Furnace Company South Burlingame Portland Oregon

When to solve common heating system complications



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


Its one thing if you just need to pull the conceal. Its a whole various problem if your heater is working improperly or not working at all.


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


Today I have something that will make you seem like you have the knowledge to deal with some furnace repair work.



Whether you have a conventional gas heating system or a high performance gas furnace understanding how your furnace/heating system works is necessary. You require to understand the fundamental workings of the device so you understand what to try to find when there is something incorrect.




Examine your thermostat to make sure it is switched on.



It may sound silly however inspect the thermostat to ensure it is set on "heat" and that it is set at least five degrees above space temperature. You might be shocked how lots of service calls are made without inspecting this!


Here are a few thermostat checks to conduct yourself:


Examine the battery on the thermostat. You may need to alter the batteries on your thermostat. If your homes thermostat unit runs on batteries make sure you are altering them a minimum of once a year or as needed.


Some thermostats are wired to your homes electrical system while others use batteries. How is yours powered? Often those that utilize batteries will flash a low-battery sign when they need a replacement.


Open the thermostat and gently blow any dust or particles that might have clogged it.


Ensure the date and time is proper on electronic or programmable models - the system may be on a timer.


Examine the breaker. If on turn off the breaker and inspect the fuse for the heating system.




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


Here are any variety of small reasons this could happen. Initially validate that the thermostat is set to "Heat." Then try moving the dial up or down a couple of degrees to check if a visible difference is felt.


If there is no result check to see if perhaps a circuit breaker or fuse was tripped or blown.



Go to your houses breaker panel and try to find the circuit that controls the furnace. Youre aiming to see whether its thrown to the "Off" position or whether its in the middle.


Manually test the breaker. Turn it backward and forward.


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


This will reset the breaker. If this does not do the trick you have an issue with either the electrical wiring in the circuit or the circuit breaker itself.



The heater is not producing adequate heat. Examine and alter a blocked filter.


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


In the case of a poor-performing heater that does not heat up the house sufficiently very first ensure that the air filter is clean and in good condition if not new.


This is an easy but vital part of heating system upkeep. One of the most typical factors to have a heating system not working is a clogged up filter. It likewise takes place to be the easiest maintenance chore.


Replacing your heater filter routinely is a quick and basic task and goes a long method in securing HVAC components and enhancing your inside air quality.


Find your filter - Some heaters have their filter in the intake. This most likely appear like a grate in a floor ceiling or wall. Other filters reside in the furnace itself.



Examine your filter - You can inform if the time has actually pertained to change it by holding it up to the light. If no light shines through the filter requires altering. A dusty dirty odor from the vents when the blower turns on is another good indication you should change your furnace filter.


Change your filter - Make sure your heating system is turned off. No air ought to be coming out. Check the instructions your filter points. Filters are made to trap matter blown from one instructions. Installing your filter upside-down can minimize its effectiveness.


Cleaning the particles that builds up on your filters will assist with the circulation of air. When your air filter is blocked your air handler need to work harder to compensate for the obstruction of air flow. In addition to driving up your utility costs the minimized air circulation through your cooling and heating system can cause your heat exchanger to get too hot and turn off too quickly.


Filters clean the air headed into the heater and the heated air returned into the home. A dirty stopped up filter limits the airflow eventually causing heat and pressure to build up in the furnace.


Newer more efficient furnaces are sensitive to the issue and will often shut down prior to an unclean filter triggers more difficulty. For other units the heating system will continue to run however with less heat output and minimized efficiency.




Safety turn on a heating system door


If your heater is not running one of the very first things you should do is check the safety turn on the heating system door. A furnace door safety switch avoids the fan and burner from coming on while the access panel is eliminated.


Heating systems have a safety switch that pops out when the door is removed. The door must be in place for the switch to be activated and for the heating system to operate.


If you discover you need to install a brand-new safety switch follow the step by action guidelines on How to Install a Furnace Door Safety Switch.


Shut the power off. Prep the blower door. Wire the security switch. Check and check the installation.





Keep the location around your furnace tidy and unblocked


This may look like an obvious tip but sometimes house owners with busy lives forget to focus on locations of their home like the basement.


A basement can end up being cluttered which in turn can cause the area around the furnace being filled with miscellaneous belongings and debris. Not only does a tidy heating system function better it looks much better.


Prevent saving combustible compounds or materials near your furnace. Crowding your heater can result in unforeseen fires significant damage to your home and danger to your household and animals.


However hassle-free it may seem to just "save it there" for the summertime consider the possibility that you may well forget any products youve left on or near your heater. Do not take possibilities provide your furnace the space it needs to operate securely.


Furthermore vacuum and clean regularly around your heater. While you might have removed any and all flammable products from the area keep in mind that dust and lint can develop and develop a fire risk. An excess amount of dust and lint can also cause your filter to end up being clogged earlier than usual requiring more frequent replacement.

South Burlingame is a neighborhood in the Southwest section of Portland, Oregon. It is bordered by Multnomah to the west, Hillsdale and South Portland to the north, the River View Cemetery to the east, and Markham, Marshall Park, and Collins View to the south.


Area: 269 acres