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Furnaces tend to be the one thing in your home that can be neglected. Out of sight, out of mind as they say. However, your furnace may get your attention by making various sounds.

• If you hear a screeching noise, it may be that you have a problem with the motor, or it might be a bearing in the motor that is making the noise.

• If you hear a metallic chirping noise, it may just be a natural noise that the motor or the blower wheel of the fan makes when the heat first kicks on. You might be able to solve this problem yourself by wiggling the wheel, which may be out of alignment. You should also check that the mounting plate is not warped and rubbing against the blower wheel. As well, check that the motor mounts are not loose and the bearings are in good shape.

• If you hear a noisy rattling sound when your furnace shuts off, it is probably the metal parts to your furnace cooling down. However, it may be something more serious and you should call a furnace repairperson.

• If you hear a clanging noise, the problem is probably in the pipes, rather than the furnace itself. This may be caused by contraction of the pipes when the furnace turns off and the pipes cool down.

• A loud boom or thud may lead to the ducts, which can expand and contract in cold weather, especially if the basement is not heated. It might also indicate a problem with dirty burners in the furnace. You might be able to remove and clean these yourself with hot soapy water. Make sure they are completely dry before reinstalling them. If you determine that it is not the ducts or the burners, it may be that your gas valve is defective, which can cause a delayed ignition. In most cases, it is wise to call a service technician.

• A pinging or popping sound is most likely coming from one of the ducts and is not really something to worry about.

• If you hear an odd vibrating noise or whining, it may indicate a problem with your furnace and a technician really needs to check it out.

• A loud humming may come from the furnace burners light when temperatures dip outside. You can eliminate this noise by turning the off/pilot/on control to reduce the burner flame.

• If you hear a rattling noise when the furnace starts up, it might be a motor bearing.

• A crackling noise might just be the metal parts cooling down when the furnace shuts down.

• A clunking and bumping sound indicates a cracked belt.

If you have an older furnace, it is likely that you’ve experienced some of these noises. However, most of the newer gas furnaces have a noise-reduction system.  If you determine that you need a professional to inspect your furnace and you live in Los Angeles County area, you will want to go to www.chiefappliance.com. Service technicians are available at no extra charge at night and on weekends or holidays.  

As your furnace ages, it must work harder to do a good job of heating your home and in the process, a variety of things can go wrong. 

It is very important that a service technician inspect your furnace on a regular basis. Not only will this ensure your safety, but it will also uncover small problems before they become large and expensive ones.  

While some furnace parts can be removed and replaced, such as the motor, fan and blower wheel, there are a multitude of smaller parts that may need to be fixed or replaced and a service technician can easily spot them.  You should schedule a service technician annually to ensure a furnace cleaning and tune-up that can save up to 20 percent on your heating bill.

Having your furnace inspected on a regular basis will also eliminate any health problems and/or potentially dangerous situations. This includes testing for carbon monoxide, as well as re-installing air filters.  A service technician will also check to see if the thermostat and safety controls are working properly. The technician will also check the motor, fan and blower operation. He or she will check the tension and alignment of the fan belt and make any necessary adjustments. The service burners will be checked to ensure proper combustion and ignition, as well as the piping from the furnace. For gas furnaces, the technician will check the pilot safety system and make repairs if necessary.  All of those inspections should give you more confidence that your furnace will continue to provide safe and energy efficient comfort for your family. A service technician can also answer any questions you might have. If your furnace is 15 years or older, it would be wise to replace it with a more energy efficient new one. While purchasing a new furnace is a major investment, you will be delighted with the comfort provided for your family, as well as the amount of money you will save in the long run. 

When looking for a new furnace, you need to consider a number of things, including the size of your home. You will also want to take advantage of the noise-reducing feature on most new furnaces. Two-stage heating provides low-stage heating the majority of the time and only switches to high stage when outside temperatures fall. This feature will definitely save you money.   As well, you should have a DC motor, which operates on a lower fan speed 90 per cent of the time.

This feature offers quieter operation and can save you several hundred dollars a year on energy costs. Some of the new furnaces also have a computerized self-diagnostic system that gives a technician an accurate readout on failed components, so he or she can make repairs faster. That means a lower service bill for you. 

If you would like to have your furnace inspected and/or repaired, one of our service technicians will be promptly sent out to help you. For those of you living in the Los Angeles County area, you will want to go to www.chiefappliance.com. Service technicians are available at no extra charge at night and on weekends or holidays. 

While it might not get terribly cold in California, that doesn’t mean that furnace and heater repair in Calabasas isn’t important.  When you get into the cooler fall and winter months, your house can get pretty nippy in comparison to the beautiful day time temperatures.  To help fix your heating problems, you need professional services that understand that while it may not be twenty below in your home, you still need a heater to make things more comfortable.

The heating system in your home is a complicated piece of equipment that starts with your furnace.  If even the smallest thing is out of whack, you can find yourself with a serious problem.  Even if your heater kicks on, it might not work as well as you would like, or it might use up a lot of energy in the process, making your heating bills skyrocket.  When you call the folks at West Coast Chief Repair, you will be able to have your heating problems fixed in no time.

Call or email them at their website to find out more about what West Coast Chief Repair can do for you.  With nearly twenty years of experience, this is a company that knows what you need in the