Furnace Repair

Winter has arrived with its usual cold temperatures; this year the arctic blasts seem particularly cold. When the cold wind blows, our families depend upon our furnace for warmth and comfort. Coming home or awakening to a cold home is a very disconcerting prospect, a perspective that will call for an emergency reaction. This emergency might arrive at a very inopportune time to affect repairs, so here is a list of the most common furnace Repair problems with potential steps to identify and even initiate repairs.

The Furnace Does Work

This situation seems serious, but before you panic, here are a few things to check.

• First, find the electric service panel and check the circuit breaker that services your furnace. If the breaker is flipped to the OFF position, slide it to the ON position and wait a few minutes. Expect the furnace to make some noises, but it may take a couple of minutes before it cycles on. Be patient and observe; if the furnace comes on, the breaker might flip off again.
• Second, check the thermostat. The thermostat functions as an ON/OFF switch for both the furnace and air conditioner. The thermostat requires batteries and if the batteries are dead, the furnace will not function. Replace the batteries and check the temperature setting. Set the temperature to about 5⁰ above room temperature to call for heat.
• Third, if your furnace is gas-powered, check the gas supply. Find the supply valve located near the burner and make sure it is in the ON position. If the valve is ON and the burner is not lit, determine whether the furnace has electronic ignition or pilot light. The pilot light might have blown out and needs to be relit. Follow the instructions to relight the pilot light and wait for a few minutes to see if the furnace restarts.

Inadequate Hot Air

If the furnace runs and blows air, but the air is not hot enough, there are a few more things to check.

• First, check the air filter. With every heating cycle, your air filter is trapping airborne particles and cleans the indoor air in your home. Should the air filter clog, this will restrict the airflow throughout your entire home. If the airflow is weak, check and change your air filter as needed.
• Second, if your furnace uses a heat pump, check the outdoor condenser unit. Heat pump technology is used for both heating and air conditioning; it is necessary to keep the condenser clean of debris and dust. If you observe leaves and limbs stacked around the unit, make sure to clean the away.
• Third, check the thermostat setting. The temperature setting needs to be 5⁰ higher than room temperature to call for heat. Also, notice there are two heat settings—one simply says Heat and a second EM or AUX Heat setting. The first setting is drawing heat from the heat pump, while the second setting is drawing heat from the gas burner or electric heating elements. When the outdoor temperature drops below 320 degrees, the heat pump technology cannot extract enough heat from outdoors to heat your home. Change the thermostat setting to EM Heat to activate the secondary heat source.
• Fourth, identify the supply vents and cold air returns throughout your home. Make sure that the vents in each room are uncovered and that the returns have not been blocked. When these openings are covered, it restricts the flow of warm air and can result in inadequate airflow when you need it most.

If any of these Furnace Repairs successfully restart your furnace, it might be a temporary repair. The next step should be to schedule a Furnace Repair appointment with one of our technicians.

Have Questions About Furnace Repair?

With our four decades of experience as an Furnace Repair contractor, AirPro Houston provides you with the skill and expertise to assist with the steps to answer questions about Furnace Repair.

We have several financing options available with great options with up to 72-month terms with approved credit. Call us today at  281-880-8805 and let us partner with you for all of your Furnace Repair, Tune Up maintenance, and new installation needs.