Furnace on the Fritz? Try These Troubleshooting Tips

During a cold winter, furnace problems can not only be inconvenient, but they can also cause safety issues or damage to your home. Though major problems should be handled by an HVAC professional, some basic furnace troubleshooting may take care of minor ones, while saving you the time and expense of a service visit.

Furnace Fails to Tun on

Make sure the thermostat settings are correct and that the breakers for the system have not been tripped. If the furnace has a pilot light, check that the flame is lit and relight it, if necessary. If the pilot refuses to stay on, make sure that the thermocouple is contacting the flame, and have the system inspected if the problem continues. If the furnace has an electronic ignition, turn the power off, then on again, to reset the ignition control system.

Furnace Produces No Heat

Make sure that the thermostat is set correctly and has power or fresh batteries, and check for tripped breakers or blown fuses. Check the pilot light or electronic ignition for proper operation, and be sure the gas valve is turned on. If the fan is not running, make sure the motor has not overheated and tripped a safety switch. If the fan motor seems to be running, but no air is being distributed, be sure the belt between the blower motor and the fan is not loose or damaged.

Furnace Produces Insufficient Heat

Check the thermostat for the proper settings, and make sure nothing is blocking the vents or clogging the air ducts. Inspect the air filter and install a new one if it is severely dirty or clogged.

Fan Constantly Runs

Be sure the thermostat settings are correct, and that there are no airflow problems. If the problem remains, the fan limit switch may require replacement.

Frequent Cycling

If your furnace turns on and off constantly, make sure the air filter is clean and that there are no blocked vents.

For more furnace troubleshooting tips, talk to our team at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We serve Lorain and the surrounding areas of Ohio.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace troubleshooting and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “maksim-kabakou/Shutterstock”