Your furnace has a big, important job at your house. It keeps your home and family comfortably warm all winter long. But since it usually works without a hiccup and doesn’t make much noise, you probably don’t give your furnace much thought. Sure, you change the air filter each month, but aside from that as long as it’s working you don’t have to worry about your furnace, right?
Wrong! Your furnace deserves more attention when it’s working right than when it’s working wrong. That’s because the only way to keep it running great is to take steps toward maintaining that high level of functionality. When you invest in your furnace at its best, it can stay at its best for even longer without any problems. Give our team a call if you’re ready to schedule heater maintenance in Algonquin, IL. In the meantime you can keep reading to learn why furnace maintenance is so important.
All of our lives are busy. When you’re juggling your professional, personal, and social life, some things can fall through the cracks. One of the things we see fall through the cracks most often is HVAC services. If you’re struggling with your heater, then we suggest scheduling heating repair in McHenry, IL as soon as you can.
We’re professionals you can trust for everything you’re looking for when it comes to handling home heating. We make sure each one of our technicians is expertly trained when it comes to heating repair. We know how to handle any heating repair quickly without sacrificing the quality of our work. We’ve got it covered for you. You can also explore how to keep your furnace safe to ensure your system stays in top condition.
What are common heating problems that deserve professional repair?
Unexplained high energy bills — a heater running inefficiently or with worn parts can drive up costs.
Low heating output — when your system struggles to warm rooms, it’s a red flag.
Odd or loud sounds — banging, rattling, or scraping noises usually signal internal issues.
Irregular or concerning cycling — extremely short or unusually long cycles can stress the system and reduce efficiency.
Difficulty getting and staying warm — frequent thermostat adjustments or running the heater longer than usual indicate deeper problems.
When we reach this point in the winter season, you might start to have doubts about your home’s heater. If you’ve noticed that your heater isn’t able to perform its intended job, then it might be time for you to reconsider things. There’s nothing wrong with calling it quits with your current system even in the middle of the winter. We understand that you might want to wait until the season is over to make things easier. We strive to make things as easy as possible for you. We’re able to do this because we’re informed on so many of the heaters on the market, we’re available to discuss them with you, and we can install them flawlessly. This is why you should trust us for your heating in Crystal Lake, IL. Let’s figure out if it’s time to replace your home’s heater below…
No matter how large or small your home may be or what type of climate you are in, owning a furnace is essential. Indeed, no matter if you use it for one month out of the year or six months, furnaces can literally help keep us safe, healthy, and comfortable. Therefore, you should take the time to ensure that you are doing your best to keep it safe and well-maintained, with the primary goal of keeping your family safe from potential hazards. Scheduling an annual tune up with qualified professionals or technicians is highly recommended to ensure all of your furnace’s safety features are working properly. Additionally, furnaces should have a clear space around them to ensure proper ventilation and prevent heat from igniting nearby materials. With that in mind, here’s a list of furnace safety tips and tricks to help you do just that. For additional insights, check out 3 easy ways to boost efficiency. If you ever need further help, we’re here to assist with your furnace repair in Crystal Lake, IL.
Introduction to Furnace Safety
When the winter season arrives, your gas furnace becomes the heart of your home’s heating system, working hard to keep your family warm and comfortable. But with this essential role comes the responsibility of ensuring gas furnace safety. Improper handling or neglecting regular maintenance can turn your furnace into a safety hazard, putting your home and loved ones at risk. It’s important to stay alert for warning signs, such as a persistent burning smell, a pilot light that won’t stay lit, or a furnace flame that shows yellow, orange, or green streaks, as these can indicate incomplete combustion. A delayed ignition can cause the gas to build up and ignite explosively, posing a serious safety risk. By paying attention to these signals and scheduling timely maintenance, you can keep your system running efficiently and safely all winter long. If you notice anything unusual, don’t hesitate to call a professional, expert inspection and repairs are key to maintaining a safe and reliable heating system.
Creating a Safe Environment
A safe environment is the foundation of gas furnace safety in any home. Beyond just keeping flammable items away, it’s important to keep the entire area around your furnace free from clutter, dust, and debris. Items like boxes, laundry, or even seasonal decorations can block airflow, increase the risk of fire, and make it harder for your furnace to operate efficiently. Dust buildup can also become a safety hazard, as it may cause the furnace to overheat or even catch fire if it accumulates on hot surfaces.
Regular cleaning around your furnace helps prevent these risks and ensures that heat can circulate properly. Make it a habit to vacuum and dust the area frequently, and never use the space around your furnace for storage. If you notice any signs of dust or debris inside the furnace itself, it’s best to call a professional technician for a thorough cleaning.
