No one wants to run into trouble with their furnace on a cold night. Unfortunately, this is a common issue. Emergency calls can be expensive, so if you can avoid that inconvenience you should do so. You can decrease your chances of a mid-season furnace breakdown by having your furnace serviced before you begin using it. This small fee could save you lots of hard-earned cash for the year. Many skip this important step as means to save some money, but it may just do the opposite and end up costing you more. Stay warm this Fall and Winter, have your unit serviced by a licensed and experienced HVAC company. In the event your furnace stops working as efficiently as it should, following are some of the most common troubles we see. Some of these are a simple DIY fix, others will require the assistance of a professional.
Troubleshooting Furnace Problems
1: Check your thermostat– You probably laughed as you read that. This is a more common issues than you’d think. Many people skip this step and call for a technician thinking their system is broken when in fact it is a small issue that could have been resolved by them by checking the thermostat. Go to your thermostat and ensure it is on the “On” position. Next, ensure the temperature is where you wanted it to be. If the house is cold, try turning the thermostat up a few degrees to see if the unit kicks on and makes a difference in temperature. Next, if your thermostat runs on batteries, check the battery. Most thermostats will display a “Replace battery” or “Low battery” warning. Thermostat batteries should be changed once a year. After you’ve completed these steps, check the date and time to be sure they are correct. Many thermostats run on timers, make sure your thermostat is not set to a timer that has the current time set to be off.
2: Check for strange furnace smells– When you initially turn on your furnace for the season, a slight burning smell or other strange aromas are normal if they only last a short while. After being idle for months dust and other debris can become settled in the unit and when you turn your unit on the dust particles and pet hair and dander will burn up. If the smell lasts longer than an hour, or gets stronger, there may be an underlying issue and it would be best to shut off the unit and call a professional to diagnose the problem. If the furnace is left on while the smell continues, you can cause damage to the furnace and heating system. Even worse, your unit could be leaking harmful gasses and putting your family in danger. Always err on the side of caution when it comes to funny smells.
3: Is your furnace making noises like rattling, banging, buzzing, or whistling? – Listen carefully to your unit, it may be trying to tell you something is wrong. When you start up your unit, it is common for it to be a bit noisy for a few minutes, but it should quiet down in a timely manner. If your furnace remains noisy this is a sure sign of trouble ahead. Clanking, banging, whistling, or electrical zapping are big red flags and you should immediately shut the unit off and call a licensed professional to service the unit.
4: Are your registers not blowing air strongly or is there no heat? – If your registers are not blowing as hard as they used to, this can signal an issue. First item on the list is to check your furnace filter. These should be changed monthly, and you should always start the season with a fresh filter. Filters that are too jammed up will not allow air to pass through as easily as the system is meant to. If after your filter has been inspected or replaced and your unit is still not blowing properly, call a licensed HVAC professional to diagnose the problem. If your registers are blowing cool air, this is an obvious sign of needing to call an HVAC pro to help. Don’t attempt to turn up the heat, turn your unit off and wait for help.
Furnace & Boiler Heating Inspections, Tune Ups, Repairs & More in Manhattan, New York
NY NJ AC Connection recommends your furnace be serviced before you begin using it for the season. If you have trouble this Fall, give us a call and we will be there to serve all your HVAC needs in a timely manner!
