10 Essential Steps for Furnace Repair
Like all household appliances, your furnace will eventually reach a point in its lifecycle where it needs repair. Performing some simple DIY furnace maintenance can prevent more costly repairs in the future.
Before beginning any maintenance check, ensure your furnace power switch is off. It usually looks like a light switch and is located nearby.
Check the Thermostat
Thermostats are the brains behind your heating and cooling system. So, it’s no surprise they can get confused or malfunction.
To start:
- Kill the electric power to your thermostat by flipping the switch at the circuit breaker panel.
- To view the wires, remove the thermostat cover.
- Ensure the red and white wire ends are connected to the R, W, Y, and G terminals.
Check the Filter
Furnace filters keep dust and other debris from building up in your heating ducts. They can only allow airflow and strain your blower motor if they’re changed regularly.
Locate the filter compartment and remove the door (if there is one). Slide out the old filter and replace it with a new one. Changing furnace filters takes just minutes.
Check the Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is heated and cooled during regular operation, which causes it to wear out over time. This can lead to cracks that could allow carbon monoxide into your home.
A video inspection can identify these cracks for Arvada Furnace Repair. A crack in the heat exchanger is an expensive and hazardous problem. It is best to prevent it through annual maintenance.
Check the Combustion Chamber
Your furnace’s combustion chamber is where fuel is burned and converted to heat. If your furnace flame flickers or dances, you have a severe problem that requires professional repair.
The problem occurs because metal expands when it gets hot and contracts when it cools. This constant cycle causes cracks over time. The resulting gas leaks could mix with warmed air and cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Check the Blower
If there’s no warm air from your vents, you may need to clean or replace the blower motor. It might also indicate moisture damage, leading to rust or corrosion around the motor’s wire coils and control panel.
Carbon monoxide may get into your home through heat exchanger cracks brought on by moisture damage. If this happens, you should call a service technician immediately.
Check the Belt
A broken belt or blower is one of the most common furnace problems. Both contribute to a high-pitched noise that indicates it’s time for a repair.
Before performing any maintenance on your furnace, ensure the power is off. Most furnaces have a junction box that looks like a light switch. Also, as an extra precaution, turn off the breaker in your home’s panel.
Check the Pilot Light
If your pilot light is out, taking the proper steps to relight it is essential. This may include opening the front cover panel of your furnace and removing it. This will expose a small tube that connects the gas valve to the pilot light. This should be clean but can get clogged with dirt or debris.
Light a match or lighter, turn the knob or switch to “Pilot,” and then depress the reset button. The flame should ignite within a minute.
Check the Thermostat Settings
If the furnace turns on and off frequently, it may be because of a dirty filter or air circulation problems. You can change the filter and check the blower switch and the thermostat.
Ensure room registers are open and nothing blocks the intake or exhaust vents. You can also look at the ductwork for loose sections and handles that need to be sealed with special metal duct tape.
Check the Thermostat Battery
Occasionally, even with diligent maintenance, a furnace might have trouble. Nonetheless, a few quick tweaks can assist in maintaining system functionality and save expensive repairs.
Ensure the thermostat is on, and its batteries aren’t low or dead. The thermostat relies on power to communicate with the furnace, so the battery must work correctly.
Check the Vents
Clogged vents are one of the most common furnace problems. Make sure that the filter is clean, and change it as needed.
Rumbling, squeaking, or rattling sounds aren’t ordinary and could indicate mechanical issues with your furnace or thermostat settings.
A broken heat exchanger has the potential to poison your house with carbon monoxide. Conduct a match test by lighting and holding it behind the burners.
