Temperatures are dropping! And in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, residents are beginning to turn on their heating systems. Nevertheless, sometimes a furnace that hasn’t been used in quite a while may not respond like it should.
Before you make the call to your “go-to” heating professional, you may want to see if you can troubleshoot the problem yourself. By doing so, you may be able to fix the issue yourself or at least let the service professional know what you’ve found. Below are some of three of the most common gas furnace issues that are really quick fixes and are sometimes overlooked.
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Check the Thermostat
Believe it or not, a lot of furnace problems are resolved by giving due attention to the thermostat. Since the thermostat measure the indoor temperature and adjusts the furnace accordingly, if a problem rests with the thermostat the furnace will not respond properly. Make sure that the thermostat is set to a temperature value that is higher than the actually temperature inside your home. If you know that it is, and there is no response, call a professional. If you have a digital setup and there is no response, make sure that the battery is functional (replace it if you can’t tell).
Fan Issues
Sometimes the issue is not that the actual furnace is heating up. In some cases, the fan that circulates the heat from the furnace is either not on, not receiving electricity, or is malfunctioning. If your furnace has a fan toggle switch, make sure that it is in the “on” position. Sometimes if you listen closely you may even hear a slight click when the fan cycles on. If there is no response, either the fan is not getting power (which may be a breaker switch problem) or it could have a more serious issue (like a motor malfunction). If you can identify this issue, when you call a professional they may be able to walk you through a few other checks before they send a service technician out.
Pilot Light
Another common fix is connected to the pilot light. Check the inside of the furnace combustion chamber and verify if the pilot light is active. If it is not, you will need to reignite it. Follow your furnace’s instructions to do so. If your pilot light is going out continually, a large problem exists. Call a professional to handle that issue.
