Having Heat Doesn't Mean You Don't Need Heating Repairs

When do you call a heating repair company? Most people know to make this call when their heater fails and their home is growing cold. But sometimes, heaters don't fail all at once. Your heater might break and need repairs but still be pumping out heat. So, rather than waiting for the heater to completely quit on you, call the repair company if these things are happening. 

You've noticed a scorched odor.

When the heat turns on, do you notice a scorched, burning smell? It might smell like burning rubber or burning cloth. This could indicate that the belt inside your blower motor is starting to fray. The smell might be coming from the little strings or frayed edges of the belt burning. Your motor may also simply be caked with dirt or hair, which is burning and releasing a scorched odor. All of these issues should be taken care of by a heating repair contractor because they could otherwise lead to total heater failure—or a fire.

Your carbon monoxide detector is going off.

If your carbon monoxide detector is going off, definitely don't ignore it. This generally means there is some issue with the vent system associated with your furnace. The furnace may keep working well in spite of this, but it's a dangerous situation to be in. Turn the furnace off, and leave the house. Call your heating repair company and have them come take a look. Once the problem is detected and fixed, you can move back into the home. Make sure you continue to check and change the batteries in your carbon monoxide detector regularly since this device can literally save your life.

The heat is turning on, off, and then on again.

Your heater should be turning on a few times an hour. In cool weather, it may turn on once or twice an hour. In really cold weather, it may turn on a bit more often. What it should not be doing, however, is turning on, then off, then on again in short succession. If this is happening, your furnace is doing what's known as short-cycling. This could indicate a problem with the blower motor, an issue with the gas supply, or any number of other problems.

Having heat does not mean you don't need to call for heating repairs. If your heater is displaying any odd behaviors at all, give your HVAC company a call.

Contact an HVAC technician for additional information about heating repair.