During the cold winter months, nothing is worse than waking up to find that your furnace has stopped working overnight and left your home feeling extra chilly. If your furnace stopped working while you slept, don’t panic. Troubleshooting your furnace before you call a technician may save money and time and return your home to its warm state.
At Genuine Comfort, we want you to know how to care for your furnace in case of overnight emergencies like this. If you have ever dealt with a furnace going out overnight and want to know how to try to fix it before you contact a professional, keep reading to see what our experts recommend.
1. Check Your Thermostat
One of the first places you should go when troubleshooting your furnace is to check your thermostat. If the problem with your furnace is a thermostat issue, this should be an incredibly quick fix. First, make sure it is set to your desired temperature, and it is in heating mode.
If the display on your thermostat is blank, it is time to replace the batteries. Replacing the batteries and double-checking the temperature settings should fix the problem immediately if that is the reason your furnace stopped working.
2. Check Your Circuit Breaker
If your thermostat isn’t causing problems, it is time to head to your circuit breaker to continue troubleshooting your furnace problems. Your circuit breaker is normally in low-traffic areas of your home, like a basement, utility room, or garage.
Check the circuit breaker to determine if any of the circuits have been tripped. Reset the breaker and monitor your furnace’s function. If the circuit breaker trips for a second time and you continue to experience problems with your furnace, this might signify an electrical problem that requires professional attention.
3. Check Your Furnace Switch
If none of these steps have worked so far, the next step in troubleshooting your furnace is to locate your furnace switch. It is typically located on the side or top of your furnace and looks like a standard light switch. Ensure that the switch is in the “on” position.
If it was accidentally turned off, flipping it back on should restore function to your furnace. If that doesn’t work, you may need to purchase a 15 amp fuse, which may have burnt out during a power outage. Replacing this fuse should return your furnace to its standard function.
4. Inspect Your Air Filters
Many times, when troubleshooting your furnace, the easiest solution is also the right one. If the problem isn’t your thermostat or circuit breaker, it might be a problem with your air filters. If it has been more than three months since you’ve changed them, it is time for you to purchase some replacement filters.
Regularly maintaining your air filters should help you prevent problems like this from occurring in the future. These should be replaced at least once every 90 days, though you may need to replace them more frequently if you have pets in your home or severe allergies.
5. Clean Your Furnace Flame Sensor
A problem that arises with the Carrier and Trane brand furnaces and is important to know when troubleshooting your furnace is issues with the surface ignition system. When your furnace tries to turn on, watch this surface ignition system, which will glow on the right slide of the system.
Your furnace will usually attempt to ignite three times before shutting off. If it is doing this, this normally means that your flame sensor is dirty. Turn off the system and grab a clean cloth to gently clean off the sensor. If you have a difficult time locating this sensor but notice this problem, it is best to reach out to your HVAC professional for help.
6. Look for Error Codes
More modern devices have a diagnostic feature that displays error codes, which should make troubleshooting your furnace much easier. If an issue arises, check this display to see if an error code is present.
If you aren’t sure what the error code means, a quick look through your furnace manual should make this easy to identify. Understanding this code can provide you with valuable information for troubleshooting and will help you determine if this problem requires a professional technician.
7. Call Your HVAC Professional
If you are troubleshooting your furnace and none of the tips above have helped, it might be time for you to contact your HVAC professional for furnace repairs. With their expertise, they should be able to quickly identify the problem with your furnace and handle it so your home is warm once again.
They can also help you establish a good maintenance schedule for your system to ensure it keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If you are struggling with troubleshooting your furnace, don’t fight with it. Just call a professional and let them do the rest.
If Troubleshooting Your Furnace Doesn’t Work, Call Genuine Comfort
If troubleshooting your furnace in your Northern Utah home isn’t going well, it is always best to reach out to a trusted HVAC professional for help. If you aren’t sure where to turn, look to our professional at Genuine Comfort. With years of experience repairing and maintaining furnaces across the Wasatch Front, we’re confident that our team can do the same for you.
In addition to our furnace repair services, our team provides furnace maintenance, ductless heating, air filtration systems, and much more. If you have been troubleshooting your furnace and nothing is working, contact our team at Genuine Comfort today to schedule an appointment with our experts.
Follow Us