All too often, people take furnaces for granted. While our furnaces help keep us warm throughout the most frigid of winter nights, most people don’t give them much consideration until something goes wrong. It’s only when they stop working, or when serious problems transpire, that most homeowners start giving their furnaces some serious attention. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With routine maintenance by a pro, furnaces can run for years and years to come without a hitch. But for those times your furnace might not be kicking on, we at Hilliard-Dublin Heating & Air compiled the following.
Why My Furnace Might Not Be Turning On
Thermostat Problems
Thermostat issues are the leading reason why furnaces quit functioning. When you think about it, it’s kind of like having a TV without the remote control. Hopeless right? Perhaps not. To start, check to ensure you’ve set your thermostat to the “heating” setting. When it is set to “fan,” you won’t be feeling any heat come out of your vents. If that’s not the case, it might be defective wiring. In the event it is the wiring, we strongly suggest you contact an experienced technician before proceeding with any work. Finally, if neither of those issues are the cause, it could be that your thermostat is too old. You might need to have a new one installed. We suggest letting a pro do this as well, as they can install it properly and demonstrate to you how it operates. Here at Hilliard-Dublin Heating & Air, we can install a pre-purchased thermostat for you promptly at an affordable price!
Circuit Breaker Tripping
If your circuit breaker trips, it is a good indication that too much electricity is running through a particular part. The part is not capable of handling all the electricity running through it. That’s why it cuts itself off and shuts down. It protects your unit so that it does not overheat, which would create more damage or a fire. We strongly advise you to allow a professional to repair bad circuit breakers. This is not a DIY job because if not installed properly, serious problems can transpire.
Pilot Light Goes Out
Determining if your pilot light is the problem is easy, and you can fix it on your own by looking under the furnace to observe if the blue pilot light is still burning. If it is not, most homeowners are able to relight it with a lighter. If this does not do the trick, we advise you to give us a call. A new pilot light will need to be installed, and lucky for you, they are not too expensive to repair.
Insufficient Power To The Unit
If your heating system is not getting sufficient power to run it properly, a variety of different wiring issues could be the cause. We firmly suggest you do not touch the unit. It’s too risky. Instead, give us a call. A single wire out of place can cause problems for the unit and reduce its lifespan.
Inadequate Gas Supply
Leaving your gas only partially on is more harmful to your furnace than having it fully turned on. Some people believe that having it on half of the way helps to not allow as much into the system. Even though that is true, it is still more detrimental to the life of your unit. It can reduce your system’s life and can be a serious safety hazard. We strongly suggest that it be either all the way on or all the way off.
Condensation
A furnace’s condensation pan accumulates excess water when the reservoir is full. If the pan is full, it will turn your furnace completely off. The water is then drained out. Once this happens, a furnace will not attempt to restart itself for safety purposes. Ask a professional to help if you do not know where the pan is established or if it keeps filling up at an especially fast rate.
Still Having Problems With Your Furnace
If you have any further questions regarding why your furnace is not coming on, give Hilliard-Dublin Heating & Air today at 614-490-7520, or schedule an appointment now at www.hilliarddublinheatingandair.com/schedule-now/. We’d love hearing from you!
