Furnace Articles

You have just inspected your furnace filter, only to find it is sopping wet! Thoughts begin to race through your head, and you ask yourself, Is my furnace breaking down?

In your gas furnace, the heat exchanger is made of metal coils designed to absorb and transfer heat. The most common cause of a cracked heat exchanger is overheating.

Your furnace filter is the unsung hero of your furnace. It quietly does its job without any fuss and allows the rest of the furnace to do its job.

It’s normal for your furnace to make some noise. For instance, a dull hum is to be expected. However, louder noises might spell trouble for your heating unit’s components.

The average furnace lasts between 10 and 15 years. But did you know you can take steps to make it last longer?

On a frosty winter’s day here in Oregon, your gas furnace is hard at work, keeping your Portland home warm and cozy. Feeling grateful? You’re not alone—it’s one of the most popular forms of heating, as American as apple pie. In 1919, New Jersey inventor Alice H. Parker filed a patent for the first gas-fueled furnace.…

A furnace is a big part of your life—whether you realize it or not. It keeps your Portland home warm and can help with your indoor air quality (IAQ). So it is important to gain a better understanding of furnace fundamentals. Furnace Basics Training If you are a curious new Portland homeowner or someone who…

Even if you have not thought about your furnace for months—it is easy to overlook if it is stationed in the basement or hidden in a closet—fall is the perfect time to make sure the most important seasonal equipment in your home is ready for action. 

While an air conditioner’s efficiency is measured by its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, an electric or gas- or oil-fired furnace’s efficiency is measured by its AFUE, or average fuel utilization efficiency. This standard measurement is given in percentages, letting you know how much of your fuel is actually used to heat your Oregon home and how much fuel is wasted.

It’s understandable that maintenance tasks often fall by the wayside. Many Oregon City homeowners follow the mantra of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Everyone is busy and many seemingly more important priorities tend to creep up every month to consume time and money. However, the last thing you want to worry about when…

Short cycling is a term used in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) world to explain a situation where a furnace or air conditioner turns on and off too frequently. The “short cycle” is the period of time that your HVAC equipment is actually running, and the shorter this cycle, the harder your system…

Is your furnace blowing air without pause? If so, you’re probably feeling a bit concerned. First, your Portland house most likely feels like an oven. On top of that, your utility bill will be considerably higher with your furnace constantly running. Believe it or not, this is a fairly common problem our professionals at Ben’s…

Just about any electrical appliance has the potential to overheat. Furnaces are no exception. As a homeowner, you need to take precautions to lower the risk of an overheated unit. You should also be wary of the associated symptoms, so you know when to take action. Remember, if your system gets too hot, you should…

If your furnace seems to be producing heating inconsistently around your Portland home to you, you’re not alone. Many homes have varied conditions from room to room causing spotty heating or cooling. On cold days, this can be a nuisance. For example, you may be confined to only a few rooms in your home. Or…

Is your heating bill too high in the winter? Are you looking for ways to cut costs? There are a number of simple things you can do at home to save money. Some of them are bigger projects, but most are simple things you can do in your day-to-day life to help reduce your heat…

Your fuel-burning furnace has a number of mechanisms allowing it to run safely and effectively. These features prevent fires and protect your indoor air quality (IAQ). They also work to prevent internal errors from damaging large portions of your furnace. From our team here at Ben’s Heating & Air Conditioning, here are six ways your…

Change the Filters The first thing you should do for your gas furnace, or any of your HVAC systems, is to change the air filter. This should be done at least once a year, but as many as 3 or 4 times depending on the manufacturers specifications. The air filter traps dust and debris from…

Once the cooler weather hits here in Portland, OR, this fall, you are going to want the inside of your home toasty and comfortable. This means turning on your furnace. Long before the first night you’ll want it, you should have your furnace cleaned and checked by a professional from Ben’s Heating & Air Conditioning.…

Having knowledge about how your furnace works can help you quickly solve the problem when your unit needs repair. If your unit needs professional help, you can always call the professionals at Ben’s Heating & Air Conditioning at 503-233-1779. Gas furnaces create heat by burning natural gas. This gas is usually methane combined with other…