If you have a heater in your home, it is very important that you know how to care for it. If you don't properly care for your heater, it could easily use more energy than is necessary and could even compromise the safety of those in your home. This is why it is so important that you know the signs that your heater needs maintenance so that you can fix the problem before it becomes too serious. Here are 4 signs you should look for.

1. A Yellow Gas Light

Every heater has a pilot light in it. This light should stay lit at all times and should be a healthy blue color. A blue pilot light means that all of the gas levels are even and that the heater is working properly. If the gaslight is yellow, or any other color besides blue, you have a problem. A yellow gaslight signifies that there is a problem with the gas levels and you could potentially have a problem with carbon monoxide leaking into the air, which is very dangerous, even fatal.

2. Loud Noises From The Unit

As a general rule, your heater should be silent. There may be a low humming noise when it is running, but unless you are standing very close to the heater you shouldn't be able to hear it. If you can hear the heater throughout the house, then you have a problem that needs to be attended to.

3. Water Pooling By The Unit

Another thing you should be on the lookout for is water coming from the unit. In some cases, you might get steam coming from the unit, but it shouldn't be enough that it actually pools at the bottom of the unit. Instead, it should dissipate into the air. Thus, if you notice that there is a pool of water by your heater, then you need to get a repairman to come and fix it right away.

4. The Unit Is Not Able To Evenly Heat The House

The heater should be able to heat the house pretty evenly. You would expect to see a mild difference between the basement and the upper floor, but you shouldn't see differences within the same floor of the house. For example, if one room is very warm and the room next to it is cold, your heater may have problems.

These are just a couple simple things to look for to tell if your heater needs repairs.  

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