Having a furnace that produces heat is important for any resident of Canada, especially during the winter. Even if you live in an area with a fairly moderate climate, keeping your furnace working can help regulate a comfortable temperature in your home. Furnaces can be tricky, especially if they are old or malfunctioning at the worst possible moment, leaving you bundled up in blankets for hours or days.
There are a variety of reasons your furnace heating may act up and it can be difficult to fix a furnace if you aren’t equipped to handle such a situation. So what do you do if you’re caught with an unreliable furnace in the middle of winter? Here are a few common reasons why your furnace heating isn’t working and how you can troubleshoot the issue:
Furnace Won’t Turn On
If your furnace won’t come on after multiple attempts, there are a handful of reasons that could be causing the issue. Here are 3 steps you can take to check if your furnace is working properly:
- Make sure the unit isn’t turned off. This may sound silly, but it happens to many people every year. Checking this first can save you stress and unnecessary costs of calling in an inspector. Look on the side or top of your furnace for the service switch, then make sure it is in the “on” position.
- Open up your electrical panel and check to see if the circuit connected to your furnace isn’t tripped. Sometimes the breaker might be sitting halfway, so make sure it is fully on to verify that the furnace is receiving power. You can do this by resetting the breaker then check your heater to see if it has turned back on.
- If the first two steps didn’t solve the problem, the last place to check is your thermostat. Your heater is activated by your thermostat, inspect it to see if it’s set to heat and at a higher temperature inside your home.
The Furnace Shuts Off Before the House Is Warm
If your furnace or heating system is running but consistently cycles or shuts off before the house warms up, it could be as simple as replacing or cleaning the air filter. Air filters can get clogged easily, especially in older systems. A clogged air filter can cause the furnace system to shut down or cycle to avoid wasted power and to prevent a fire hazard. If the air filter isn’t the culprit, the problem could be more serious. In this case, it’s best to call a furnace repair professional who can diagnose the problem for you.
Furnace Fan Runs But Doesn’t Produce Heat
During the winter, a running furnace that doesn’t produce heat is a frustrating problem. If you’re able to hear your furnace running but no heat is coming through you may want to check your system. If you have a gas furnace, check to see if the pilot light is turned on. If it is your air filter may be at fault. Check your air filter for any dirt and debris, if it hasn’t been replaced for a while it may blow cool air or perform inefficiently.
If you’ve tried everything and still haven’t found a solution, it might be time to call your local furnace repair experts. Contact Aire One for furnace and heating repair in your area. We’ll make sure your home is kept warm all winter long.