Why isn’t my furnace working?
When you turn on the furnace in your Sacramento home, the last thing you want is to get hit with a blast of cool air. This inconvenience is actually pretty common and might be simpler to fix than you think. Before you call a heating and air conditioning technician to come out and inspect your Sacramento furnace, try a few of these troubleshooting tips.
Fuse Box
The first thing to do is ensure that your furnace is still getting power. Inspect your fuse box for any tripped circuit breakers. If you do find tripped circuit breakers, it might indicate that you have a problem with your electrical system and you should consult a technician.
If that isn’t a problem, then check your furnace’s power switch, usually located on the side of the furnace, and ensure that the switch is switched “on”. Some units feature another fuse by the power switch, which can sometimes be blown. If the fuse is blackened, then ask a technician to inspect your system and identify the problem.
Ventilation
Older furnaces tend to vent through chimneys, but newer units often have fresh air intakes and exhausts that ventilate along the sides of the home. If these ports of entry and exit become blocked, it will cause your furnace to not function properly. Check to make sure that no leaves, dirt or excessive moisture have contaminated the outdoor vents.
Thermostat
Just as easy as it sounds. Check to make sure that your system is set to “auto” and not “on”. If the thermostat is set to “on” it will continuously blow air into your house, regardless of whether or not the air is being heated. The “auto” setting will kick on your system only when the furnace is actually heating the air to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. After that adjustment, make sure that the desired temperature is set to be warmer than the current temperature in your house. If your thermostat does not seem to be responding, then it might be time to replace the thermostat batteries.
Air Filter
If an air filter has not been replaced recently, there is a good chance it has become dirty and clogged. A clogged filter will restrict the airflow into your furnace and can actually overheat your system. A safeguard causes an overheated system to stop heating altogether, so filters are very important. Filters should be changed about every three months to best avoid this problem and others.
Air Duct
If you are still experiencing trouble with your furnace, the culprit might be your air ducts. According to the National Comfort Institute, the average duct system in the U.S. is only 57% effective because of a wide variety of potential problems. The greatest problem is a poorly designed duct system that cannot deliver the proper airflow, even if the furnace equipment is functioning properly. Lots of air ducts experience leakage, which can strain your furnace as it overworks itself to make up for the leaked air. By getting your ducts sealed, you will lose less warm air and improve your system’s efficiency.
These are the simplest ways to ensure that your furnace is working at its full potential and keeping your home nice and warm!