Furnace on the Fritz? Learn How to Troubleshoot

Winter is pretty moderate here in Orlando, but we do get those occasional cold fronts when we need to crank up the heat. Although furnaces are generally a very reliable means of heating, things can go wrong, particularly if you don’t get regular annual preventative maintenance. But before you pick up the phone to call a technician, there are a few furnace troubleshooting procedures you can follow.

1. Are the controls set to “heat” and “on” or “auto”? You’d be surprised how many calls we get and when we arrive, we find the furnace is turned off.
2. Is the electricity on? Check your other appliances; if they’re off, call the electricity company or a neighbor to see if it’s just you or the neighborhood.
3. Is the breaker off? Check the breaker panel. If the one to the furnace is off, turn off the furnace, then flip the breaker.
4. Is the gas off? Check other gas appliances, or check the home’s gas valve.
5. Is the air filter dirty? A dirty air filter can actually cause the system to shut down to prevent overheating. For furnaces that don’t have this sensor, you may notice the airflow is slower and the heat output less. In either case, check the filter and change it if necessary.
6. Check the thermostat. Is the heat on high enough for the furnace to come on? Is the thermostat working? Depending on the type of furnace, check the batteries and change them, or check to see if the wires are connected. The thermostat may be malfunctioning and require replacement.
7. Furnaces built over the last 25 years have a window with a light that tells whether the furnace has power; it also can reveal a code that tells you what’s happening with the furnace. Flip the furnace switch off, then on, noting the flashing light sequence. Open the two access panels to find a key that tells what the code means.

To learn more about furnace troubleshooting, contact Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions of Orlando. We’ve been the “Quality Leader” in our area since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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