As the winter months approach and cold weather starts to creep up, it’s time to turn on the furnace and get some nice, warm air. The best thing you can do for your furnace is to schedule routine maintenance. However, we know that not everyone has the time to be on top of this.
In most cases, we recommend calling out a professional. Despite this, there are a few ways to troubleshoot your furnace at home. Here are our favorite ways to fix some of the most common furnace problems.
The Blower Keeps Running
If your furnace is constantly running, you will need to look at the fan limit switch to see if it needs to be replaced or fixed. A malfunctioning fan limit switch fails to notify the unit when it is time to turn off and back on and therefore will continue to run nonstop.
Be sure to check your thermostat as well. It should be set to the FAN setting for the cycle to work properly.
Not Enough Heat
Can you hear your furnace running but not feeling any heat coming from your vents? Your first course of action should be to check the thermostat. Make sure it is set to HEAT and not FAN.
If it is set to HEAT and you feel cool air, try a mini reset of the unit. Turn the thermostat to OFF and wait a few minutes. Then turn the thermostat back ON. You should feel warm air within a few moments if this is the problem.
Next, and this may sound obvious, but take a quick walk through your home and confirm that all vents are open. A closed vent means no heat can make it to your home. Also, all vents should be open. Closing any of them can put unnecessary stress on your HVAC system.
Next to scheduling routine maintenance, regularly checking and replacing your air filter is the best way to take care of your home and HVAC system. Before it reaches your home, all air must pass through the filter.
With enough time, this can lead to a very clogged filter. When a filter is too full or clogged, warm air is trapped and can’t make it through to your home. Sometimes just changing the air filter is enough to restore proper airflow.
Finally, always make sure the circuit breaker is set to ON, as it cannot work properly if it is OFF. Are you still not feeling any heat? Contact a furnace repair professional to assess and repair the issue as needed.
My Furnace is Short Cycling
This is another example of making sure all your supply and return vents are open. A closed or blocked vent can cause your system to short cycle. Your furnace is programmed to make enough air for your whole home, no matter if a vent is open or closed.
A closed vent can cause your system to short cycle because your furnace is getting a reading that the part of the house with a closed vent isn’t warm enough. This signal can make your system stop and start cycling based on the temperature reading.
Short cycling can also signal that your air filter is too full and needs to be changed. Just as we mentioned above, when warm air can’t make it through the filter and into your home, the thermostat picks up on that and instructs the furnace to keep making warm air. Causing it to short cycle.
Faulty Thermostat
Something as simple as weak batteries can cause your thermostat to go haywire. Start by changing the batteries and restarting the thermostat.
Turn the thermostat back on and make sure it is set to HEAT. This should help the temperature return to where you want it.
The Pilot Light is Out
Most older furnaces need to have their pilot light on in order to work. On an older furnace, when it’s turned on and starts the heating process, the pilot light will spark a flame, and this ignites the natural gas pumped into the furnace.
If you suspect your pilot light is out just look for it. Furnaces with pilot lights are equipped with a small window where you can check to see if its on or not.
To relight it, press on the red button and then let it go. Finally, turn your furnace back to ON. Soon you should feel heat blowing out of your vents. If you are still feeling only cold air, contact one of our furnace repair professionals for assistance.
Keeping Your Home Comfortable All Season Long
Most furnace repairs come unexpectedly, and that is the last thing anyone wants to deal with in the dead of winter. Most furnace issues are common and easily resolved. Contact one of our repair technicians to keep your home warm and comfortable all season long if you need assistance with a furnace issue.
Adeedo’s of HVAC techs are professionally trained, qualified, and certified in furnace repair and maintenance services. Click here to connect with our knowledgeable furnace repair experts today!
