Your heater isn't broken, but it's definitely acting strange. You don't want to call your HVAC technician for something minor, but you also don't want to ignore potentially urgent heater issues. Here's a brief rundown of which are the truly urgent heater issues and which ones are no big deal.
Identifying Urgent Heater Issues
Pay attention to how your furnace sounds, smells, and feels. Screeching noises may mean a pressure problem or a loose belt. Popping and buzzing indicate electrical problems. Loud banging may mean a delay in the gas ignition. All of these are urgent heater issues that should be dealt with immediately.
If you smell burning the first time you turn on your furnace at the beginning of winter, it's probably not a big deal. It's dust that has accumulated in the offseason, which is now burning off. However, if the smell doesn't go away after a few minutes or reappears every time you turn on the furnace, then it's more serious. Call your HVAC technician.
Likewise, if you smell gas, it's a serious problem. Get out of the house and call your gas company — and 911. Once you're sure everyone's safe, call your HVAC technician as well.
Finally, if you don't feel air coming from your vents, even though your furnace is on, you should call for a repair. It could be indicative of several different issues, but the bottom line is, your house isn't getting warm the way it should be, so your furnace needs fixing.
Minor Issues
So which ones aren't urgent heater issues? If your heater causes the power to go out in your home, it may seem dire, but in fact, it's probably just an overloaded circuit. This tends to happen more as systems get older and use more energy. Make sure you're not running any other major appliances on the same circuit.
Similarly, if the thermostat stops working, the most likely culprit is a dead battery. Try replacing it rather than calling for repairs.
For help with your urgent heater issues, contact us at Air Assurance. We provide Broken Arrow with quality home-comfort solutions.