AC Company Marshall Park Portland Oregon

When to repair routine furnace problems



There is nothing worse than awakening cold in the middle of the night.


Its one thing if you simply need to pull the conceal. Its a whole various concern if your heater is working inadequately or not operating at all.


With a little do-it-yourself experience you can repair and fix your heating system yourself. Your best choice though is to have an upkeep check list for your heating system to prevent the problem.


Today I have something that will make you seem like you have the understanding to tackle some heater repairs.



Whether you have a standard gas heating system or a high efficiency gas furnace understanding how your furnace/heating system works is necessary. You need to understand the standard operations of the home appliance so you understand what to look for when there is something wrong.




Examine your thermostat to ensure it is switched on.



It might sound ridiculous however examine the thermostat to guarantee it is set on "heat" which it is set at least 5 degrees above room temperature level. You might be surprised how many service calls are made without examining this!


Here are a couple of thermostat checks to perform yourself:


Check the battery on the thermostat. You may require to alter the batteries on your thermostat. If your houses thermostat unit works on batteries make sure you are changing them a minimum of as soon as a year or as required.


Some thermostats are wired to the houses electrical system while others utilize batteries. How is yours powered? In some cases those that use batteries will flash a low-battery sign when they need a replacement.


Open the thermostat and gently blow any dust or debris that may have blocked it.


Ensure the date and time is right on electronic or programmable designs - the system might be on a timer.


Inspect the breaker. If on turn off the breaker and check the fuse for the heating system.




Heater is not producing heat - attempt to reset the Circuit Breaker


Here are any variety of small reasons why this might occur. Initially validate that the thermostat is set to "Heat." Then try moving the dial up or down a few degrees to check if an obvious difference is felt.


If there is no outcome check to see if possibly a breaker or fuse was tripped or blown.



Go to your homes breaker panel and search for the circuit that manages the furnace. Youre wanting to see whether its tossed to the "Off" position or whether its in the middle.


Manually check the breaker. Flip it backward and forward.


Make certain it is staying in the "On" position.


This will reset the breaker. If this does not do the trick you have a problem with either the circuitry in the circuit or the breaker itself.



The furnace is not producing sufficient heat. Inspect and alter a clogged up filter.


A heating system that has a hard time to produce heat is a different matter from one that has actually in some way stopped working.


In the case of a poor-performing heater that does not heat the home adequately very first guarantee that the air filter is tidy and in great condition if not new.


This is an easy but crucial part of furnace maintenance. Among the most common reasons to have a furnace not working is a clogged filter. It also occurs to be the easiest maintenance task.


Changing your furnace filter routinely is a quick and basic task and goes a long way in securing HVAC components and enhancing your inside air quality.


Locate your filter - Some furnaces have their filter in the intake. This more than likely appearances like a grate in a floor ceiling or wall. Other filters reside in the heater itself.



Check your filter - You can inform if the time has concerned change it by holding it as much as the light. If no light shines through the filter requires altering. A dusty filthy smell from the vents when the blower turns on is another excellent indication you should alter your heating system filter.


Replace your filter - Make sure your furnace is turned off. No air should be coming out. Examine the instructions your filter points. Filters are made to trap matter blown from one instructions. Installing your filter upside-down can reduce its effectiveness.


Cleaning up the particles that develops up on your filters will assist with the circulation of air. When your air filter is blocked your air handler must work more difficult to make up for the clog of air circulation. In addition to driving up your energy bill the lowered air flow through your heating and cooling system can trigger your heat exchanger to get too hot and shut off too quickly.


Filters clean the air headed into the heater and the heated air sent back into your house. An unclean blocked filter restricts the airflow eventually causing heat and pressure to develop in the heating system.


Newer more effective heating systems are delicate to the issue and will typically shut down before an unclean filter triggers more trouble. For other units the furnace will continue to run but with less heat output and minimized performance.




Security turn on a heater door


If your heater is not running one of the first things you need to do is examine the security switch on the heating system door. A furnace door safety switch avoids the fan and burner from beginning while the access panel is removed.


Heating systems have a safety switch that pops out when the door is eliminated. The door must remain in location for the switch to be triggered and for the heater to operate.


If you find you require to set up a brand-new security switch follow the action by step guidelines on How to Install a Furnace Door Safety Switch.


Shut the power off. Preparation the blower door. Wire the safety switch. Examine and test the setup.





Keep the location around your heater tidy and unobstructed


This may appear like an apparent pointer but often house owners with hectic lives forget to take note of areas of their house like the basement.


A basement can end up being messy which in turn can cause the location around the heating system being filled with various ownerships and particles. Not just does a tidy heating system function much better it looks much better.


Prevent keeping combustible substances or materials near your heater. Crowding your heater can lead to unforeseen fires significant damage to your home and threat to your family and animals.


Nevertheless hassle-free it might appear to just "store it there" for the summer think about the opportunity that you may well forget any items youve left on or near your heating system. Dont take chances give your heating system the space it needs to operate securely.


Additionally vacuum and tidy routinely around your heater. While you may have eliminated any and all flammable items from the location keep in mind that dust and lint can develop and develop a fire hazard. An excess quantity of dust and lint can also trigger your filter to become stopped up quicker than usual needing more frequent replacement.