Do you hear a humming noise from your furnace, or does your furnace cycle on and off often? Do you smell a burning smell from your furnace? If yes, then you need to know that your furnace is overheating! Overheating can be a big problem, especially when it is cold outside and you need to warm up your home. Furnace Repair Near Brooklyn Park
Signs that your furnace is overheating
Overheating will cause your furnace to stop working properly because it may lose some functions. Therefore, it is crucial to know why your furnace is overheating so that you can prevent it from happening. As mentioned above, a humming noise, a burning smell, and the furnace cycle turning off are all signs that your furnace is overheating.
When starting a furnace, if the smell keeps coming continuously, even after 30 minutes of starting the furnace, it means something is wrong. The smell might be due to the overheating and melting of wires. The humming noise indicates that your motor is working extra hard. Therefore, it would be best if you turn off your furnace when you hear the humming noise. If the furnace cycle turns off in the middle of an operation, it indicates that the heat exchanger of your furnace is at a hazardous temperature, which causes the high-limit switch to turn the whole system off.
Reasons why your furnace is overheating
Now that you know that your furnace has been overheating, it is important to know the cause of overheating. Upon knowing the cause of overheating, you can prevent it from happening again. Some common reasons why your furnace might be overheating are discussed below.
Restricted Airflow
The most common reason for furnace overheating is restricted airflow. This can happen mainly due to three things that are discussed below.
Dirty Air Filter
A dirty air filter is a very common and simple reason for improper airflow. This simply happens because you forget to change your air filter on a regular basis. The air filter can easily trap dust and dirt particles that might be present in the air. When more dirt build-ups on the air filter, less air will pass through and enter your heating system. Without enough air entering your heating system, your furnace can overheat.
Blocked return vents
Another reason for restricted airflow that can cause your furnace to overheat is the blockage of return vents. Furniture, carpets, or trash often block return vents. This blocks the airflow as well. Keep in mind that your heating system needs enough airflow inside it to run properly. Without proper airflow, it will overheat and shut off. Therefore, make sure you never block your return vents.
Dirty blower wheel
The blower wheel is the part of your blower motor that pushes the air over the heat exchanger in your heating system. It is crucial to maintain the blower wheel as dust and dirt can build upon it. When there is dirt clogged on the blower wheel, it becomes harder for it to turn, which reduces the airflow over the heat exchanger. Without enough airflow over the heat exchanger, it starts to overheat. A professional technician should maintain the blower wheel.
Old Age or Dirty Internal Components
Old Age can be a factor in the heating of the furnace. This is because the furnace has an average lifespan of around 20 years. Even the most expensive and high-quality furnaces have a lifespan. Moreover, many people have older furnace models that lack the security features of today’s new models. Furnace replacement becomes essential when you have a very old furnace because its internal parts start to wear out.
Broken Gas Valve
The gas regulator in a gas furnace, which is responsible for the entry of gas at the correct temperature, might be broken. If it is, then the amount of gas flowing in your furnace will not be regulated. This means that too much gas or too little gas can freely flow in your furnace. Too much gas can increase the size of the flames due to which the heat will increase. This can cause your furnace to overheat.
If you’re in need of any furnace repair or furnace replacement services, then feel free to contact All Climate Mechanical, the best HVAC contractors in Brooklyn Park MN, today.
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