Common Furnace Problems

There's no doubt that your furnace is one of the most essential parts of your home. A furnace is most likely the piece of equipment in your house that keeps it warm when it's cold outside, and it can also be crucial for maintaining and protecting the structure of your home when it's faced with the elements (especially in the winter). One of the most important parts of having a furnace in your house is learning furnace troubleshooting.

Because a furnace is so important in a home, it can also be very problematic if something goes wrong with the furnace. Not only does a furnace that is broken or not working keep a house from staying warm, but it also can cause damage to people or the house that it's in.

 

If your furnace doesn't seem to be working, it can help to learn how to master furnace troubleshooting. By educating yourself about some of the most common furnace problems, you'll be able to know why yours isn't working and know if it is something that is readily fixable. Read on to learn about some of the most commonplace challenges you can face with a furnace below, as well as how you can expect to fix the issues.

 

Here are some of the most common problems you should learn to identify and keep an eye out for when furnace troubleshooting.

 

A furnace should make some noise, but it should not be disruptively noisy. Loud bangs and clangs from within it indicate that there's a problem. Some problems that can cause loud noise include a clogged burner or a mechanical problem. Noise may also indicate airflow reductions. Rather than attempt to determine the cause of the noise yourself, reach out to a professional.

 

The blower belt in a furnace is the part that . If you hear a high pitch squeak in your furnace, there is a good chance that your blower belt is either slipped or frayed. To inspect and fix the blower belt, open up the furnace and locate the blower. See if the belt looks like it's wimpy, old, withered, or torn. Then, check the tension of the belt to see if it gives more than 1/2 inch. If so, it's time to either tighten the belt with the motor adjusting bolt, or to replace it.

 

If your furnace feels like it's not producing enough heat, there's a chance that the filter is clogged on it. Find the filter on your furnace. It can look like a grate on the intake, or it can be inside the furnace itself. Determine if filter is ready to be changed by holding it up to the light. If you can see light through it, it's okay. If you can't, it's too dusty and it needs to be changed out. Replace your filter by making sure your furnace is off and swapping the old filter out. Make sure to do this regularly to keep your furnace working and to improve air quality inside your home.

 

In order to work properly and keep the house heated, the furnace has burners. These flames need to be clean and free of debris in order to function properly. If your furnace doesn't seem to be working, take a look at the flames coming out of you burners. Are they free from dirt, debris, or dust? If so, you need to clean your burner assembly. This is a problem that is best fixed by a professional, if you don't have experience working inside a furnace before.

 

No matter how high you set your furnace, the temperature just doesn't seem to change. This could be the fault of a broken thermostat. If your furnace doesn't seem to be responding to adjustments you make to it, your thermostat may be malfunctioning and need to be replaced.

 

If your furnace blows nonstop, you may have a faulty limit switch. If you can't figure out why your furnace is running even when you don't want it to be heating (or you have already turned it off), call out a professional. They can test your limit switch or replace it.

 

At the end of the day, your furnace is one of the most essential parts of your house. It keeps you warm in the winter and stops your house from being damage if it's just too cold outside. So, when your furnace breaks, it can not only cause a huge life interruption and discomfort, but it can also be dangerous. For this reason, it's important to learn furnace troubleshooting.

 

If you're facing a furnace problem, first try to figure out if you know what's causing the problem. Then, reach out to a professional to help you fix it. If you can't determine what's causing the problem, reach out to a professional right away. They can come take a look at your furnace, see what's causing the issue, repair it, then ensure that you have a home that's safe, comfortable, and warm to live in.