Professional installation and regular maintenance are also key to creating a safe environment. A qualified technician will ensure your gas furnace is set up correctly, vented properly, and operating within safety guidelines. They’ll also check the furnace filter regularly, as a clean filter not only improves air quality but also helps prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other safety hazards. By following these furnace safety tips and keeping your furnace area clean and clear, you’ll help protect your home from fire, gas leaks, and other dangers.
Have you noticed anything strange about your heating system? An unexplained noise or more dust around your house than usual? These could be the warning signs letting you know there may be trouble ahead with your heating system.
The middle of winter is probably the worst time for heating problems. After all, even one night without heating can feel like a very long time during these months. To help you prevent a heating repair in Algonquin, IL this winter, we’ve compiled some of the most common warning signs to look out for.
The colder months mean hot cocoa, warm sweaters, and higher thermostats. While these days may symbolize a generally cozier atmosphere, moments like these only work if you have your home’s temperature set just right. While some of our home heaters work just fine, when the temperatures start reaching freezing levels it gets hard to just rely on the heater alone.
In order to improve your experience during the winter months, we’ve put together a list of some of the best ways to get your heater pumping out as much heat as it can in an efficient and simple way.
Winter is almost here. This is the time of year where you’re starting to question whether or not you should work on your home’s furnace. We understand this more than anyone. Winter is a busy time of year. You’re planning for holiday parties, getting your loved ones gifts, and likely spending your free time snuggled up on the couch out of the cold.
If you’re wondering if it’s time for furnace repair in Hinsdale, IL, then we want you to get in touch with our team of professionals. We’re prepared to help you get your furnace repaired in time to enjoy the winter season.
Now that the weather outdoors is really starting to get chilly, it means it’s time to start paying closer attention to your heater. Sometimes, the heater that you currently have in your home can no longer serve you. The unfortunate thing about this is that sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s truly time for replacement services. This isn’t something that we’d think you’d want to jump into without the proper preparation and we understand this. This is why we want to help you with your heating services this season.
Sometimes, you’re going to need to consider a new heater installation in Algonquin, IL. We want to be here to help you with this when the time is right. Let’s go through a few signs that you need a new heater.
We’ve finally reached that time of year where things are starting to cool off. It might not be cold enough for you to fire up your heater all day long, but we know you’re definitely having those days where you might need to turn on your heater in the evening. Colder weather is ahead of us. We want to do our part today to make sure you’re prepared for what’s to come.
If you haven’t already, we suggest you turn your attention to your heater in Crystal Lake, IL. If you don’t know where to start, then we can help guide you in the right direction. Let’s go over the basics below…
A cold winter night can quickly escalate if the furnace in your home unexpectedly stops working. While you may be able to throw on an extra blanket or sweatshirt in some cases, a malfunctioning furnace has the potential to cause several problems.
If your furnace is experiencing any serious issues, you may want to enlist the emergency services of a furnace repair company. As one of the most critical appliances in your home, it’s important to keep track of how well your furnace is working, especially during the frigid winter months. For guidance on staying prepared, check out how to keep your furnace safe.
Key Takeaways
Emergency furnace repair services are best for situations that require an immediate response. They are also perfect for situations that occur after hours or over the holidays.
If your furnace is repeatedly cycling on-and-off or simply won’t turn on, then it probably needs repairs. Other signs that a professional should come take a look include strange noises, smells, and poor heat output.
Before calling emergency services, you should check to make sure that your thermostat is working properly and that power is being supplied to your furnace. You should also check the air filter to ensure that it is not clogged.
Some furnaces run on batteries or flash codes to diagnose the problem. Check your owner’s manual to determine what these codes mean.
If you are in need of emergency furnace repairs, Althoff Industries has got you covered! Check out our services page or call our emergency hotline at (815) 455-7000.
Difference Between Standard Furnace Repair and Emergency Furnace Repair
Before you call upon emergency furnace repair services, you need to determine whether your situation is an emergency or not. The following are the most common reasons that people require emergency services.
You need a quick response
You need after-hours service
You need service on a holiday
You Need a Quick Response
If your heating system needs immediate maintenance, emergency services are probably your best bet, as they can typically handle the situation within a few hours.
You Need After-Hours Service
If your furnace is experiencing issues, and they’re happening after regular business hours, an emergency furnace repair service team will be ready to assist you.
You Need Service on a Holiday
Having a furnace blow out on a holiday can really put a damper on things. If this happens to you, an emergency heating technician will be ready to respond as quickly as possible.
There are several signs that your furnace may need repairs.
