Gas heaters rarely fail without warning. Here are the symptoms our technicians see in the weeks before a full breakdown.
The flame colour has changed
A healthy gas flame burns predominantly blue and steady. A yellow, lazy or flickering flame suggests incomplete combustion, which produces carbon monoxide. Shut the unit down and book a technician.
It ignites, then locks out
Short-cycling and lockout codes usually point to restricted airflow, a flame sensor that isn't proving, or an overheat thermostat doing its job because heat isn't leaving the cabinet fast enough. Repeatedly resetting the unit hides a real fault.
New noises
Rumbling on ignition, a metallic scrape or a rising whine all indicate something mechanical. Fan bearings and blower wheels are common culprits, and catching them early avoids a motor replacement.
Rooms heat unevenly
If the far bedrooms never warm up, the problem is often collapsed or disconnected ducting in the roof space rather than the heater itself. Airflow testing at each outlet finds it quickly.
Your bills climbed without a change in habits
A heater working harder for the same result is telling you something. Combustion tuning, filter condition and duct leakage are the usual causes, and all three are fixable.
Any smell of gas
Turn the appliance off at the isolation valve, ventilate the area and call for help. A faint dust smell on the first use of the season is normal; a gas smell never is.