What’s Wrong with My Furnace?

Oh boy…no heat!  Now what?  Run around in circles in a state of panic?  Clogged filter Head to a Southern state pronto?  Break out extra blankets and put on some hot chocolate?

Or, perhaps, we keep a level head and see if we can figure out what’s going on before losing your grip on reality or calling in a professional.

Wrong with My Furnace

Air Professionals offers the following suggestions:

Check the filter

Don’t just think about the filter…think about the problems a clogged filter can cause. First, it causes the furnace to work extra hard to move enough heater to help keep you warm. Left uncleaned long enough, your clogged filter can cause your furnace to overheat and shut down the heat exchanger.  And yes, that means no heat until the problem is fixed.  For best results, clean or replace the filter every 6-8 weeks

Check the thermostat

Furnace problems aren’t always furnace problems…it might just be a thermostat acting up. Did someone inadvertently switch “Heat” to “Cool” or flip it to the “Off” position? While checking, open the thermostat housing and blow out any dust or dirt and, of course, check the battery. 

Check your breaker box

If your furnace has drawn too much power, it’s flipped a breaker switch. Solving the problem may be as simple as flipping it back on.

Check the furnace blower panel

Go to your furnace to ensure your blower door/panel is shut completely. Some models have a safety mechanism that prevents operation when the door (or panel) is open.

Check the gas valve and pilot light

Check your gas valve: it it’s off, you need to relighting the pilot light before turning the gas valve back to the “on” position. Or, if the gas valve is on but the pilot light is off, turn off the gas valve and leave it off for at least 10 minutes before relighting the pilot light. (You may need to read those past couple of sentences another time or two as, right now, it sounds a little confusing.)

If heating system DIY is not your thing, or if you have tried all these steps but still don’t have enough heat, contact Air Professionals for the timely service and expert problem analysis we’re known for.  Furnace or boiler, we’re ready to get the job done.   

 

 

Air Professionals Provides Service In These and Other
Nearby Communities