When the temperature drops, your furnace becomes one of the most important appliances in your house. This guarantees that your family will remain warm and cozy in the winter months. Like other equipment, furnaces can have problems from time to time, especially when they are not regularly maintained. Before you call in the pros, here are a few troubleshooting tricks you can try to see if you can fix the problem yourself. Here at BCRC Heating, we’ll go over some of the most common furnace problems and their solutions in this article.

Verify Thermostat Controls

The simple explanation for furnace problems is checking your thermostat settings. Sometimes, a furnace will not start because the thermostat is set incorrectly.

What to Do: Troubleshooting Steps:

• Make sure the thermostat is set to “heat”: It may seem obvious, but sometimes the thermostat is inadvertently left on the cooling setting, and the furnace won’t turn on.
• Verify temperature setting: Confirm the thermostat temperature is set higher than the current room temperature.
• Replace the thermostat batteries: If your thermostat is powered by batteries, low batteries can cause it to malfunction. Replace as necessary.

If the thermostat seems to be working but the furnace is not responding, continue to the next step.

Check the Furnace Filter

Often, a dirty or clogged furnace filter is the cause of inadequate operation. Dust, pet dander and other debris build up in the filters over time and can block the airflow, causing the furnace to overheat and shut off.

What to Do: Troubleshooting Steps:

• Find the furnace filter. It is usually located in the return air duct or inside the blower compartment of your furnace.
• Check the filter condition: If it appears clogged or dirty, it should be replaced.
• Change the filter: If you have a disposable filter, change it to a new one. If you have a reusable filter, make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and reinstalling it.

Using a clean filter can greatly improve your furnace’s performance and prolong its life.

Check Furnace Power

Sometimes the reason your furnace isn’t working is because it’s simply not getting power. Providing power to your furnace is an important step in troubleshooting.

What to Do: Troubleshooting Steps:

• Check the furnace switch. Most furnaces have a power switch, much like a light switch, located on or near the unit. Make sure the switch is in the “on” position.
• Check the circuit breaker: Go to your electrical panel and check whether your furnace’s breaker has tripped. If it has, flip it back to the ‘ on ‘ position to reset it.
• Inspect the fuse box. If your furnace has fuses instead of circuit breakers, verify that the furnace fuse has not blown. Change it if needed.

If the power to the furnace is fine and it is still not working, you may need to look further.

Check the pilot light or ignition system

Older furnaces may have a pilot light, while newer furnaces have electronic ignition. If there is a problem with these components the furnace will not work.

Troubleshooting Pilot Light Furnace:

• Check if the pilot light is out. If it is, follow your furnace manufacturer’s instructions for relighting it. Usually this involves turning the gas valve to “off” for a few minutes, then back to “pilot” and lighting it with a long match or lighter.
• Check the flame: The pilot light flame should be blue. If it turns yellow or flickers there may be a problem with gas supply or burner and it will need professional service.

Troubleshooting Electronic Ignition Furnace:

• Check for error codes: Most modern furnaces will display error codes that can help identify the problem with the ignition system. Check your furnace’s manual for the meaning of any error lights or codes.
• Igniter: If you think the igniter is the problem, you may have to get a new one . Igniters can wear out over time .