My Furnace Stopped Working - What Do I Do Now?
February 25, 2021
There’s never a good time for your furnace to cease working, but losing your heat in the middle of a cold spell is particularly frustrating. You may suddenly realize you haven’t heard your furnace kick on in a while, or you may wake up one morning to a chilly house. But there’s no need to panic when your furnace isn’t performing.
At Lozier Heating & Cooling, we have experience with all types of common furnace problems. We've seen it all, from pilot lights that won't stay lit to coils clogged with dust. No matter what the reason is that a furnace breaks down, Lozier will troubleshoot your furnace and get it back up and running quickly.
Common Reasons Your Furnace Won’t Turn On & Troubleshooting Tips
Furnaces are made up of various interconnected parts and wires. When one thing goes wrong, it can cascade into a whole host of problems. A number of different issues can cause your furnace to stop working properly, including a dirty air filter, leaky ducts, dead thermostat batteries and a variety of other problems. Some issues are easy for homeowners to address themselves, but others require help from a professional. Common heating issues we receive include:
The Furnace is Not Blowing Warm Air
If your furnace is running but not producing heat, the first place to look is your thermostat. If your thermostat is set too low and the fan is set to "on," your vents might blow cold air. Using the “auto” fan setting should get warm air moving. If adjusting your thermostat settings doesn’t fix this issue, there could be another reason your furnace stopped heating. Check your furnace filter next. A dirty furnace filter can restrict airflow and prevent air from heating up.
The Blower is Not Running
Signs your furnace fan has stopped working include smelling burning rubber or plastic, or hearing a loud humming sound. Something could have triggered it to shut off. Solving the problem can be as simple as pressing the reset button, a task as easy as flipping a switch on your circuit breaker. Typically, the reset button is located inside the blower compartment, however, the location of the reset button (either red or yellow) depends on the make and model of your furnace. If this doesn’t work, contact us and we’ll promptly diagnose and repair your unit!
It’s Not Producing Enough Heat for My Space
The first thing to do when you don’t think you’re getting enough heat is to check the air filter. A clogged filter restricts airflow, which causes a lack of warm air to heat the house adequately. Luckily, you don’t need an expert to change the air filter! Furnace filters are typically located in the blower compartment, usually in a tray or door of the compartment. The blower is frequently located in a central location of your home that’s close to the air intake vent. Replacing the dirty filter with a clean one will instantly improve the airflow, allowing ample heat to begin filling your home. If you’re having trouble finding the filter, or you’re still not getting heat, request a service appointment with Lozier to get your home back to an optimal temperature.
The Gas Furnace Blower Is Constantly Running
Common reasons your blower is not turning off could be due to dirty air filters, blocked or leaking ductwork or the wrong-sized furnace was installed. For example, an undersized furnace has to work harder to keep up with the demand for heat. Therefore, the furnace is constantly running, leaving no opportunity for it to take a break. Another possible reason is that the blower fan might be set to “on” instead of “auto”, which means your blower is running continuously. Switching to “auto” will resolve this problem.
Get in Touch With Lozier to Repair Your Furnace
If you’ve tried DIY furnace troubleshooting tasks and you’re still stuck, give us a call! We’ll diagnose your problem and give you the furnace help you need — whether it’s replacing a part, adjusting a setting or performing more complex furnace maintenance, our technicians will quickly resolve your heating problem. Schedule a service appointment online or give us a call!