The older your home is, the higher the chance of facing furnace and air ventilation problems. It can also be difficult for you to get your furnace problems solved quickly if you aren’t sure what’s wrong.
The heating system is a crucial part of your home. You might have to suffer during winters if there are issues with it. Some people even use a heat pump to get relief from cold weather. However, it’s important to treat any issues as quickly as possible before they become serious problems. Here are some of the furnace problems most households face and their solutions.
Thermostat Not Functioning
If your thermostat is not functioning, the first thing to do is set the thermostat to “Heat.” Second, check the batteries. If you have a low battery, change it immediately. Call a heating and cooling specialist if you aren’t sure what to do.
Furnace Not Heating Enough
If the furnace isn’t heating enough, resetting the home breaker can help to produce more heat. You’ll first have to turn off the power to the furnace to do this. You can do this by locating the service box in your house and turning it off. You’ll need to turn off all lights, outlets, and appliances. This is also a common problem with tanked water heaters. The issue can be resolved with timely tanked water heater repair.
Furnace Not Heating
If your furnace is not heating properly, check the safety switch on the furnace door. This is a small but common cause for your furnace not heating properly. If you open the door, the switch is supposed to shut off power to the furnace, so you must ensure it’s working before moving on to other solutions.
To check this:
- Turn off your furnace completely.
- Open the door and check if there’s a button or lever that should be depressed when the door is closed.
- If there is, press it in, then close the door and turn your furnace back on. You may need to try this a couple of times before getting it right.
Burner Flames Are Yellow
The ideal color for burner flames should be blue. When your furnace burner flames are yellow or any other color, it may indicate that they need to be cleaned. To clean the burners:
- Shut off the gas and electric power first.
- Remove the burners and use a wire brush to clean off any soot or dirt built up.
- Put the burners back in place, turn the gas and electricity back on, and check to ensure your furnace is working properly.
Furnace Turning Off and On Quickly
It’s natural for your furnace to cycle on and off to produce heat. Yet, if it seems like this is happening too quickly, this can indicate a problem. If the furnace turns itself on and off every few minutes, rapid cycling is considered. A few things can cause this behavior:
- The thermostat is set too high.
- The limit control switch or fan relay is faulty.
- The furnace is overheating due to a lack of airflow.
- The blower motor is faulty or needs replacement.
Checking these problems will help you determine what may be wrong with the furnace so that you can get it fixed before winter arrives. This can also save money on your energy bills.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting heater problems can be tricky, especially when dealing with a complicated furnace. However, if you follow the tips in this guide, you should be able to get your furnace up and running again quickly.
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However, there were still admittedly a few places that could use further context or simply needed overall clarification. There were also some issues with the external links. One looks like it goes to a site that could easily be a competitor to the site this article is being published on, which is something you generally want to avoid with external links.
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