If you use a furnace to heat your home, it is essential to know how to deal with repairing your furnace when it experiences a common operating issue. If you can't fix the issue on your own, call in a professional to assist you.

Issue #1: Furnace Isn't Producing Enough Heat

When you turn on your furnace, you expect it to produce enough heat to warm up your home. If you feel some heat coming through your vents, but the amount of air and heat is not what you expect, your furnace is underperforming.

Generally, an underperforming furnace is caused by a clogged air filter. This is something you can quickly fix by locating your filter and pulling it out. Take the filter and hold it up to the light. If no light shines through, then the filter needs to be changed. If you notice a dirty smell when your furnace is running, that is another sign you need to change the filter.

When you install the filter, make sure that you install it right-side up. Installing the filter upside-down can limit its effectiveness.

Issue #2: Yellow Burner Flame

Occasionally, you should check the burner and see what color the flame is when your burner is on. The flame should be blue, and the flame should be burning evenly. If the flame is yellow or flickering, you have an issue.

A dirty burner usually causes a yellow or uneven flame. You can take care of this by turning off the power to the furnace. You can then use a vacuum cleaner to clean around the blower. Dust can get into the blower over time and can cause the flame not to burn properly. Condensation and soot can also impact the color of the flame.

If you get an annual inspection, they will clean the blower area for you.

Issue #3: Continuously Running Blower

Your furnace should not run all the time. A continuously-running furnace signifies that something is wrong with it, generally with the limit switch. When the limit switch is bad and trips, the heating element will turn off, and the blower will keep running.

The blower will keep running for an extended period until the system resets. The limit switch will not close things down as it should. In this case, you will need a professional technician to change out the limiter switch with a new one.

If your furnace is not blowing enough heat, you may need to change out the filter. If your flame for the furnace is yellow, you need to clean up around the burner tray. If your furnace blower keeps running and doesn't seem to be turning off properly, you need to change the limiter switch. For more information about furnace repair services, contact a local HVAC company.

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