How To Troubleshoot Furnace issues
A broken furnace is no joke. They have gas components, electrical components and airflow, when those elements mix incorrectly the results could be intense and destructive. Furnace repair doesn’t have to be expensive and understand what the issue may be will help you budget accordingly and give you peace of mind when a professional makes recommendations.
Let’s start with the easiest to diagnose, electrical issues. Do a double check of your circuit breaker, make sure that the circuit has not been tripped or turned off during another repair. If the breaker is tripped there could be an electrical issue with your home or business, or one with the furnace itself. In both cases we recommend giving Williams A/C & Heating a call. It is essential that you get a professional diagnostic and repair. Electricians are not certified to work on all parts of a furnace, they can help with wiring, but they aren’t experts on furnaces and their parts. An electrician that agrees to work on a furnace may not catch other issues with unit and could cause more damage that only an HVAC technician can fix. HVAC technicians are not certified to rewire your home or business, but Williams A/C & Heating does partner with top tier electricians and we can assist with getting an electrician dispatched to your home or business if the issue is specific to your wiring.
If the issue is not electrical, it could be the pilot light. This is also a pretty simple fix in most cases. Check that your pilot light is lit, if it isn’t try lighting it or if your furnace has one, use the ignitor button. If you smell gas, stop immediately and call Williams A/C & Heating. A pro can help you fix any gas leaks before they cause a fire in your home or business.
Next up is air flow. Air flow is a little trickier to troubleshoot, and less certain without professional help. Air flow restrictions are no joke, they can cause your furnace to overheat causing the furnace’s internal safety switches which will prevent the furnace from running at all. The easiest way to alleviate air flow issues is to check and replace your filters. The next is to make sure that all of your return and supply grilles are clear of obstructions. Obstructions are fire hazards and will cause those internal switches to kick on and stop your furnace from running. Once you’ve checked your airflow, give your furnace some time to cool down before trying to run it again.
The last DIY check that you could try is checking your furnace door. Weird right? Most furnaces have a safety switch that requires the furnace door to be secured for the furnace to start. Make sure your furnace’s front panel is attached securely to your unit. Tighten screws if needed to make sure the panel is in direct contact with the sensor.
When to call Williams A/C & Heating:
Call immediately if you smell gas. Turn off your gas valve and call a pro immediately.
If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, call a pro immediately. Remove yourself, your family, and your pets from your home immediately. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is fatal and could cause long term damage if you are exposed for too long.
Call us if the furnace is still giving you issues after following the troubleshooting steps. These steps only eliminate the easy fixes and a professional is needed to fix the issue.
Or you could call us if you just don’t feel comfortable with performing any of the troubleshooting steps. We offer a diagnostic inspection that will identify all of the issues with a furnace and help you understand the cost of repair.
Williams A/C & Heating has been doing furnace repairs for a long time. Let us put our expertise to work for you and give us a call today.
