There’s nothing worse than waking up on a winter day to a home that feels as chilly inside as the temperature outdoors! If it is a scenario you’ve discovered your self in, a furnace not working could be what’s causing your chilly mornings.
While it is advisable name an HVAC skilled right away if you scent gasoline or hear unusual noises coming from your furnace, in some instances the problem could be minor and you might be capable of do some furnace troubleshooting by yourself. Here’s our list of seven gas furnace troubleshooting options which can be secure so that you can try.
WARNING: Attempting to restore your furnace yourself can have major safety and health consequences. If your furnace is powered by pure gas, improper repair can result in dangerous leaks that may expose your family to toxic fumes and the chance of explosions. Electric furnaces can shock you during wiring work. At all times consult a licensed HVAC skilled if you are experiencing mechanical issues along with your furnace.
Gas Furnace Troubleshooting Checklist
Check these seven furnace troubleshooting suggestions before you name in the professionals.
1. Be sure that your thermostat is on and set to ‘heat’ The issue won’t even be your furnace at all — it could also be your thermostat! When you ensure your thermostat is on, ensure that it’s set to ‘heat’ at a temperature a minimum of 5 degrees above room temperature. If they’re blocked or closed, heat won’t be able to move. It’s potential your thermostat might have new batteries or was simply switched off by mistake. All HVAC programs, together with furnaces, heat pumps, cooling devices and extra, have filters that homeowners ought to change recurrently. Earlier than you name a professional, test your thermostat and ensure it’s on. If your private home isn’t feeling heat, however your furnace is on, be sure that all of your vents are utterly open. Vents could be discovered on the floor, ceiling, or walls in each room of your house. 2. Open the vents throughout your private home Your furnace features by making heat, then pumping that hot air via all your vents to, in the end, increase the temperature. 3. Clean or have your furnace filter replaced If you’re feeling like your furnace continues to be producing some heat, however not sufficient, the culprit might be a clogged or soiled furnace filter.
Step one in checking your furnace filter is locating it, however earlier than you try this ensure your furnace is completely turned off. The filter is always situated close to the blower, which is the part of your furnace where scorching air exits so it’s blown all through your home.
Exactly where your blower is situated is dependent upon how your furnace was installed:
– When you’ve got a horizontal-facing furnace, the blower will be on the side and the filter shall be slid into a rack. After locating your filter, inspect it for any dust or debris. – If in case you have a vertical-going through furnace, the filter will likely be in either the highest or bottom doorways, relying on whether or not air is flowing upward or downward through the blower.
Notice: By no means operate your furnace And not using a filter as this will lead to extreme and expensive problems.
When you’ve got one-time use filters in your furnace and yours seems to be notably soiled, swap the filter out for a wholly new one. In case your furnace filter is permanent, rinse the dirty filter with water and allow it to air-dry completely before putting it back into your furnace.
4. Check the furnace switch and your home’s breaker panel In case your furnace isn’t heating, it might not be getting any energy to provide any heat. First, verify the final energy swap in your furnace. Be certain nobody in your house hit it and flipped it off by accident. Newer fashions use an electric ignition system that solely lights when obligatory, so that they don’t have these flames. If that swap is still on, discover your home’s primary electrical panel and look for the swap labeled ‘heat’ or ‘furnace.’ Be certain that’s additionally on, and toggle it back and forth between on and off one time. 5. Look for a blue furnace flame In older furnace models, a blue, even flame ought to be seen through the opening in your furnace at all times. If this ends in a fuse blowing, contact an HVAC professional as a result of there could also be a bigger furnace downside at hand.
If your furnace does have a flame, and you see yellow or uneven flames as a substitute of blue ones, you might have soiled burners or burners blocked with debris. When you discover this furnace drawback, name an HVAC skilled and schedule furnace and burners upkeep.
6. Relight the pilot light or verify electric ignitor As we mentioned earlier, older model furnaces burn visible blue flames. However, newer model furnaces operate with an electric ignition that eliminates the need for a continuing flame. In case your furnace has a blue flame, it’s lit by the pilot gentle.
In case your furnace has a pilot mild, will probably be managed by a knob on the underside of your unit. You can easily relight the pilot light by turning the knob to ‘off,’ waiting a minute, then setting it again to ‘on.’ This can stop and restart the gas movement of your furnace.
When you’ve got a newer furnace with an electric ignitor contact an HVAC professional for recommendation on subsequent steps.
7. Check the fuel valve Your furnace’s gasoline valve is made up of two valves: the security valve, which supplies gasoline to the pilot mild, and the main valve, which supplies gasoline to the burner trays. If your pilot mild isn’t on, be sure the gas valve, located in the service panel on the side of the furnace, is on and supplying fuel to the pilot light. If you happen to suspect you will have a fuel leak, Depart Your own home Immediately and name 9-1-1, then contact an HVAC skilled instantly from a secure location.
When to name a professional
When you spot these furnace issues, call in an HVAC skilled as soon as potential.
When you odor fuel in the house
Small, fleeting scents of gas coming from a furnace can be regular, particularly if you’ve just turned it on for the heating season. A robust, lingering gas scent coming from your furnace may point out your furnace has a dangerous leak and you want to depart Your house Instantly and name 9-1-1. Contact an HVAC skilled from a safe location.
It’s additionally necessary to install carbon monoxide detectors all through your house. A correctly functioning furnace will have the ability to deposit this dangerous fuel in a safe method, but if your furnace isn’t maintained appropriately, this gasoline might build as much as lethal levels in your home. Your furnace burns gasoline, which makes carbon monoxide. In case your carbon monoxide detector is going off, Leave Your house Immediately and call 9-1-1. Carbon monoxide is a deadly odorless and colorless gasoline, so it’s important all homeowners install detectors.
In case your furnace is making unusual noises
Any loud hissing or banging noises may point out a bigger drawback at hand. In case you hear unusual noises coming out of your furnace, there may be an electrical challenge inside your unit. Call an HVAC professional to troubleshoot your furnace in this case.
If troubleshooting does not repair the issue
If you’ve tried all the things on this listing, or are uncomfortable attempting yourself, and your house is still feeling chilly, it’s time to call in an HVAC professional. Past these steps, your furnace likely requires upkeep or alternative that only someone with professional knowledge of HVAC devices can carry out.
