A Redditor shared some alarming photos of their malfunctioning furnace to r/hvacadvice, revealing flames that seemed out of control.
"The [general contractor] working in basement recently noticed the furnace is 'burning wild' so he shut it off immediately with the switch," the original poster wrote about the ordeal. "He informed me and said to look for myself. And I turn it on and this is how it looks like. Is this normal burning? I don't think it is. The GC thinks the exhaust may be blocked?"
In the past, we've seen gas furnaces acting up, but this might be one of the worst cases yet. In addition to being a safety hazard and releasing toxic fumes into their home, the furnace is wasting energy, likely driving up the OP's utility bills. To avoid issues like this, some homeowners are switching to heat pumps.
These energy-efficient devices are cheaper to run and require less maintenance, and they work great in all climates for both heating and cooling. On top of saving a significant amount of cash in the long run, you'll also be doing the planet a favor by not burning gas directly in your home.
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Unsurprisingly, Reddit members were horrified by the OP's photos. They suggested the furnace be turned off and that service personnel be called in.
"That is not normal and discontinue use … immediately unless you don't value your life and the lives of those who occupy the structure that gas appliance provides space heating for," warned one commenter.
"No this is not normal at all and you should NOT run this. The chimney could be blocked or the boiler may be sooted up and clogged. The end of burners also may be blown apart. You need a professional ASAP," wrote another.
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Definitely 😎 A third user added, "The lack of a flame rollout switch is terrifying."
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