From all of us at NexLevel Home Inspections, we know the last thing any Calgarian needs is a furnace breakdown when the Chinooks are a distant memory and the temperature plummets. A pre-winter inspection is your cheapest insurance against a catastrophic mid-season failure and the resulting high-cost emergency repairs.
Your furnace is arguably the most critical system in your Calgary home. Here is your essential homeowner’s checklist and a guide to the most common local failures we see every winter.
1. The Homeowner’s 3-Step Monthly Checklist
The most frequent causes of furnace issues are also the easiest for a homeowner to address, often by simply replacing a $\$10$ part or clearing snow.
- Change or Clean Your Filter (The #1 Culprit): A dirty, clogged filter restricts airflow, forcing the system to overheat and work harder. This is the fastest way to reduce efficiency and can trigger a limit switch safety shutdown. In Calgary’s high-use heating season, check your filter monthly and replace it every 1–3 months. Remember: A working furnace is a breathing furnace.
- Check the Thermostat (The Simple Fix): Always ensure your thermostat is set to “HEAT” and the fan is set to “AUTO.” We often find that dead batteries are the simple reason a furnace won’t turn on.
- Clear the Exterior Vents (The Freeze-Up Trap): High-efficiency furnaces use two PVC pipes that terminate outside. Heavy snowfall, wind-driven snow, or ice build-up can block these intake and exhaust vents. If the vents are blocked, the furnace cannot run safely, and a safety switch will shut the unit off. Clear the area around the pipes immediately after a snow event—this is a uniquely important Calgary winter task!
2. Common Calgary Winter Furnace Failures We Spot
As your licensed home inspector, we thoroughly evaluate your heating system’s function and condition. However, certain internal failures become more evident under the stress of extreme cold:
| Failure | Cause & Calgary Relevance | Homeowner Fix / Indicator |
| Flame Sensor Malfunction | The sensor gets coated in carbon residue and can no longer detect the flame. This is a common issue with prolonged, continuous use in winter. | The furnace will short cycle (ignites for a few seconds, then shuts off). Cleaning the sensor often resolves this, but you may need an HVAC tech. |
| Pressure Switch Failure | Often caused by blocked exterior vents (a huge winter risk) or cracks/blockages in the venting. The switch is a critical safety device that senses proper airflow. | The furnace will not start the ignition sequence. You may hear the small inducer fan run for a minute before the system completely gives up. |
| Cracked Heat Exchanger | A severe and dangerous defect caused by repeated thermal expansion and contraction over years. This is a primary safety concern for older units. | This can lead to Carbon Monoxide (CO) leaks into the home. If we suspect this during an inspection, we flag it immediately. Install and test your CO detectors! |
| Blower Motor Noise | Squealing, grinding, or rattling sounds often indicate worn-out bearings or an issue with the blower belt (common in older models). | Do not ignore strange noises. They indicate mechanical stress that will lead to total system failure if left unaddressed. |
3. NexLevel Advice: Your Preventative Action Plan
While a home inspection provides a great snapshot of the furnace’s condition at the time of purchase, a yearly service is the key to preventing disaster.
- Book Annual Maintenance: Have a qualified HVAC technician perform a full service every fall. These preventative checks (gas pressure, temperature rise, safety controls) greatly reduce your risk of a failure and save you money in the long run.
- Avoid the Emergency Call: Emergency call-out rates during a Calgary deep freeze can be three to four times the cost of an annual maintenance service. Proactivity pays.
- Winter Pipe Safety: If your furnace does quit on a freezing night, remember to open your cabinet doors under sinks and run a pencil-thin stream of water from a few taps to prevent pipes from freezing until a technician arrives.
A properly maintained furnace is not just about comfort; it’s about protecting your home from frozen pipes and the serious health risk of carbon monoxide.
📞 Contact NexLevel Home Inspections Today
Ready to book your peace of mind inspection? We proudly serve Calgary and the surrounding communities.
| Contact Method | Details |
| Primary Phone | (403) 633-6616 |
| Secondary Phone | (587) 830-0840 |
| nexlevelinspections@gmail.com | |
| Head Office | 715, 100, 4th Av SW, Calgary, Alberta |
| Service Areas | Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, Conrich, Okotoks, High River |
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