Use These Furnace Troubleshooting Steps Before You Call An Expert, And Avoid An Unnecessary And Embarrassing Service Call

by Greg Leisgang on December 6, 2011

Posted in: Furnaces

furnace troubleshooting tips Cincinnati, OH areaThere are few things more embarrassing than having a professional come to your house to fix a furnace problem, have them flip a switch and then hand you an invoice. You can save yourself a great deal of hassle and money by using some simple furnace troubleshooting steps that help solve some of the more common furnace problems.

The simple solutions offered below address the more common situations that occur, and most anyone can safely attempt them. Before proceeding, turn the electricity and gas to your furnace off.

Furnace troubleshooting steps: Furnace doesn't produce enough heat

  • Change out your furnace filters. Check the manufacturer’s suggestions as to how often you should do this.
  • Remove any obstacles that are placed in front of your home’s air registers such as furniture and curtains so that the air can enter your living spaces easily.
  • Patch leaks in your accessible ducts so that air doesn’t escape before making it to your registers. Duct mastic, a putty-like material, can be spread over any leaks or loose connections to contain air.

Furnace troubleshooting step: Furnace doesn't generate any heat

  • Turn the power switch – located near the furnace cabinet – back on. Homeowners sometimes turn it off at the beginning of summer and forget to turn it back on.
  • Turn thermostat mode from “cool” to “heat.”
  • Reset the blower motor by pushing the “reset” button located on its housing.
  • Raise the set temperature to a degree higher than the current indoor temperature indicated on the thermostat.

Furnace troubleshooting steps: Blower runs continuously

  • Reset the limit switch to a temperature between 90 degrees and 115 degrees.
  • Switch the fan setting on your thermostat to “off” or “auto.”

Preventive maintenance performed each year will help you to avoid all of these problems, as well as keep your heating costs minimized. It can also help to extend the overall life span of your heating system.

If these furnace troubleshooting steps aren’t enough to help you out, it’s time to contact the pros at JonLe Heating & Cooling. We have served the Greater Cincinnati area for over 50 years.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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