Is your furnace not working as it should be this holiday season!? We know you’re busy making plans, but without a comfortable home, your Christmas may be a cold one! Below are four of some of the most common reasons your furnace may not be working right.
Remember – we’re the 60 Minute Men – if you don’t have heat, we’ll be at your North Shore or Northwest Suburban home within an hour or we’ll give you a $60 gift card!
Furnace is Overheating
Let’s start with a basic issue. A clogged filter. This common culprit makes your furnace overheat. Debris restricts the flow of air, causing your furnace to work harder and run longer to meet your home’s comfort needs. This problem needs to be fixed as recurrent overheating will damage the heat exchanger, which is a pricy component to repair or replace. Replacing the dirty filter with a new one usually solves this issue. Once the airflow to the furnace is clear, it will be less likely to overheat and should work effectively.
Thermostat is Malfunctioning
The thermostat is a great place to start when you are experiencing issues with your HVAC system. Often, homeowners assume that their furnace is defective without first taking a look at the thermostat.
Check the thermostat and confirm it is set to “HEAT” and not “COOL” or “OFF”. Also, the fan must be set to “AUTO”. Then, check if the thermostat is set to a temperature high enough to allow the furnace to release heat. If you don’t pay attention to your thermostat, it’s likely it will cause the furnace to blow cold air. By checking the thermostat, make sure that your thermostat has fresh batteries installed.
Make sure that the thermostat is free from heat sources, such as cooking appliances and direct sunlight. Debris usually causes the thermostat to read an inaccurate temperature. If you have an older thermostat and discover that it is dirty, use a small brush to clear off the debris and see if it works again. If you see any corrosion on the thermostat, remove it with an electronic contact cleaner. If there’s too much grim, get a pro to help you.
Ductwork is Damaged
Your furnace produces heated air which is moved throughout your house by air ducts. If you have a leak or any form of damage anywhere within the ductwork, the air that will eventually come out where you’re expecting it to, the vent, is going to be weak or cool instead of warm.
Fine openings such as cracks and leaks may pick up cold air that mixes with heated air, causing your furnace to fail to provide your desired temperature. Heavy damages to the ducts can even result in complete loss of heated air. When it comes to ducts, it is best to have a qualified technician mend the damaged areas. Also, regular maintenance can help preserve your ducts and avoid costly repairs. This is another instance where the Comfort Club can help.
Dangers of Dealing with Faulty Gas-fired Furnaces
Damage inside the heating system can cause indoor air to become contaminated. A faulty flue vent can lead to the reversal of emissions inwards to the house instead of transferring polluted air outside. Carbon monoxide and methane emissions can cause serious allergic reactions and certain respiratory diseases, such as asthma. Even death.
In addition to these dangers, trying to fix a faulty gas-fired system can lead to electrical shock, explosion and fire. It’s always recommended to have a professional HVAC company work on gas furnaces.
Call American Weathermakers at (847) 503-9497 to get any of these issues taken care of this season. We service Trane, Amana, American Standard and Rheem among other brands.