5 Common Problems With Furnaces in Colorado Springs

When fall starts to arrive in Colorado, you may find yourself thinking about the common problems with furnaces in Colorado Springs. It’s important to ensure that your furnace is working properly before the cold weather hits.  There are several issues that can come up when you first turn your furnace on for the winter season. These are the 5 common problems with furnaces in Colorado Springs we are going to review:

• No Heat
• Noises and Smells Coming From The Furnace
• No Professional Preventative Maintenance Scheduled
• Furnace Is Leaking Water
• Furnace is turning off and on too quickly (Short Cycling)

Resolving these common problems is important to ensure that your furnace is running optimally all winter long. The first thing to do is make sure your furnace gets scheduled maintenance every year, this will significantly reduce most causes of your furnace breaking down altogether.

5 Common Problems With Furnaces in Colorado Springs

1. No Heat

You’ve turned your furnace on. After running for some time you realize that your house is still cold. You check your vents and the air coming through is not warm or there is no air coming through even when the furnace is on. This is actually one of the most common problems with furnaces in Colorado Springs. There are many reasons why your furnace isn’t producing heat.  

If your furnace is blowing air but the air is not warm, this can be remedied with the fan settings on your thermostat. Check your thermostat and make sure all the settings are accurate. If you are unsure of the correct setting, check with the thermostat manufacturer’s documents or website.

If your thermostat is “off” and you don’t see a display screen, you may need to change the batteries. The furnace itself may also be shut off. If this is the case, call a licensed HVAC professional to turn it back on correctly.

You may need to change your air filter. Air filters in general need to be replaced every 1-3 months.  At Polar Bear, we recommend checking your filter monthly and replace at minimum every 3 months. When an air filter isn’t replaced regularly it can become caked with dirt and  clog the system. A clogged air filter can quickly cause a variety of problems for you, including reduced airflow or no heat. If your furnace doesn’t have proper airflow, the furnace can overheat and cut out on its high-temperature limit. 

Modern furnaces have extensive circuit boards and ignition systems. If none of the suggestions above work to get heat coming into your home, it’s time to call a professional HVAC furnace specialist to run diagnostics on your furnace unit to find the problem.

2. Noises and Smells Coming From the Furnace

Do you hear some odd or loud noises coming from your furnace every time it turns on? This may be a sign there is something wrong with the furnace and it needs to be serviced immediately.

All furnaces make some noise when they are turned on. This is normal. If you begin to hear odd noises that you’ve never heard before, something could be amiss with your unit. 

Knocking or clunking sounds, for example, could mean that something has become loose in your furnace. Very loud rumbling-type noises may mean that your furnace has a problem.  A professional HVAC specialist can check your furnace, run diagnostics and see if there is a problem with the unit. 

There are several different types of common smells that can come from your furnace and they all mean different things:

• Burning Smell From Furnace
• Furnace Smells Like Burning Plastic
• Gas Smell From Furnace
• Furnace Smells Like Sewer
• Furnace Smells Musty

All of these are signs that you need to call a professional HVAC expert to inspect your furnace to find the underlying cause and resolve the problem. 

3. No Professional Preventative Maintenance Schedule 

Almost all problems with furnaces in Colorado Springs could be avoided with annual maintenance performed by a professional HVAC company. By scheduling professional annual maintenance on your furnace, you can eliminate many of these common problems from happening or catch them before they become bigger problems.

All manufacturers require preventative maintenance on their furnaces in the fall before regular use begins. This also ensures your manufacturer’s warranty is valid in the event there is an issue with the unit. 

Here is what we at Polar Bear Mechanical do during professional furnace preventative maintenance:

• Inspect and clean furnace
• Perform system airflow test before and after
• Check amp draws before and after
• Perform temperature rise tests before and after
• Replace air filter
• Check and adjust thermostat and burners
• Test carbon monoxide (CO)and gas leaks
• Check safety controls
• Check every component is within the manufacturer’s specifications

We also inspect the heat exchanger for cracks, gas pressure, flame, igniter, gas piping, chimney/venting for cracks, wiring, contacts, capacitors & relays, and condensate drain.

We ensure that your furnace is ready for the cold Colorado Springs winter season, and you can sleep well knowing your system won’t break down.

4. Furnace Is Leaking Water

A furnace leaking water is another one of the most common problems with furnaces in Colorado Springs. This is a common problem with high-efficiency furnaces, as well as with whole-house humidifiers. 

Water leaking in your house will always be a stressful situation. If you notice your furnace is leaking water, you will need to act quickly. First, turn off the system, then call a licensed professional HVAC company to inspect your furnace. 

Even small water leaks are big concerns for your heating system and prevent damage to your home.  As soon as you notice or suspect there is a leak, it’s time to bring in the professionals.  

5. Furnace Is Turning Off and On Too Quickly or “Short Cycling”

Furnaces turn off and on, working in cycles to keep a certain temperature in your home.  Older furnaces or cheap builder-grade units that come standard in most homes operate with 100% capacity everytime it turns on. This leads to short cycling, as well as inconsistent temperatures in your house.

You can have a similar short cycling issue If your furnace is oversized.  A properly sized furnace with two stages of heating creates a more balanced heating system with longer running times. A professional HVAC company like Polar Bear Mechanical will come and inspect your furnace to see if it’s properly sized for your home.

Get A Furnace Inspection

If you have any of the common problems with your furnace listed above, book your service with us today. We can quickly see what’s going on and fix any problems that may arise. If you are concerned that your furnace may not make it through the winter, we will come and inspect it so that you have peace of mind.

Check out our furnace services to learn more about how we can help you keep your home warm this winter! At Polar Bear, we care!