You place a lot of trust in your furnace to assume that it will keep your home warm all winter long. But like all appliances, even the best furnaces run the risk of breaking down as they age; knowing how to identify the signs that you need furnace repair will help you to avoid a catastrophic failure that might leave you out in the cold. Universal Refrigeration, located in Auburn, WA, has provided excellent heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration services to the residents of Seattle, Tacoma, and Auburn since 1985.

Here are some of their expert tips that you need furnace repair:

• Higher Energy Bill: If your energy bill seems elevated over the course of several months, and the weather is not abnormally cold for the season, your furnace might not be operating efficiently. A well-maintained furnace is less likely to experience an expensive catastrophic failure, providing greater savings when compared to yearly maintenance.
• Excessive Noise During Operation: Few furnaces are perfectly quiet, but excessive rattling or banging noises during operation can indicate a need for furnace repair.
• Rapid Cycling: A furnace that cycles on and off more often than normal could indicate a problem with the ignition, thermostat, or wiring. A rapidly cycling furnace uses more electricity and doesn’t heat as efficiently.
• Yellow Burner Flame: Your burner flame should be blue at all times, as carbon monoxide could be present if the flame is yellow or flickering. Other signs of carbon monoxide are the presence of soot around the burner and excessive moisture on cool surfaces such as windows and walls.
• Family Well-Being: A cracked heat exchanger can silently release carbon monoxide into the home. Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, headaches, disorientation, and flu-like symptoms. If you suspect a carbon monoxide leak from your furnace, open your windows to air out the house and call an experienced technician immediately. The only way to protect against such a potentially dangerous situation is with regularly scheduled furnace maintenance.
• Aging Furnace: Most furnaces have a life expectancy of 25-30 years. If your furnace is getting older, you might want to consider replacing it. The cost of repairing an ailing furnace multiple times toward the end of its life expectancy might be greater than simply replacing it, and newer models are more energy efficient, so you will begin recouping on your investment immediately.

Furnace repair and maintenance are essential to keeping you comfortable all winter and should only be performed by a reliable heating and cooling expert. To speak with their highly trained service team call Universal Refrigeration at (253) 939-5501 or visit them on Facebook.