You are hearing strange noises
You are smelling strange odors
Your furnace is outputting very little heat
Your furnace is cycling on and off abnormally fast
Your furnace will not turn on at all
Strange Noises
Strange noises are a sign that your furnace is not functioning properly. If you hear any tapping or banging sounds, then you will definitely want to have your furnace checked by a professional. However, if you hear other, more intense sounds, such as screeching, you may want to utilize emergency HVAC services.
Many people turn the thermostat up a few degrees to keep warm when the temperature outside is frigid. However, if you find yourself continuously turning up the thermostat and still unable to get warm, your furnace may be malfunctioning.
Fast Cycling
A furnace that turns on and off quickly is said to have a fast cycling issue. If you find this is happening with your furnace, it may be experiencing problems.
Furnace Is Not Running at All
If your furnace is not turning on at all, and you have tried all the troubleshooting steps, your best bet is to call an HVAC repair company.
What You Should Do Before Calling Emergency Furnace Repair Services
Most people who think they have issues with their furnace during the winter months will immediately call and arrange emergency furnace repair services. However, there are a few quick troubleshooting tips to consider before calling emergency repair services.
Check your thermostat
Check for power issues
Check your HVAC system’s air filter
Check your furnace’s batteries (if it uses them)
Check your furnace’s code
Check the Thermostat
Make sure your thermostat is set to “HEAT.” This is the first thing you should check if your furnace is having issues. In most instances, this should solve the problem. It may take a minute or two for the fan to turn on and the heat to kick in.
Check for Power Issues
If your furnace is operating on electricity, check the thermostat’s fan switch, which is typically set to “ON” or “AUTO.” The “AUTO” setting ensures that the fan will turn on as soon as the furnace is switched on.
If the fan turns on after turning the switch to “ON,” you can rule out any power-related issues. Additionally, check your circuit breaker to ensure that everything is working properly.
Check the Air Filter
Filter-related failures are among the most common problems with furnaces. The filter is intended to clean the air that goes into the furnace and the hot air that goes into the home. If it is clogged or dirty, the airflow can become compromised, leading to pressure and heat build-up in the furnace.
While most furnaces are connected to the home electrical grid, some furnaces use batteries. If your furnace uses batteries, check the low-battery indicator to determine if the batteries should be changed.
Check the Furnace Code
Depending on when your furnace was manufactured, it may have a small window where you can see a light indicating whether the furnace is powered. It might also flash a “code” to let you know exactly what’s going on. If your furnace is displaying a code, refer to your owner’s manual to determine what the code means.
Call Althoff Industries Today for Professional Furnace Repair Services in the Chicago Area
We hope these tips provide you with everything you need to identify your furnace repair and troubleshoot any heating problems you may be having. Above all, it’s critical that you don’t miss any annual maintenance service appointment for your furnace.
Many of the aforementioned issues can be identified and corrected during a yearly maintenance appointment, ensuring no loss in heating and cost-saving performance year-round. However, if you are experiencing any problems with your furnace, we can help.
At Althoff Industries, we provide 24-hour emergency furnace repair services in the Chicago area and standard maintenance, repair, replacement, and installation services. If your furnace isn’t working the way you know it should, you can trust our team of reliable, skilled, and licensed HVAC technicians to restore your furnace to working condition. To better understand the benefits of professional maintenance, check out the importance of professional HVAC maintenance.
With two locations that can offer quick service to Chicago residents, you can be sure that Althoff Industries will do whatever it takes to repair your furnace and bring back warmth to your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: When does my furnace issue warrant emergency repair? Answer: You need emergency service if your furnace repeatedly cycles on and off, won’t turn on, makes strange noises, emits odd smells, or fails to deliver adequate heat. Emergency services are also ideal for after-hours and holiday breakdowns.
Question: What quick checks should I do before calling for emergency help? Answer: First, verify your thermostat is set to “HEAT.” Then check power by switching the fan to “ON” and inspecting the circuit breaker. Also inspect the air filter for clogs, change furnace batteries if needed, and consult your manual for diagnostic codes.
Question: What are the most common warning signs of furnace failure? Answer: Key signs include unusual sounds (like tapping, banging, or screeching), strange odors (such as gas, smoke, or burning plastic), poor heat output, fast on/off cycling, or complete lack of function.
Question: How do emergency furnace repair services differ from standard repair? Answer: Emergency services offer quick response, even after hours or during holidays, typically within a few hours. Standard repair may not be available immediately and usually applies during regular business hours.
Question: Why does skipping regular maintenance make emergency breakdowns more likely? Answer: Regular annual maintenance can catch minor issues, like filter clogs or component wear, before they cause serious breakdowns. Skipping these checks can degrade performance and increase the chance of inconvenient, costly emergencies.
