The heating season has come around. You go to flip your thermostat to heat, and low and behold, nothing changes. The room is chilly as before, and you’re stuck wondering why. Well, your furnace could be at fault, and you may ultimately need house heating repair. If your furnace isn’t working as it should, there are things you can check on your own before calling the professionals, and we’ll discuss them in this article. Keep in mind, it may be good to dig out (or google) your instructions manual, to know the specificity of your unit. And before doing any work related to the furnace, always turn off your thermostat and flip the furnace switch to “off”.
Understanding How Your Furnace Works
To start, let us take a look at how the furnace actually works. Your thermostat senses the surrounding temperature, and if it’s less than the desired temperature, it then sends a signal to the furnace’s control board. This begins combustion in order to create heat. Air is taken in through the supply vents, warmed by the furnace, and distributed back to the home via the return ducts. The fumes produced by combustion pass through the heat exchanger and leave the home through the flue.
When it comes to troubleshooting when there’s no heat, here’s a quick check:
- Make sure the furnace has power
- Check the pilot light and gas valve
- Reset the motor
- Check that the fuse box or breaker isn’t blown out
Some other common HVAC issues that can lead to heating furnace repair:
- Broken fans
- Defective blowers
- Bad electrical connections
- Dirty or clogged air filters
- Thermostat issues
- Loud noises (like rattling, grinding, or squealing)
Now let’s dive a bit deeper into some of the reasons why you may be missing heat, and may need gas furnace repair.
Furnace Not Heating?
Here Are the Common Causes
As with everything, reasons can range from simple to more complex. So if you feel you aren’t adequately equipped to handle a specific issue, it’s best to call the professionals (like us!) to take a look. With that being said, here are some causes for malfunctioning furnaces:
Thermostats
A few simple things to note–make sure the thermostat is indeed set to “heat”, and check the battery level of the unit, it’s possible the batteries are due for a replacement– or charge if you have a newer model. Low battery can lead to improper readings and improper signals to the unit to heat/cool. Also take note of where your thermostat is located. Is it next to an oven, or does it get hit by direct sunlight? As this can also cause improper temperature readings to show. And if the input is wrong, the output will correlate.
Dirty Filters
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, filters filters filters! Such an easy fix, but if ignored, can cause such havoc. When dust, dirt, and debris accumulate, they restrict airflow, and in some cases this can prevent the furnace from turning on. An easy trick you can do to see if it’s time to replace the filter, is to hold it up to the light. If light can’t easily pass through, it’s time for a swap. As a rule of thumb, check your furnace filters every 30 days or so.
Faulty Pilot Lights
A pilot light is responsible for keeping the flame inside your heater running. Not all furnaces have pilot lights, but older models typically do. If this light goes out, gas won’t be able to heat. So if you check, and the light is out, you will need to relight it. Take extra caution should you choose to do this yourself.
Furnace Switch and Electrical Panel Issues
The furnace switch often resembles a standard light switch, so it’s common for someone to accidentally flip it to the “off” position, simply flip “on” to remedy the situation. If this doesn’t resolve the issue at hand, have a look at the electrical panel. Here, you need to make sure that your breaker box or fuse box has power. For breakers, you may need to perform a reset to get things running again. For the fuse box, if the fuse is melted or discolored, you may need to replace it. If you have issues, it’s best to reach out to the professionals to repair the furnace.
The Details
Sometimes, it’s the little things that impede on proper function. For example, the access panel wasn’t properly secured. If the panel isn’t pressed in all the way, many furnaces won’t function, so keep this in mind next time you’re doing any kind of work on the unit. Another small tip would be to make sure there isn’t anything blocking the registers. Things like furniture and rugs can restrict airflow and the whole system in turn can suffer.
In Summary: Trust Our Home Furnace Repair Experts
Even with proper maintenance, extra help can be needed. So keep an eye on your furnace, and make sure it’s working properly to keep your home warm and safe. We know it can feel like a pat on the back when you’re able to fix a problem on your own, but remember you can cause more harm than good by trying to fix something when you don’t know what you’re doing. Don’t hesitate and reach out to the professionals, like us, today! 888-334-1612
