Is your furnace or heater not working? Try these quick tips for troubleshooting your heater:
Check the filter(s)– At this point I am sure I am a broken record, but the number one reason a system fails is constriction of air flow (aka a dirty filter). When you have a plugged filter it can make the heater need to work harder to pull air through. This can cause motors to fail, safeties to go out, and capacitors to fail. Don’t know where to look? We can help you here.
Check thermostat batteries– Make sure the batteries are fresh and the metal terminals are clean of any corrosion. We have made a quick video for reference. If you have a smart thermostat that is connected to WiFi you can skip this step.
Check the thermostat display– 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. If it is set to heat, on some newer models of heating equipment, there will be an error code displayed right on the thermostat. If there is an error code, feel free to call the office or contact us here and we can help decipher what the problem may be.
Check the indoor 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 (next) can help determine if it is a problem with power. If it still doesn’t come on you will need a service call.
Check the breakers– If the fan won’t come on at all, the issue could be power. At your main (or sub) electrical panel there should be a breaker labeled “furnace” or “fan,” “FAU,” or “air handler”. Check and see if it may have tripped by rocking the breaker off and then back on firmly.
Check the furnace itself– If your unit is located somewhere you feel comfortable looking (like the closet or garage) and it is a modern furnace, sometimes there is a little round window on the front of the furnace that has a light behind it. If the light is pulsing steady with no breaks, that is normal. If it is flashing in a sequence (ex: three flashes, pause, three flashes, pause) then you can call or email us and we can look up what error code is causing the unit to not function properly.
Check the 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 feel 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. Electronics as we all know can be fickle at times and can cause a furnace failure.
Other Helpful Tips for Troubleshooting Your Heater
What about a pilot light? Most central gas furnaces in homes today are new enough that they do not have a standing pilot light if they were manufactured after about 1980. So unless you have a furnace over 40 years old, chances are you don’t have to worry about a pilot light going out or needing to be relit for winter.
Do you have a heat pump? With a lot of homeowners making the switch to electric heat sources, they come with a learning curve. Heat pumps are not meant to be turned completely off and expected to heat quickly when there is a large difference from current indoor temperature and what the desired temperature is set to. Want some more information on what to expect from your heat pump? Check this article out.
Ways to Prevent the Need for Furnace Repairs
- 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.
- Whole home surge protection. Power surges or instability during storms can sometimes wipe out electrical components from your refrigerator to your tv and everything in between. You may want to consider talking to a trusted electrician about a whole home surge protector to help safeguard your electronic investments.
As always, if you have concerns about your furnace or heat pump 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.
Need this in printable form? Check out our downloadable Furnace Troubleshooting Guide.