TROUBLE-SHOOTING YOUR FURNACE BEFORE CALLING FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE

THERMOSTAT NOT SET TO “HEAT”.  While this seems obvious, it’s the thermostat setting are the first thing to check.

THERMOSTAT BATTERIES ARE DEAD. While some thermostats are wired to the house, others use batteries.

DIRTY FILTER.  A dirty filter is one of the most common furnace shut down reasons.

FURNACE CIRCUIT-BREAKER HAS TRIPPED.    If you don’t see the furnace breaker labeled, look for one switch that appears to be in a different position from the others.  To reset the breaker, flip it the off position, then back on.

NOTE: When they trip, some breakers go all the way to off left position.  Some stop in the middle — either position means it has tripped.

FURNACE-OFF SWITCH turned off.  It typically looks like a regular light switch and is mounted on the furnace.  Check to ensure it’s turned on.  Depending on its location, the Furnace-Off switch may be easily bumped while changing the filter.

TOO MANY REGISTERS ARE CLOSED.  Do not close more than 1/4 of the registers as this restricts air-flow in / out of the system.

BLOWER / FAN DOES NOT RUN.  One way to see if the blower is working is to set the thermostat “FAN” switch to the “ON” position. If the fan operates, this indicates the problem is not likely the blower.

 

 THE PROBLEMS BELOW NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY A LICENSED HVAC TECHNICIAN.

FAILED GAS IGNITER.  If your gas furnace suddenly stopped working, it may be because the gas igniter has failed.  The igniter will glow orange for a few seconds before the burners light.  Then it shuts off until needed again.

How do you know if you furnace has an igniter?  Do you see a small, blue pilot-light burning near the burners?  An furnace older than 20 years likely has a pilot light. Furnaces less than 20 years old almost always have an igniter.

FAILED GAS VALVE. If the igniter glows and shuts off without the burners lighting, they are likely not getting gas.

Furnaces stop working for many reasons.  If your furnace has stopped, call Al’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning for repair.  Al’s has After-Hours Emergency Furnace Repair. We will dispatch a Service Technician to diagnose and repair the problem.

Al’s trucks come to your home already stocked with the most frequently needed furnace repair parts.  We will be likely be able to do the repair in the first visit.

[related_posts_by_tax posts_per_page=”5″ title=”You may also Like” format=”thumbnails”]