Knowing how your furnace and heating system works is important to help maintain and care for it. Regular home maintenance will keep your system healthy and functioning but if something goes wrong, you’ll know where to look before calling an HVAC technician.
Edmonton HVAC Companies such as Night “n” Day Home Services in Edmonton is an experienced and reputable furnace repair company. You can rely on them in a pinch, but they also share some tips for troubleshooting your own furnace first:
1. Check the air filter
Sometimes a good cleaning is all that your furnace needs to get up and running again. Air filters should be checked every 30 days and cleaned or replaced as needed. A neglected filter can easily become clogged with dirt and dust, affecting both performance and air quality. In some cases, if your filter is too clogged, your furnace won’t work. Make sure the thermostat and furnace are both off before you open up the access panel to clean or replace your filter. Read about some other DIY furnace maintenance that you can safely do at home.
2. Make sure the switches are turned on
The furnace switch is a power switch that can look like a light switch. Because of the similarity, it can sometimes be mistaken as such and flipped off. Turn it back on and see if your furnace comes back to life in a few minutes. If this doesn’t work or the switch is on, move onto the electrical panel. Make sure the power and HVAC breakers are both on and if they aren’t, turn them on or reset them.
If a fuse has blown, you’ll need to replace it. Make sure that you replace the fuse with one that is the exact same size and type. Turn off the furnace switch before you unscrew and replace the fuse.
3. Clean and check your thermostat
If your furnace starts up for a few seconds and then turns off again, it may be because of the thermostat. Likewise, if your furnace isn’t producing heat or is blowing cold air, it’s a thermostat problem. Two easy checks are making sure it is set to “heat” and that the batteries are working. Also, try setting the furnace temperature to slightly higher than the current room temperature. If your thermostat looks dirty, give it a little cleaning. Sometimes if the sensor is blocked, it won’t be able to sense the air temperature and won’t work.
4. Double-check the pilot light and thermocouple
Your pilot light is what starts up your furnace and the colour of the flame can tell you a few things. If the flame is yellow, it means your furnace needs cleaning. A green light means trouble and should be shut off immediately and an Edmonton HVAC Company called for help. The flame should be steady and blue, and if there is no flame it needs to be re-light. Turn off the gas valve and wait a few minutes for the gas to dissipate from the air. Turn the setting to pilot and then use a match to re-light the pilot. Hold down the reset button until it catches, then turn everything back on.
If this doesn’t work, check the thermocouple. This is what turns off the gas when the pilot light goes out. A dirty thermocouple or a broken one, will keep the pilot light from lighting or staying lit. It will need to be replaced or cleaned, depending on the problem.
