Avoid Halloween Terror by Preventing an Overheating Furnace

An Overheating Furnace Can Cause Fires, Gas Leaks

When homeowners start to smell burning odors in their homes, it can quickly create fear for households. As they check their homes for smoke, they could soon trace the smell to the furnace. If a furnace overheats, it can result in serious threats like fires and carbon monoxide leaks.

Property owners can reduce their risks of an overheating furnace by using tips from trusted experts. This blog post will share the symptoms of an overheating furnace, the dangers of overheating, and how to prevent a furnace from overheating.

An Overheating Furnace Is a Threat to Households

An overheating furnace can be a very dangerous threat to a household. If this happens, it can put families at risk of furnace fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Fires can occur as the furnace components get too hot, and carbon monoxide leaks can occur if a unit’s heat exchanger develops a crack. Both of these threats can be deadly to households, so it’s essential to act quickly.

There are also other consequences of overheating furnaces. They can include needing to replace furnace parts and even the entire system if the lifespan is reduced or the damage is too severe. To prevent these issues, homeowners must schedule repairs and inspections immediately after noticing signs of an overheating furnace.

Overheating Furnace Symptoms to Protect Households

burning smellProperty owners need to be able to identify the symptoms of an overheating furnace to immediately get the furnace repaired and avoid dangerous threats to their household.

Furnace contractors recommend homeowners watch for signs like:

  • Burning odors come through the vents or from the furnace
  • Strange noises like humming
  • The furnace shuts down by itself
  • Extremely hot air is coming through the vents
  • Burn marks on the components inside and outside the furnace
  • Increasing energy bills as the furnace overworks
  • Circuit breakers that keep tripping to protect the household from the risks

How Property Owners Can Prevent an Overheating Furnace

prevent a furnace from overheatingThe safest way to deal with an overheating furnace is to take steps to prevent it from happening at all. While this isn’t possible in all cases, there are things furnace contractors suggest homeowners do to prevent an overheating furnace, including:

  • Schedule yearly furnace maintenance services. This allows technicians to identify problems with a unit that can lead to overheating and repair them during the inspection to prevent them from occurring later.
  • Have a technician clean the system to remove dirt and debris. This can be done during an annual tune-up.
  • Perform air filter replacements about every one to three months. The frequency depends on the type of filter and the household.
  • Ensure vents are open and unobstructed to prevent an airflow problem that can lead to overheating.

About Update Heating and Cooling Services

Update Heating and Cooling Services has more than 20 years of expertise serving New Lenox and the surrounding areas. They provide flat-rate pricing, same-day services, and a comfort club. Call them today for furnace repair or maintenance in New Lenox, IL.