Heating Repair

You probably take your heating system for granted — and that's not a bad thing. When your furnace is working properly, you shouldn't really notice it. You should just feel comfortable in your home. But when there are growing problems with your heating system, certain tell-tale signs will start to make themselves known, from odd smells to high energy bills. Eventually, this leads to the dreaded day your heat suddenly stops working.

The most common odor that you'll notice when a heater isn't working properly is a burning or overheating smell. This is the smell of something working too hard in the furnace and burning itself out. Other smells include burning plastic or the smell of hot metal. If you smell this when your heat is on, you're going to want to get it looked at ASAP.

Your furnace should not be making noise, at least not any noise that you notice. Examples of questionable noises from a heater include whistling, clanking, humming, rumbling, or scraping — just to name a few. If it sounds wrong, then it probably is. So, if you notice any of these noises or others, you should call a pro for help to get your system checked.

Virtually all homes and rental units come with a carbon-monoxide detector in order to detect the odorless and very dangerous gas that can sometimes leak. If your carbon-monoxide detector goes off, you want to look first to your furnace. A carbon-monoxide leak is considered an emergency, and you should call your local gas provider immediately.

Even if your furnace isn't making any noise or giving off any strange smells, that doesn't mean everything is perfect. A common example of a heating problem that might fly under the radar is an energy bill that is much higher than you expect it to be. This could be a sign that the system is not working correctly or efficiently for some reason that a professional should investigate.

Most of the time, your heating system will be working fine. But occasionally, there are signs that something is going wrong. You don't want to wait on a heating problem. Get it looked at ASAP.