Anyone that owns a home in Ocean County is likely to have an HVAC system installed. This will include a portion for air conditioning and machinery for heating as well. As with most equipment found within a home, furnaces and air conditioners can break. When this happens, you and your family can be literally left in the cold. We’ve decided to review a few of the most common furnace repairs in Ocean County. Plus, we’ll give you some tips on how to avoid them.
A Scraping Sound is Usually Worn-Out Ball Bearings
Some furnaces make a lot of noise when they run even when they are in the best condition. Others may be much quieter. The key as a homeowner is to recognize what noises are normal for your furnace. This way you can easily identify an abnormal noise that may be a warning sign of damage. One of these noises that isn’t typical of any working furnace is a scraping metal sound. Most commonly, this is a sign of worn-out ball bearings in your blower. It is always best to refrain from turning on your furnace again until our repair technician confirms that this is the problem and replaces them.
During our yearly inspection, we’ll check all parts of your blower including the ball bearings for wear and tear. Anything identified as broken or worn can then be replaced before you have problems.
Your Energy Bill is On the Rise
Usually, the first few times you turn your heat on, it’s only on to take the chill out of the air. It turns on to raise the indoor temperature a few degrees and then turns off. As the weather gets colder and colder, you run your heater more and more. So, it is not uncommon for your energy bills to be higher as winter sets in. However, once your daily routine is set and the temperature on the thermostat isn’t changing much, your energy bill should plateau. If the outdoor temperatures have been steady and you haven’t changed anything on your furnaces schedule, but your bill is going up every month, there could be a number of things wrong.
An inefficient machine is an expensive machine. Save money with an annual inspection so we can keep your furnace running smoothly.
Your Furnace Blows Continuously
There is a part of your furnace that ultimately controls when it turns on and when it shuts off. This is called the limit switch. These are a common part to go bad in a furnace. You will almost immediately know if you have a bad limit switch because the blower in your furnace will blow continuously. Not only can this lead to our first problem because the blower is working too much, but it can also be dangerous. The limit switch knows to shut your furnace off when it gets hot enough. Without that trigger, your furnace can easily overheat. Not only can this cause extensive damage to your furnace, but these damages are potentially hazardous. When the furnaces temperature continues to ruse unchecked, it can crack the heat exchanger. This in turn can allow toxic byproducts to leak into your home.
Routine care by our professionals helps to ensure not only the efficiency of your HVAC, but the safety of it as well. Always be sure to have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home on all floors.
Lack of Maintenance is the Biggest Contributor to Furnace Repair in Ocean County
One of the biggest contributing factors to homeowners needing to call for furnace repairs in Ocean County is the lack of routine maintenance. All the repairs we’ve already mentioned can often be avoided with a regular visit from one of our technicians. A once-a-year inspection of your HVAC system can identify minor issues that we can then fix before they cause more damage. It is best to have your a/c examined in the spring and your furnace in the fall. This gives you the best chance at avoiding any breakdowns or emergencies. That being said, if you miss that window, it is still always better to schedule an inspection for any time versus not at all. Any maintenance is better than no maintenance at all when it comes to furnace repair in Ocean County so contact us today.