Furnace Repair

There is nothing worse than waking up on a cold night just because your furnace decided to be cold for you. 

It’s one thing if you just need to pull the covers up but It’s a whole different issue if your furnace is working poorly or not working at all at the exact time when you need it 

With a little DIY experience, you can troubleshoot and repair your furnace all by yourself. Your best bet though, is to have a maintenance checking list for your heating system to avoid the problem.

Today I have something that will make you feel like you have the knowledge to tackle some furnace repairs easily:

Few common furnace problems and how to fix them right now without calling someone for help.

Whether you have a conventional gas furnace or a high efficiency gas furnace understanding how your furnace/heating system works is very important. You need to understand the basic workings of the appliance so you know what to look for when there is something wrong to fix where it went wrong.

Let’s take a look at a conventional furnace and tips to solve its more common problems. (If you feel uncomfortable with any of these do-it-yourself steps, then make a service call to a trusted professional what most people do. Saving a few dollars is not worth the uncertainty or a dangerous event involving the furnace because you need to learn how to fix it on your own.

Problem 1

Check Your Thermostat to make sure it’s ON

It may sound silly, but check the thermostat to ensure it is set on “heat” and that it is set at least five degrees above room temperature and you’re not mistaken with it not working. You might be surprised how many service calls are made without checking this small thing!

Here are a few thermostat checks to conduct yourself:

Step 1: Check the battery given on the thermostat. You may need to change the batteries on your thermostat if it’s not working. If your home’s thermostat unit runs on batteries, be sure you are changing them at least once a year, or as stated.

Some thermostats are wired to the house’s electrical system and Don’t need any batteries, while others use batteries. How is yours powered? Sometimes those that use batteries will flash a low-battery symbol when they need a replacement but many of them don’t.

Step 2: Open the thermostat and gently blow any dust or debris that may have clogged its wiring.

Step 3: Make sure the date and time is correct on electronic or programmable models – the system may be on a timer and is scheduled turned off.

Step 4: Check the breaker if the appliance. If it’s on, turn off the breaker and check the fuse for the furnace.

Problem 2

Furnace is Not giving off Heat – Try to Reset Home Circuit Breaker

There is number of minor reasons why this could occur. First, confirm that the thermostat is set to “Heat” And not cold. Then, try moving the dial up or down a few degrees to check if a noticeable difference is felt in temperature.

If there is no result, check to see if perhaps a circuit breaker or fuse was tripped.

How to Test Breakers:

Go to your home’s breaker panel and look for the exact circuit that controls the furnace. You’re looking to see whether it’s thrown to the “Off” position, or whether it’s in the middle of it. 

1. Manually test the breaker by flipping it. Flip it back and forth twice.

2. Make sure it is staying in the “On” position and not tripping.

This will reset your home breaker. If this does not do the trick, you have a problem with either the wiring in the circuit or the circuit breaker. 

Problem 3

Furnace is Not Producing Enough Heat – Check and Change Your Clogged Filter and try cleaning it.

A furnace that struggles to produce heat is a different matter from one that has somehow stopped working completely.

In the case of a poor-performing furnace that doesn’t heat the home sufficiently, first ensure that the air filter is clean and in good condition.

Check and Change Your Clogged Filter with a new one.

This is a simple but essential part of furnace maintenance or repair. One of the most common reasons to have a furnace not working is a clogged filter with dust.. It also happens to be the easiest maintenance chore and cheap as well.

Replacing your furnace filter regularly is a quick and simple task, and goes a long way in protecting HVAC components and improving your inside air purity. 

Locate your filter – Some furnaces have their filter in the intake. This most likely looks like a grate in a floor or ceiling. Other filters reside in the furnace.

Check your filter – You can tell if the time has come to change it by holding it up to the light and see it’s clarity, If no light shines through, the filter needs changing. A dusty, dirty smell from the vents when the blower turns on is another good sign you should change your furnace filter ASAP.

Replace your filter – Make sure your furnace is turned off while you do the job. No air should be coming out of it. Check the direction where your filter points. Filters are made to trap matter blown from one direction. Installing your filter upside-down can reduce its effectiveness and efficiency.

Cleaning the debris that builds up on your filters will aid with the flow of air and won’t pressurise your furnace fan. When your air filter is clogged, your air handler must work harder to compensate for the blockage of air flowing. In addition to driving up your utility bill, the reduced air flow through your heating and cooling system can cause your heat exchanger to overheat and shut off too quickly and decrease it’s life.   

“Filters clean the air headed into the furnace and the heated air is sent back into the house. A dirty, clogged filter limits the airflow, eventually causing heat and pressure to build up in the furnace, eventually damaging it.

Newer, more efficient furnaces are sensitive to the problem and will often shut down before a dirty filter causes more trouble for later. For other units, the furnace will continue to run but with less heat output and reduced efficiency which is harmful for Furnace.” 

Problem 4

Safety Switch on Furnace Door 

If your furnace is not operating properly, one of the first things you should do is check the safety switch on the furnace door. The furnace door safety switch prevents the fan and burner from coming on while the access panel is removed.

Furnaces have a safety switch that pops out when the door is removed making it shut down. The door must be in place for the switch to be activated and for the furnace to operate normally.

If you discover you need to install a new safety switch, follow the step by step instructions on ” Install a Furnace Door Safety Switch.”

Step 1: Shut the power button off

Step 2: Prepare the blower door

Step 3: Wire the safety switch properly

Step 4: Now Check and test the installation