4 of the Most Common Furnace Problems (and Their Solutions)

The furnace keeps your home temperature at comfortable levels to fight off cold and let you enjoy the coziness of your home. That’s why it is imperative that the furnace must be working properly at all times to avoid any inconveniences. Ignoring any issues, even small ones, can turn into bigger problems, so whenever you feel the furnace isn’t working perfectly, you should address the issue immediately. This guide will show you 4 of the most common furnace problems and how to fix them.

 

1. Your Furnace Isn’t Producing Heat

It can be alarming if your furnace isn’t producing heat, as this is the only job it should be doing. However, it’s not a big issue to fix in most cases, so you have to check for simpler solutions before moving onto more complicated ones. Check the fan setting on your thermostat, as it may be set to auto or cool instead of heat. If this is the case, it may be distributing air through your home without warming it up first. This solution may seem obvious, but the best of us sometimes overlook the simple solutions. Another reason that your furnace isn’t producing heat is that your thermostat is turned off or the temperature setting is too low. For these reasons, always check your thermostat first when your furnace isn’t heating at all.

Your furnace’s air filter should be replaced at least once during winter or monthly if you have a large family with pets. The importance of this air filter is that it prevents dust and debris from going through the vents into your house. Failing to replace the air filter can cause it to become clogged from the accumulation of dust and debris and prevent the airflow from the furnace. The solution, in this case, is simple; you should replace the air filter immediately.

Another reason why your furnace might stop producing heat is that the fuel isn’t being ignited to warm the air. This problem occurs when the pilot light in a furnace isn’t igniting or is constantly going out if you’re using an older model of furnace. Newer models have electronic ignition that ignites the pilot light, and if the ignition isn’t working, the pilot light won’t ignite the fuel. You can follow the instructions to light the pilot light yourself, but if it will not light, you have to call a technician to fix it as it may need certain expertise and spare parts.

 

2. Your Furnace Doesn’t Turn On Automatically

The thermostat signals the furnace so that it turns on and starts producing heat; that’s how normally it works. If you feel it’s getting cold in your house and the furnace is turned on, then there is something wrong, and it might need a quick fix or it could be a bigger problem. 

Both should be taken care of immediately. One reason that the furnace isn’t turning on automatically is that the circuit breaker is turned off, and according to HVAC specialists at performancebasedheatingandair.com/, you should open your breaker box and flip the furnace switch back on as that might be what’s stopping the furnace from turning on. The thermostat can be kept on “off” or “cool,” which won’t make the furnace work until it registers that temperature. Adjust the temperature and see if that works. Other reasons for this problem may include a clogged air filter, faulty pilot light or ignition, or there is no fuel.

 

3. Your Furnace Became Noisy

Some furnaces are noisy, which shouldn’t alarm you if you’re used to that noise, but it should be a consistent noise in some way. However, if the furnace is making a knocking or rattling noise, then something has become loose and it needs to be adjusted or tightened. When there is some fuel left in the combustion chamber after the furnace has been turned off, it will make a rumbling noise. Squealing noises indicate that the belt connecting the motor to the fan has slipped or needs replacing. In any of these cases, you should contact a technician to fix the problem.

 

4. Your Furnace Stopped Working

If the furnace shuts down before reaching the temperature set by the thermostat, the problem can have similar reasons to previous problems. The circuit breaker got tripped, the pilot light or ignition aren’t working, a clogged air filter or the safety switch got triggered and shut down the furnace. If you have checked all of these things and nothing seems to work, it’s time to call a technician to analyze what the reason is for this problem.

Some problems can’t be fixed unless a specialized technician comes to the rescue, however, you don’t need to call the technician every time something goes wrong. You have the basic information to analyze and fix any issues that arise with your furnace whether it doesn’t produce heat, doesn’t turn on automatically, becomes noisy, or stopped working altogether.

 

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