Furnace repairs are understandably a source of aggravation for many homeowners. However, there are many simple solutions for common furnace issues that are sure to reduce your frustration.

Continue reading for our top furnace repair solutions.

The Blower is Continuously Running

Is your furnace blower running? You better go catch it! In all seriousness, the remedy is quite simple. First, ensure that your thermostat is not on the ‘fan’ setting. This will cause your fan to run continuously. Instead, return your thermostat’s setting to ‘auto.’ By making sure that your fan is set to ‘auto.’ ensures the fan will only operate as the furnace is heating or cooling.

If you have double-checked your thermostat settings and notice that the blower continues to run, it may be time to test your furnace’s fan limit switch. The fan limit switch is a mechanism that acts as a preventative measure to avoid blowing cold air into your home. If the fan limit switch operates correctly, it will be closed unless the furnace’s preset temperature is reached.

There’s Not Enough Heat

If you’ve recently turned your furnace on for the first time this season and are noticing a lack of heat, take a step back and look at your thermostat. Is your thermostat set to ‘heat’? If not, simply change your thermostat to its ‘heat’ setting.

If you continue to experience issues after ensuring your thermostat is set to ‘heat,’ try replacing your thermostat’s batteries. Even ‘low’ batteries can lead to thermostat mishaps. Play it safe and change your batteries regularly.

After troubleshooting your thermostat, make sure that your furnace is receiving power. Not only does your furnace’s power switch need to be ‘on, but it also needs to be receiving power from your home’s main circuit breaker. If you have ensured that both power sources are on, and notice that your furnace is still not operating, call on a professional for assistance.

Lastly, consider the cleanliness of your furnace’s air filter and the vents within your ductwork. Before removing your furnace filter, cut all power to the furnace. Then, remove the filter. If your filter is a one-time-use filter, then you will just replace the old with the new. However, if your furnace operates off a permanent filter, you will need to remove the filter and thoroughly clean it with warm water. You must allow enough time for the filter to air dry completely. Just as your air filter needs regular cleaning, so do the vents within your ductwork. We recommended inspecting each vent throughout your home to ensure that each is open and clean. Closed or dirty vents will restrict airflow, which will result in a lack of heat distribution.

Your Furnace is Short Cycling

While we are on the topic of furnace filters and duct vents, it is worth noting that these can also cause furnace short-cycling. If your furnace continues to run off of a dirty filter, it will eventually short cycle. Additionally, obstructed vents will inevitably lead to short cycling.

Your Furnace Keeps Shutting Itself Off

Once again, we recommend investing the time to clean your furnace filter. As you’ve seen throughout this article, dirty furnace filters can lead to a multitude of furnace malfunctions. Ensure that your air filters are cleaned. If your air filters are clean enough to eat off of, it may be worth considering a faulty flame sensor.

A flame sensor that is dirty or clogged will cause your furnace not to function properly. Rather than attempting to clean your flame sensor, save yourself the hassle and call on a professional.

Once again, you must confirm your thermostat is properly functioning. As long as the thermostat batteries have been changed and your thermostat is placed on ‘heat,’ your furnace should not continue turning off. If you are still having issues with a furnace that repeatedly turns off and all other troubleshooting items have been attempted, seek advice from a professional to determine whether or not your thermostat requires replacing.

The Thermostat Is Not Working

Before blaming the thermostat, ensure that your furnace switch is on. If it isn’t, flip that switch to ‘on’ and allow your furnace to kick in.

After confirming that your furnace switch is on, remove your thermostat cover. Finally, reset your thermostat, turn it off, and turn it back on. Take your thermostat’s batteries out and replace them with brand-new batteries. Even if you believe that your thermostat’s batteries are relatively new, remember that ‘low’ batteries can still cause thermostat issues.

If your thermostat continues to malfunction, call a professional for further assistance.

The Pilot Light is Out

If your pilot light has been blown out, restart it by following these simple steps:

1. Cut all power to your furnace.
2. Place the gas valve in the ‘pilot’ position.
3. Compress the red button for 60 seconds.
4. Release the red button.
5. Place the gas valve to ‘on.’
6. Restore power to your furnace.

The pilot light going out is a common problem, but thankfully, the fix is simple.

Call in the Pros at Proskill!

At Proskill, we maintain our customers’ needs as our highest priority. If you have tried unsuccessfully to troubleshoot your furnace, give us a call today!