It’s almost spring! How’s your furnace doing? It’s been chugging along for months, working hard every day. It would be perfectly understandable if it was having a little bit of trouble by now. Certain problems, like the blower fan motor overheating or wearing out, or the flame sensor or burners getting too dirty to function, are more likely to happen after a long winter’s work.
If your furnace is having trouble this close to the end of the winter, do you really need to get it fixed now? Couldn’t you wait until next fall and have your furnace repaired before you need to use it again next winter? We don’t recommend that. Here’s why.
Small Problems Get Worse
When you keep running your furnace even though it has a problem, that small problem can get much bigger, and that bigger problem can be much more expensive to repair. And let’s be honest, you’re going to have to keep running your furnace for a while yet. Spring is coming soon, but it will be a bit longer before it actually arrives.
Let’s take as our example that blower fan motor we mentioned before. Perhaps it’s overheating from too much dust accumulation over the winter, which reduces the airflow. Or perhaps the bearings are wearing down from use. Either of these would require a simple repair. But continuing to run the furnace without repair will lead to the motor completely burning out or breaking, and then the whole motor will have to be replaced.
Energy Consumption Increases
Most furnace problems result in inefficiency. This means they’ll force the furnace to work harder, using more energy, and driving your utility bills up. Either of the examples above, low airflow or worn bearings, will cause the system to strain in order to work against the friction or pull enough air through.
Many problems cause furnaces to short cycle, starting up and shutting down too quickly, over and over, and the startup uses more energy than any other part of the cycle. Prompt furnace repair in Ambler, PA can restore proper functioning so your system won’t waste energy and your bills won’t end up sky high.
Furnace Lifespan Can Be Reduced
The gravest possible consequence of failing to have your furnace repaired is that it can shorten the life expectancy of the whole system. It will cost thousands of dollars to buy a new furnace and have it installed, and you don’t want to be doing that any sooner than necessary. But the same things that cause problems to worsen can cause permanent damage.
Too much strain on the system is life-threatening for your furnace and can lead to early replacement. It causes small problems to turn into much bigger ones. And it drives up your energy use and your utility bills. Prompt repair will eliminate all these problems. Don’t delay! Get furnace repair right away.
Contact Platinum Plumbing & Heating, Inc. today to schedule an appointment with our pros.