Furnace Not heating Up?

furnace not heating - tulsa, ok

If your furnace isn't warming your home as it should, there may be a simple solution that doesn't require the assistance of an HVAC pro. The following tips can help you troubleshoot the problem.

• Make sure that the thermostat is set correctly. It should be in "heat" mode, and the temperature called for must be above the room temperature that's displayed. Also check that the fan is in the "auto" position so that it only operates when the furnace is running.

• Check the thermostat itself. If you have a digital thermostat, replacing the batteries may solve the problem. With an older, manual unit, remove the cover and clean the contacts.

• Examine the furnace filter. If the filter's clogged with dirt, it can adversely affect the flow of warm air that arrives at your registers. To maximize your furnace's efficiency during the heating season, clean or replace the filter once a month.

• Check the gas shutoff position. The shutoff is located along the gas line that runs from your furnace, and the handle must be set parallel to the pipe so that fuel reaches the burner.

• Look inside your breaker box. Is the furnace not warming your home at all? A tripped breaker could be the reason why. If everything looks fine inside your main electrical service box, check for a blown fuse and/or flipped breaker in the furnace's blower compartment.

• Check your pilot light. If the pilot light has gone out on your older furnace, look for instructions on how to relight it right on the unit, next to the pilot light opening. Alternately, they should be in your owner's manual.

If the above tips don't help, or if you have a newer heating system with an intermittent or hot surface ignition, give your HVAC professional a call. He or she may diagnose another common problem such as inadequate airflow to the combustion chamber, or a dirty gas burner.

Is your furnace not warming your home and you need expert help? Contact us today at Air Assurance. We've provided outstanding service to Broken Arrow area homeowners for more than 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Troubleshooting Tips for Common Furnace Problems

No one wants to be sitting at home the middle of January when suddenly your furnace conks out. Or realizing after successive nights of shivering in bed that your furnace isn't keeping your house warm. Furnace problems do happen, unfortunately, and the sooner you're able to diagnose those problems, the better chance you'll have of fixing them yourself, or at least of being able to easily explain the problem to a service person. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common furnace problems:

Your Furnace Won't Work at All

This could be a number of issues, but you'll want to check the obvious and easiest ones to fix first. Is the furnace getting power? Check the on-off switch (if it has one), then go to the breaker box and make sure the circuit breaker hasn't tripped. If that's not the issue, check the thermostat. Is it set to "heat"? Is the temperature set above the temperature in the room?

If you have an older furnace, has the pilot light gone out? Relight it. If it goes out again, it's time to call the service technician. Same goes if the electronic ignition isn't working properly, though this will be more difficult to diagnose on your own.

If you hear rattling or banging inside the furnace before the it shuts down, you could have loose or detached parts, or maybe a belt has slipped. You might be able to reattach the belt, though mechanical issues with the motor will require professional help.

Clogged burners in the furnace will result in substandard heating and eventually may shut down the system. Annual maintenance should prevent this and other common furnace problems.

If the Furnace Won't Heat Properly

This could be a number of issues, some of which you can address yourself while others may require service. The air filter could be clogged, the ductwork might be dirty or leaking, mechanical parts may need cleaning or lubrication, or perhaps you just need a new furnace.

For help addressing furnace problems in your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “docstockmedia/Shutterstock”