Ottawa Furnace Repairs

Most furnace problems actually aren’t that difficult to recognize. Some common signs that you need to get you furnace looked at and repaired by an HVAC specialist include:

Yellow Flame – A yellow flame in your furnace indicates that there’s dirt inside the burner. The flame in your furnace should typically be a bright blue colour.

Broken Thermostat – If the thermostat reading feels considerably off from the temperature that you’re feeling, you should call a furnace repair professional.

Strange Smells & Sounds – A furnace will always give off some noise but it should never be a loud rattling, banging, or creaking. An unpleasant smell also isn’t normal. If you sense a burning, metallic, or natural gas smell, call a furnace repair expert right away.

There’s no universal or set fee that you should expect to pay for a furnace repair. The price can vary significantly depending on what type of furnace you have, what the problem is, and where you’re located. A furnace repair in Ontario can typically range anywhere from $500 to $1000+.

Be wary of prices that seem abnormally low as you will typically get what you pay for. Extremely low furnace repair costs can be a result of the repairers using fake or refurbished parts or not providing quality services that will last.

The cost of a furnace repair can vary significantly from one job to the next. Some of the most important factors that can determine the cost of your furnace repair job include:

Furnace Type – Prices differ based on the type of furnace that you have. Natural gas, electrical, and oil furnaces all require different types of repairs and expertise.

Warranty – If your furnace is covered under warranty, it can reduce or completely cover the cost of repairing your furnace.

Extent of Damage – The more damage, the more expensive the fix will be. That’s why it’s recommended to get your furnace inspected regularly to avoid problems getting worse over time. The sooner you can catch a potential issue, the less it will likely cost to repair it.

Location – Your location is important because the supply of materials and cost of living will directly influence the repair prices. Also, how far an HVAC specialist needs to travel might influence the cost as well.

Service Provider – Each company has their own price. Make sure to shop around and compare prices to understand what seems like a reasonable price for a furnace repair job.

Furnace filters should be checked as frequently as once a month depending on the season and the type of filter that you have. For 1–2-inch filters, replace them every 1-3 months, and for 5–6-inch filters, replace them every 9-12 months. This value can change depending on seasonality. Consult with our HVAC repair technicians to get an accurate assessment for your furnace filter.

If your furnace is less than 15 years old and the cost of the repair is significantly less than replacing it, that might be your best alternative. If your furnace is more than 15 years old, is no longer under warranty, and requires a costly repair, then it’s time to consider buying a new furnace. Contact us today and our HVAC repair professionals can help you make the best decision for your budget.

There are a few different scenarios we could be talking about here. If you find that there is cold air coming through your ducts when the heat comes on, but that the air warms up quickly enough, this is pretty common – it’s a result of the ducts being exposed to colder temperatures than the air being pushed out the vents as the hot air from the furnace comes behind it. If, however, you are getting nothing but cool or cold air through the system, then there is a problem. First, make sure that the thermostat is set properly and in working order. Other culprits could include a dirty air filter (time to change it!); a block somewhere along the duct work; or an issue with the pilot light on the furnace (try relighting it). If none of these are helping, give us a call and we’ll send an HVAC tech out ASAP to assess the situation and restore your heat.

It’s hard to know offhand, of course, without us hearing the noise and assessing the furnace & ductwork. Having said that, it’s not uncommon to hear “pop” or “bang” sounds coming from the ductwork. The ducts are expanding and contracting as the temperatures fluctuate with the air heating and cooling, and some of this can be audible. Hearing more of a “rattle”? This could be a loose panel, usually fixed rather easily by tightening screws in place. Do you hear a metallic “scraping” sound? That could be the result of a loose blower wheel, which is something we’d want to take a look at. If the noises are more along the lines of “grinding,” that again we’d want to come out and assess since it could be issues with the motor. For these last two, it’s better to call an HVAC tech sooner than later in order to avoid more substantial damage and costlier repairs.

Furnaces and heating systems are definitely one of the components in your home or commercial property where you’ll want to invest in routine maintenance to keep purring along in warmth and heating comfort. When we ignore our HVAC systems, they have a nasty tendency of acting up – usually at the least opportune times – causing repair bills that we’d all rather avoid. Instead, the prudent thing to do is to tend to your furnace & HVAC system with a proactive protocol of preventive maintenance. When one of our friendly Advanced HVAC techs comes to your home or business, they’ll perform furnace checks and cleaning (our 20-point inspection). During this visit, we are able to spot any potential issues with your furnace, duct work, thermostat and other HVAC components, recommending action or monitoring as needed. We can also test the air for carbon monoxide and/or other harmful elements. This is recommended on an annual basis, either on its own or, ideally, as part of one of our annual maintenance plans. Contact us today to book your next furnace tune-up.