7 Signs of a Broken Furnace That You Should Not Ignore

The average cost to repair a broken furnace runs about $289.

Oftentimes there are warning signs that lead up to the outright failure of the furnace. If you’re able to identify that your furnace is nearing a breakdown point, catching the problem early may save you big.

In this article, we’ll discuss the basic warning signs of a broken furnace.

7 Signs You Have a Broken Furnace

There are several different signs that can hint at a furnace about to bite the dust.

You can lengthen the life of your furnace by giving it routine maintenance care and making sure you don’t work the furnace too hard. Blocking the vents with furniture and never changing the filter can have a negative impact on a furnace.

Here are seven signs your furnace is close to breaking:

1. Your Energy Bill Has Been Increasing Every Month

While it’s normal for your utility bill to fluctuate from month to month, a drastic change in energy cost may be a sign of something serious.

If you notice a significant change in your energy bill, monitor all of your output. Keep an eye on things like gas or electricity rate, usage patterns, and the weather conditions.

If these factors remain the same, yet your bill is still huge, then your furnace is not functioning at an efficient capacity.

2. You’ve Had Headaches or Allergy Problems a Lot

A broken furnace can have a drastic and negative effect on the quality of your indoor air.

This is often a symptom that is missed. It’s easy to equate your family feeling sick to having a cold or something else. Some common symptoms of poor air quality are:

  • eyes irritated;
  • stuffy nose;
  • sore throat;
  • mental fatigue;
  • headaches;
  • sinus infections, or;
  • coughing.

3. Something Smells Weird in Your Home

If you notice an unusual smell, that is yet another warning sign that your HVAC system is malfunctioning. Some of the types of smells you may detect are:

  • rotten egg;
  • electrical or burning, and;
  • moldy or musty.

4. You Hear Noises Coming from Your Furnace

If strange noises are coming from your HVAC unit, it should go without saying that something is amiss. A functional HVAC doesn’t emit a grinding or squealing noises.

5. Pools of Water Collect Around Your HVAC Unit

If you notice a small leak or a huge puddle forming around your furnace, then something is definitely wrong. 

6. One Room Is Warm While Another Is Ice-Cold

If there are temperature imbalances throughout your home, this may be a warning sign that your furnace is broken. 

7. Your Furnace Is as Old as the Hills

It may sound like a weird warning sign, but if your HVAC is older than you, that in itself is a warning.

An old HVAC is living on borrowed time. It’ll eventually start to break down on you or stop working altogether. An HVAC unit built today is 60% more efficient than one made over 10 years ago.

Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs

If you are experiencing any of these warning signs, you may have a broken furnace.

It’s important to address the problem as soon as possible. At Salt Air Heating & Cooling, we have experts adept at diagnosing and servicing all makes and models of HVAC units.

To learn more about how Salt Air can help you, contact us today.

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