On the coldest days of winter, a broken furnace can be a true emergency that requires an immediate response. Many homeowners will immediately call an HVAC repair professional to their home at the first sign of trouble, but some repair issues can easily be overcome with some basic troubleshooting steps. By repairing the heating system issue yourself, you may be able to avoid paying high repair bills and may be able to get the heater back on again in a matter of minutes. In fact, these are some of the most common home heating issues you may run into as well as common and easy solutions to address the problems.
1- Your Heater Will Not Turn On
If you have noticed that your heater has not turned on in several hours and your home is growing uncomfortably chiller, you may initially toggle the thermostat. When you find the thermostat unresponsive, there are a few steps you can take to get the system functional again. First, check the fuse box to see if a fuse has blown. Simply flipping the fuse switch on or replacing a blown fuse may resolve the issue. You may also check the pilot light on the furnace to see if it has blown out. If so, you can follow the manufacturer’s instructions to re-light the pilot light with care. If you have a gas furnace, also make sure that the gas valve that supplies the furnace with fuel is completely open. If not, adjust the valve to the open position. Typically, these steps will get the system to turn back on again.
2- Your Heater Is Blowing Lukewarm Air
Another common issue that many will run into is a furnace that blows lukewarm or even chilly air through the home. You can inspect the thermostat and air vents. According to Total System Services, ensure that the thermostat is set at a desirable setting, and consider changing the batteries in the thermostat to resolve the issue. Also, ensure that all vents are open throughout the home. A dirty filter may be responsible for this issue, so replace the filter if it has been several months since you last performed this task. You can also inspect the furnace itself, and pay attention to the blower. If the blower is clogged, simply remove the clog by cleaning the blower assembly. If the blower belt is broken, you may need to obtain a replacement belt at a home improvement store to complete the repair In the event the blower is dirty, you should contact a repair professional to complete the cleaning task for you.
3- Your Heater Turns On and Off Too Frequently
In some instances, a heater will switch between the on and off functions with noticeable frequency, and you may wonder if something is wrong with the furnace. For example, the heater may have just switched on a few minutes ago, and you may not feel as though your house is warm enough when you hear it switch off. This may be caused by the thermostat, so check the thermostat setting, and replace the batteries. It may also be caused by a loose or broken motor belt. You can either tighten or replace the belt. In some cases, applying light motor oil to the motor lubrication ports can resolve the issue as well. By following these steps, the heater should begin to function normally again.
These are some of the most common problems that homeowners will run into with their heating systems. As you can see, the repair tasks associated with addressing these problems are easy enough for most homeowners to complete themselves. If you are not comfortable tinkering with your furnace or if you complete these tasks with no desirable response from your furnace, it may be time to call a professional to your home for an accurate diagnosis and for more significant repair steps.
