Winter is by far the most stressful time of year for furnaces. They’re used on a near-daily basis, often for hours at a time, which generates a lot of additional wear and tear on the system. This added strain makes it far more likely for problems to develop with the furnace. If you’re using a furnace to keep warm this winter, you should keep an eye out for symptoms that your system is in trouble. Let’s take a look at some common furnace problems, and the symptoms they give off.
Failing Air Handler Motor
The air handler is the part of the furnace responsible for circulating air throughout the house. It is essentially a large motor with a fan attached to it. It takes a lot of effort to circulate that much air throughout the house, so the air handler is equipped with oiled bearings to help lessen the friction on the system. These bearings wear down over time, causing the friction on the motor to increase and producing a loud grinding sound. If the bearings are not replaced in time, the air handler motor can burn out.
Short Cycling
Short cycling is the result of heat becoming trapped in the furnace, often due to a clogged air filter. This causes the furnace to overheat, which causes the limit switch to shut it down as an emergency safety measure. The limit switch cannot fix the source of the overheating, though, so when the furnace starts up again it will overheat and shut down again. This cycle continues indefinitely, placing immense strain on the system, until it finally breaks down. Shut down your furnace and call for repairs as soon as you notice it turning on and off every couple of minutes.
Call Certified Air Systems Inc. for a full range of furnace repair services throughout Maitland, FL.
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