What Would Cause a Furnace to Overheat?

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What Would Cause a Furnace to Overheat?

Imagine your heating system keeps shutting down, and the burning odour does not get any better. On top of that, it could be a nightmare if it’s freezing outside and your home isn’t getting any warmer. Unfortunately, these are indications that your furnace is overheated and not functioning properly. You should never ignore a heater that is overheating! 

The underlying issue will not go away on its own, and prolonging the use of your furnace can result in significant damage to your system. Also, it may raise the chances of your house getting poisoned by a small amount of carbon monoxide whenever you start the system. Hence to solve these heating issues, it is prudent to call professionals for furnace service in Pasadena

What Causes a Furnace To Overheat?

When your furnace gets too hot, you’ll probably sense something is wrong, but you won’t know what it is. It is simply the furnace removing dust from its parts. 

A burning odour that lasts more than 30 minutes or is consistent is most likely caused by overheating and melting conductors. Mentioned below are some reasons that make your heating system overheat.

  • Airflow Restrictions

Improper air circulation is one of the most common and familiar causes of an overheating furnace. When there isn’t enough ventilation, the interior components of your furnace can become overheated. It commonly occurs when you fail to change your air filter regularly. 

The air filter collects dust and other impurities that can block the ventilation system of your furnace. As the filter and exhaust system get clogged, airflow is obstructed, causing the furnace to work more to produce the same output and, in turn, get hotter.

  • Dirty Internal Parts

When the air filter is blocked, dust and pollutants enter the furnace and settle on it. Your furnace’s coil can get clogged with filth, stopping the heat exchanger from circulating heat. Also, the blower motor is quite sensitive to dust and debris, and if it becomes too clogged, the passage of air stops, causing the system to overheat. 

  • Short Circuit

Short cycling occurs when the heater turns on and off frequently or abruptly during the heating cycle. Short cycling places an excess strain on your heater engines and prevents your home from heating up. 

In the case of overheating, short cycling occurs because the furnace shuts down to protect the motors. As soon as the heater cools down, it starts running, but it will immediately overheat and shut down again.

  • Mechanical Error

Mechanical equipment failure in your system can cause your heater to overheat. Electrical conduits and the fan blower in your furnace undergo a lot of strain, leading to a short circuit or insufficient circulation that could cause your furnace to overheat.

Scheduling regular furnace tune-ups is the best approach to ensure that your furnace’s mechanical components are in proper working order. Technicians can also detect indicators of strain and premature wear and tear with regular tune-ups. 

Remember that it is less expensive and safer to repair and maintain mechanical components before they fail miserably.

Love’s Heating & Air is a leading heating and cooling company that can help you solve your diverse HVAC needs. To schedule a repair or furnace installation in Pasadena, call our technicians at (410) 705-2039 or email us at [email protected]

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