3 Easy Furnace Troubleshooting Steps You Can Do on Your Own

Posted: 2019-01-10

Extremely low temperatures can greatly affect your daily activities. From catching colds to suffering from hypothermia, the dangers of exposure to cold weather can be very serious and should not be neglected.

That’s why your furnace is there to give you the right level of comfort and safety. Unfortunately, there will be days when your heating system just doesn’t seem to be alright, just like any other piece of equipment. No one would want to deal with a malfunctioning furnace, especially during the coldest nights of winter.

You can call your trusted heating company in Hugo, MN for repair, but did you know that there are simple tips you can follow that might solve minor furnace issues and save you time and money?

Here are some do-it-yourself steps you can take to find out why your furnace is acting all weird.

Check Your Power Supply

If your furnace won’t even start and you think it’s an electrical issue, make sure there is no power interruption in your area before calling an HVAC professional.

If the breaker for your furnace has tripped, try resetting it and see if your unit starts working again. If the circuit keeps on tripping, then there could be a more serious electrical problem that requires professional attention.

Also, if the fan does not run, check the fuse and make sure the furnace switch is set to “ON”. Watch out for loose or wonky electrical connections. Inspect the panel board and look for any burn spots. If you feel uncomfortable performing electrical check-up, call a qualified technician.

Check the Thermostat

Your thermostat is responsible for telling the furnace to run. Most people usually jump to conclusion that minor temperature issues or air circulation problems are caused by a malfunctioning thermostat. They try to fix it by setting the thermostat to an even higher temperature. However, this only makes things worse, as it causes certain furnace parts to work too hard and eventually fail.

For the most part, minor adjustments on the thermostats correct the problem. You can also check your thermostat battery and make sure you have fresh ones installed.

If the thermostat is unable to properly read the temperature, it may be filthy, tilted on the wall, or placed where it can’t get a proper reading. Try doing these simple steps:

  • First, turn the furnace off.
  • Open the thermostat cover and remove any dirt or debris with the use of a soft brush or vacuum.
  • Look for corrosion and if there is any, clean it with an electric contact cleaner.
  • For mechanical thermostats, be sure it is mounted level on the wall.
  • Position the thermostat about five feet from the wall. Avoid mounting it behind a door, in a closet, in a corner, near a window or door, or close to a heat source like a stove.
  • Finally, turn the furnace on and make sure the thermostat is set to “HEAT”. Also, do not forget to set the thermostat to a temperature that is higher than the room’s temperature.

Check the Filter

Your filter’s job is to clean the air that goes into the furnace as well as the heated air that circulates throughout the house. Air filters grab dust, debris, and other particles in the air. Over time, the filter gathers too much debris that it can curb the air circulating through your heating system. This adds pressure to the furnace, causing it to work harder to provide you with the level of comfort you need.

Newer furnace models automatically shut down before excessive dirt is gathered, telling you to clean the filters. However, older units will keep on working - but with significantly reduced efficiency.

Ideally, your air filter should be changed every 3 months, depending on how dirty it is. This alone can greatly impact the overall performance of your furnace.

Call the HVAC Experts

These simple steps should help you get your furnace back in shape, but if it seems to still cause you problems, do not hesitate to call Four Seasons Air Specialists. We have teams of seasoned, trained, and certified technicians who are adept at identifying furnace issues. We can get your heating system up and running in no time. Four Seasons Air Specialist has been your trusted Forest Lake furnace repair contractor since 1974.