In the midst of winter, the last thing any homeowner wants is to lose their heat. When it occurs, you can experience concern due to the possible expense of repairs and the length of time you would be without heat. It’s critical to remain composed and determine the best course of action in the event that your furnace breaks down. Here are six typical furnace issues along with solutions.
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1. You Cannot Turn on Your Furnace
First, make sure your thermostat is turned on if your furnace isn’t operating. In case it remains off, replace the batteries.
Verify that your furnace is plugged in and that the access panel is completely closed if your thermostat is on and operating as it should. If so, investigate if the circuit breaker for the furnace has tripped. Turn it on if it’s off; turn it off and then back on if it’s in between. If it remains on, the tripped breaker could have been an anomaly. If it trips once more, though, you could have an electrical problem that has to be fixed by a qualified electrician in your area.
2. The Blower Fan in Your Furnace Won’t Turn Off
When your home reaches the correct temperature, your system should shut off if your thermostat is set to auto (instead of on). If the blower fan is always running and your furnace never turns off, it’s possible that your limit control switch is broken.
This crucial safety feature monitors the temperature of the air and turns off your HVAC system when it becomes too hot. This little but important component has to be replaced, therefore you’ll need to contact an HVAC expert. Furnace repairs of this kind might run from $150 to $400.
3. There Are Odd Sounds Coming From Your Furnace
It’s normal to hear some noise, like tiny clicks or the “whoosh” of heated air passing through your ducts. However, sounds emanating straight from your furnace may be a sign of issues. Determine the sort of sound your furnace is producing before taking appropriate action:
Scraping or grinding: It’s possible that your ball bearings have worn out. Switch off your furnace right away.
Squealing or screaming: This is a sign of a blower belt that has slipped or is worn out. This may be a do-it-yourself project if you have the confidence to unplug the motor wiring and replace or adjust the belt.
Knocking or rattling: Something may need to be adjusted or tightened because it has come loose.
Loud rumbling: After your system has switched down, fuel residue may remain in the combustion chamber.
The majority of these noises are best handled by an expert, so avoid wasting time and trouble and get a licensed local HVAC specialist to identify and resolve the problem for you.
4. Your Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit or Is Too Small
Pilot light problems might have several reasons. You can try to fix it or fire it again yourself, but be aware that natural gas is extremely hazardous and combustible. To start, shut off your gas supply and wait a few minutes for any built-up gas to release. If you want to do it yourself, carefully read the owner’s instructions for your furnace. Additional reasons for problems with pilot light might be:
Inaccurate Flame Sensor
This safety device, also known as a thermocouple, is a metal rod that signals the furnace to turn off when the flame isn’t igniting. Call an expert right away to look at the problem if you think it’s unclean or broken. Repairs might run from $150 to $300.
Blockage in Burner
This is the component in your setup that releases natural gas to ignite your pilot light. Verify the pilot flame’s color. Blue flames indicate a healthy burner; yellow or orange flames suggest a debris-clogged burner that may need professional cleaning. You can hear a booming or rumbling sound emanating from your furnace if the burner is blocked.
5. Your Filters Need Cleaning
Furnace filters should be changed on a regular basis as part of an examination. Your furnace will have to work harder to get airflow because of clogged air filters. At most, having an inefficient furnace will result in higher heating costs. In the worst case scenario, your system may overheat and shut down, entirely depriving you of heat.
6. There’s a crack in your heat exchanger
Although you might not see it at first, a fractured heat exchanger can be quite harmful and exhibit a number of warning indications.
The interior of your furnace has soot.
a strong, disagreeable chemical smell
There is water on the floor near the furnace.
Individuals in your house who are feeling queasy, irritable, headachey, and flu-like symptoms
These are all indicators that your heat exchanger is releasing carbon monoxide gas, which can be fatal and result in carbon monoxide poisoning. As soon as you detect this issue, leave your house and give an HVAC professional a call.
7. There’s a Strange Scent
A strange scent coming from your furnace may be a sign of impending issues that require immediate care. In order to handle the problem and guarantee your safety, it is usually a good idea to get in touch with your gas utility company and a certified HVAC specialist if you smell anything coming from your furnace. These unique smells may indicate problems with your furnace.
Burning or metallic smell: Ignoring this smell might result in more damage or perhaps a fire danger. It is commonly linked to overheated electrical components, a broken blower motor, or a blocked air filter.
A gas leak from your furnace is indicated by a rotten egg or sulfur stench; you must turn it off, air the area, and leave your house right once.
Odors of mold or must: These smells might be signs of moisture seeping into your ducts or furnace, which would affect the quality of the air. A expert should evaluate your system to find and fix any problems.
Burning dust smell: This occurs when you turn on the furnace after it has been idle for some time. Replace the air filter if the scent lasts more than a short while.
Your house will remain pleasant and your furnace operating securely with routine maintenance and quick reaction to smells.
8. There Is A Tripped Circuit Breaker
Your furnace needs electricity even if it may operate on gas or oil. A malfunctioning or problematic furnace may overload the electrical circuit, tripping the circuit breaker. This is a precautionary step to avoid damage and fires. This is how furnace issues may be indicated by a tripped circuit breaker.
System malfunction: Parts such as blower motors can short circuit or consume too much electricity.
Filters with dirt on them: These can impede the passage of air in your furnace, making it work harder to disperse heat.
Electrical problems: Circuit overloads may also result from faulty electrical connections, broken wiring, or old electrical system components in the furnace.
Insufficient circuit capacity: When a circuit breaker trips, it might mean that the power circuit is too small to support the load of the furnace. This has to be fixed by a certified electrician in your area.
