Dirty furnace burners can present a number of symptoms that indicate that they need cleaning or a replacement. It’s important to be able to recognize the symptoms so that you can prevent any further issues with your heating system.
At Ambient Edge, we are dedicated to helping you with all your heating and cooling issues so that you can feel comfortable in your home. Read on to learn about the five symptoms of dirty furnace burners and how our team can help.
1. Irregular Flame Colors
One of the most common signs that your furnace burners are dirty is an orange or yellow flame. If your gas furnace is working correctly, the furnace burner flame should be burning blue. A blue flame indicates that the burners have enough air to burn properly.
However, a yellow flame can also mean that the gas in your furnace isn’t burning properly. Another reason your furnace burner may be burning yellow or orange is that the gas in your furnace isn’t burning right. If this is the case, your home may be at risk for a carbon monoxide leak.
So, it’s important to keep your furnace burners clean but also know the root of the problem. Our heating and cooling service experts can help determine if it’s dirty furnace burners or something more serious like a gas burning issue.
2. Your Furnace Emits Strange Odors
When your furnace burners are dirty, they may emit an odor that smells like rubber, smoke, or oil. The smell is most often noticeable when your furnace is on and running because a buildup of gas and dust is getting in the way of your burners functioning.
When you notice this smell or other unpleasant smells, you should order a cleaning appointment for your burners. If you ignore the smells, it could lead to an excessive buildup which could lead to a larger problem such as a fire or a variety of types of gas leaks.
3. You Don’t Have Heat
If you suddenly don’t have heat in your home, dirty furnace burners may be to blame. Your furnace not heating happens because its burners are clogged, which can cause your burners to shut down, resulting in you not having access to heat.
In some cases, your furnace may still be able to give off heat, but it won’t be able to activate the fan. Within your furnace, there’s a sensor that tracks the temperature in the combustion chamber. If the chamber doesn’t reach the temperature it was supposed to, the fan will not come on, and you won’t be able to get any heat even though your furnace is still producing heat.
4. You Have Higher Energy Bills
If you notice that your energy bills are higher than usual, your furnace burners may be what is causing the spike in your bill. Even though your furnace burners are dirty, your heating system will still work, and it will have to work twice as hard. Extra work from your furnace will cause your bills to increase because of the higher energy output.
To avoid paying an unreasonable amount of money for a furnace that isn’t working properly, one of our heating and cooling experts can visit your home, diagnose, and fix your furnace. If it turns out that your furnace burners are dirty, we’ll clean them and give you tips on how to keep them clean. But if it’s a bigger problem and you end up needing a replacement, we can do that too.
5. Your Furnace Makes Weird Noises
The last sign that your furnace burners need to be cleaned is if your furnace is making weird noises. Some of the sounds can include:
- Booms
- Pops
- Rattling sounds
These noises are likely a result of small explosions within your furnace burners as they try to ignite. Some of these explosions are harmless, but others can actually damage the heat exchanger in your furnace.
Contact Ambient Edge to Solve Your Furnace Problems
Now that you know what to look for to determine if your furnace burners are dirty, you’ll be able to know when to contact us if you notice any of the symptoms we discussed. At Ambient Edge, we work hard to ensure that your home is free of heating and cooling problems like dirty furnace burners.
And if you do have a problem, you can feel confident that our team of experts will show up on time and get your heat working in your home again. Call us or fill out the contact form to schedule service for your furnace today.