If you have ever had the heat go out in your home, it likely happened during the holidays when you had family visiting from out of town, just to make it extra inconvenient!
Here are some common issues that we see with central gas heating systems and how we can help you decide when you need to call for a repair.
Dirty Filter– I know we sound like a nag, but the number one culprit to a heating or cooling system not operating properly is a dirty air filter. When you have a plugged filter it makes the heater work harder to pull air through. This can cause motors to fail, safeties to go out, and capacitors to fail.
Blower/Fan– If the fan isn’t blowing air out of the vents, try turning the thermostat to “fan on”. If it is still not coming on, there may be a power issue. Check the breaker out on your main panel (should be labeled “furnace” “blower” “FAU” or even “indoor fan”). If it still doesn’t come on you will need a service call.
Thermostats– Is your thermostat set to heat? It sounds simple, but it has happened! We would hate to come out and find the thermostat still set to cooling. Have you changed the batteries lately (if you have a WiFi smartstat, you don’t have batteries to change)? Make sure the metal terminals are clean of any corrosion too.
Access panel– Do you change your filter right inside the furnace? It could be that the panel isn’t completely latched in and the furnace won’t turn on. Make sure the panel is sitting squarely in the metal channel and the latches are completely locked.
Noises– Whether it is a grind, squeal, thump, scrape, or pop; if you fee it is an abnormal or concerning sound, it should always be checked out by a professional. Shut the system off and call us. If you can get a recording of the noise, feel free to email us! The more information we have ahead of time the easier it is to diagnose.
Other components– Ignitors, circuit boards, and other components will sometimes fail. If you have a heater that was installed in the 1980’s or newer, your furnace has an electronic ignition not a standing pilot. Electronics as we all know can be fickle at times and can cause a furnace failure.
Some ways to prevent the need for repairs would be:
-Maintenance of your furnace annually. On our regular maintenance visits we clean burners of debris, clear ports on pressure switches, clear spiders out of burner orifices, and clean flame sensors. This is in addition to making sure the system is running safely and efficiently. Dirt and debris are normal in the burner compartment, but a lack of maintenance is commonly the reason a furnace had failed. We also recommend a combustion test every 2-3 years to check the gas/air mixture for the quality of burn.
-Have a whole home surge protector installed at the main breaker panel. This is something you will need to hire an electrician to do. It will help protect your whole home (HVAC equipment, appliances, electronics) from a power surge. While not a guarantee, it is a cost effective way to give you some peace of mind when it comes to your home.
As always, if you have concerns about your furnace and need us to send an experienced service technician out, you can always contact us by phone at 916-481-0658 or by email via our contact form.