First, a furnace’s pilot light provides a continuous source of ignition for the furnace’s burner. Ordinarily, the pilot light should be blue. If it turns yellow, this means that you have a carbon monoxide leak somewhere. As carbon monoxide is a highly dangerous gas, you should ask for professional help as soon as you notice this change.
If you do have a carbon monoxide leak, one possible explanation is that your furnace’s flue pipe has malfunctioned. This is something that one of our repair technicians can fix.
Next, we’d like to say a word about the term “short cycling.” When you set your thermostat to a given temperature, your furnace should turn on if the indoor climate drops below that temperature and turn off when it reaches that temperature.
We call this process “cycling.” “Short cycling,” however, is when your furnace turns on and off with no regard to your indoor temperature.
A variety of things can cause the above issues. Dirty air filters or ducts, for example, can inhibit proper airflow. This will cause the furnace to draw in more power while doing its work. Not only will this raise your energy bills, but it will also put more strain on many essential system components.
Another possibility is that your unit has a broken blower motor. The blower motor is what powers your furnace’s fans. The fans, in turn, spread warm air through your air ducts. Thus, if your furnace can’t seem to heat your home effectively anymore, the cause may lie in your furnace’s fans or its blower motor.
It’s also possible to ascribe the same cause to poor airflow. One of our heating repair technicians will be able to determine the exact nature of the situation.