Having problems with your furnace and heating service in the middle of winter can be terribly inconvenient. A furnace isn’t exactly a complicated piece of equipment, but homeowners may still be puzzled by how exactly it works and may not know how to determine whether or not it’s working like it’s supposed to. Knowing the early signs of trouble allows you to call your HVAC contractor sooner, saving you a lot of headaches this season.
One of the easiest ways to check if your furnace is in good shape is to look at the color of its flames. Furnace flames burn at a constant temperature, depending on your thermostat settings, which means it should always burn a hot almost-white blue. Here our experts at Modern Air Solutions explain what other flame colors can mean for your furnace.
Red and Orange Flames
Fire is almost always depicted in pictures as burning a bright red, but if you see red or orange-red flames in your furnace, it may be time to call in your local heating repair contractor. Orange and red flames burn at a much lower temperature than blue flames, so these colors indicate that your furnace isn’t working efficiently. Usually this is caused by problems with the way the fuel is injected into the furnace. Call your HVAC contractor for an inspection should you see your flames turn red or orange.
Green Flames
Green is an unnatural color for fire and can be caused by contaminated fuel. Certain chemicals can also change the color of your flames into other colors such as purple. This is likely caused by the build-up of soot and dirt inside the system. A heating technician can help you pinpoint where exactly this problem begins.
The Dangers of the Wrong Furnace Flame Colors
When installed correctly, your furnace and air conditioning system should operate normally. However, if you see any color in your furnace flames other than blue, this may indicate that there are problems.
Don’t wait for your furnace problems to worsen. At Modern Air Solutions, we can help ensure that your furnace runs effectively and efficiently all- season-long. Give us a call at 630-884-4181 or fill out our contact form to schedule a service visit and request a free estimate today.
