Can A Dirty Filter Stop A Furnace From Working

iv things to check if your furnace stops working

You lot're wearing your coziest thick socks, your scarf is tightly wrapped around your neck and shoulders, and there's an unmistakable arctic in the air.

Unfortunately, you aren't outside just standing in your home, shivering considering your furnace has stopped working! The question is, what should you practise next? The offset thing that may come to mind when you lot have a broken furnace on your hands is to telephone call the professionals in to fix information technology – and that'due south never a bad idea. But did you know that at that place are a few things you might want to consider before you make that furnace repair call?

Hither are four common issues that can cause your furnace to end working, and they don't necessarily require the services of a heating expert.

Troubleshoot Your Furnace Before You Call

1. Muddied furnace filters

Is your furnace firing up but not blowing estrus as difficult as usual? Muddied air filters are often the culprit behind an inefficiently performing furnace. That'south because air filters trap dust, dirt and debris like pilus, which over time can restrict or block vital airflow, overheating the oestrus exchanger and preventing your furnace from working as information technology should.

Filters should exist changed every three months or every bit recommended past your equipment manufacturer manual. To set up the issue, simply purchase a new filter from your local discount or hardware store and follow the instructions in your owner's transmission to make the switch. Spotter our video on how to change your furnace filter.

ii. Thermostat issues

Information technology may sound incredibly simple, merely the source of many a malfunctioning furnace is, in fact, the thermostat, which is the control center of your heating organisation.

To troubleshoot, set your thermostat to estrus instead of cool, and so set information technology to v degrees above room temperature and run across if the furnace comes on.

If it'due south non working every bit it should, the problem could exist as straightforward every bit the thermostat'southward batteries. When the batteries die, the display will get blank, and the thermostat will no longer be able to operate your heating and cooling arrangement. An fantabulous way to avert this event is to simply replace the batteries every year.

iii. Is the furnace turned on?

We detest to enquire just could the trouble be that your furnace isn't turned on? It sounds similar a no-brainer, just if repairs or maintenance work were recently performed on your furnace and it'south not working for some reason, you may desire to check to ensure that it was turned dorsum on. All furnaces take a basic power switch. Simply expect for a standard wall switch on or about the furnace and check if it's in the on or off position.
You may also want to check your excursion billow or fuse for the furnace, which may have been turned off.

Finally, brand sure the front console covering the blower motor is deeply fastened – under it, you'll find a push button-in switch, which needs to be fully depressed for your furnace to plow on.

4. Inspect air ducts

Have you noticed cold spots in your abode even when hot air is coming out of the air vents? The problem could be the air ducts. Check for handles that protrude from the ducts – these are dampers that control airflow. You'll desire to brand certain they're fully open up.

If some entire rooms are still common cold, you lot may take a problem with leaking ducts or incorrectly designed ducts. This is a serious issue that can increment your energy bill. To find blocked or leaky ducts that could be restricting airflow, take a expect at any ducts you can access – are there whatsoever gaps between sections of ducts or branching out points? Yous tin seal these with special metal duct tape. Phone call a professional to have ducts cleaned and repaired.

And always make sure your vents aren't beingness blocked by article of furniture or covered by objects in your home, like drapes, plants or wall fine art.

Schedule an date

If you lot've checked all of the above and your furnace still isn't working, and then it's time to phone call in the professionals. Repairing a furnace certainly isn't one of those projects that most homeowners tin DIY, so it's essential that yous contact qualified HVAC repair technicians, like our abode condolement specialists.

Finally, ask a Reliance™ technician about any other factors mutual to your furnace brand and model so y'all can take activeness if a problem arises in the time to come.

Read Side by side: How to Salve Money on Your Heating Bill