas furnace (or use natural gas in your home in any capacity), you must have carbon monoxide detectors installed around the house as an early warning of leaks. CO is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, so it’s necessary to have an alert system like this in place. If the detectors go off, leave your house immediately and contact the gas company. You can arrange for the necessary repairs later.
When in doubt, rely on professionals! Don’t try to tamper with your furnace yourself—we’re here 24 hours to ensure you have a safely working heating system.
JN Electrical Temperature Control, Inc works hard to ensure customer satisfaction with custom comfort solutions. Contact us for furnace repair service 24 hours a day.