What are the most common furnace problems? (and what to do about them!)
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the temperatures are dropping faster than leaves from trees, and it is only a matter of time before the dreaded snow accumulates where the lush, emerald grass used to be.
Luckily, your home is a warm refuge from Jack Frost’s ice cold winter thanks to your furnace. While your home's furnace is designed to have a long, useful life, there's a chance that something will go wrong with it. Thankfully, most furnace problems are relatively easy to fix.
Read on to learn the most common furnace problems you might encounter this time of year and what to do about them, so you can keep your home warm and cozy all winter long.
Maintenance Problems
While some furnace problems are caused by normal wear and tear, most can be traced to inconsistent maintenance. We know it feels easier to just ignore the new clanging sound, but it can spell a costly disaster later on down the road.
If you hear strange noises from your furnace, you might have maintenance problems, such as a bad blower or worn-out ball bearings. These noises can be anything from banging and popping to screeching and squealing.
Regular maintenance and inspections will help prevent these issues and ensure your furnace keeps you and your family warm all winter long. During a furnace tune-up, a certificated HVAC pro like A R Engh Heating & Air Conditioning inspects the condition of every part of your furnace, makes adjustments where necessary, and cleans each of its components.
This allows your furnace to constantly be in tip-top shape AND be checked for any components starting to wear out. A small replacement now can mean the difference between a tune-up or a whole new furnace down the road.
Frequent Cycling Between On and Off
When your furnace is cycling on and off more than expected, it's usually a sign that something is wrong with the system. This problem can be caused by various things, such as bad thermostat settings, clogged filters, or blocked air supply vents. If you're experiencing a short-cycling furnace, the first and easy thing you can do is check your thermostat to see if the setting is correct – it's common for homeowners to forget to switch it over to heating mode at the start of the season.
You should check your filters and replace them if they're clogged – clogged filters restrict airflow, which makes your furnace work harder and causes the heat exchanger to overheat, shutting down your unit. You should also inspect your air vents to see if any of them are closed or blocked in any way. Keep all your vents open, even in the rooms you don't use, to manage the temperature efficiently throughout the whole house. If your heat exchanger doesn't get enough air, it can't transfer enough heat. This heat builds up and causes your furnace to short cycle.
Furnace Won't Turn On
If your furnace doesn't turn on, confirm the furnace switch is in the "on" position and that the gas valve shut off on the furnace's gas line is turned on. This may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many times THIS is the problem.
Check your breaker box to see if you have a tripped HVAC circuit breaker, and flip the tab to restore power to your furnace.
If none of these work, there might be a problem with the ignition or pilot light failing which usually requires the help of a professional. Companies like A R Engh Heating & Air Conditioning can diagnose the problem quickly where it may take you hours to solve the problem yourself.
This is because an older furnace with a pilot light that won't turn on could have a defective safety switch, a faulty thermocouple, a clogged pilot orifice, or the flame setting may be too low. For furnaces with electric ignition, failing to turn on is usually because of a problem with the flame sensor. When the sensor is dirty, it won't detect the flame, so your furnace may shut down for safety, even though everything else is working correctly.
If your furnace has shut down and you cannot figure out why your best option is to call in the trained technicians at A R Engh Heating & Air Conditioning to take a look at it and diagnose the problem.
Call Us Today for Furnace Repairs
Consistent maintenance is the best way to prevent issues with your heating system this season. While some of these tasks, such as changing an air filter, can be performed quickly and easily by the homeowner, others require the knowledge, expertise, and specialized tools of an HVAC technician.
At AR Engh Heating & Air Conditioning, we provide high-quality furnace repair services. We take pride in our workmanship and have the experience and know-how to find and fix furnace issues before they become major problems.
If you are experience issues with your furnace, we want to diagnose the problem and get you up and running as soon as possible. Contact us today to schedule furnace repairs!
We also offer preventative maintenance and inspection programs to help you keep your system in top condition. If servicing your furnace is something you don’t even want to think about this winter, sign up for our Fall Furnace Tune-Up. We can’t guarantee YOU’LL be ready for winter, but we can make sure your furnace is.
