Dealing with Common Furnace Problems
Professional HVAC maintenance during the fall season is the best way to prepare your furnace for the heating months ahead. However, even with regularly scheduled maintenance, system parts wear out and fail from time to time. Your heating system may also just be experiencing a glitch at first startup. Before you make a call to your HVAC technician, try these troubleshooting tips for common problems to get the heat back on ASAP!
Check the Thermostat
Even though you’ve probably fiddled with the thermostat several times trying to get your furnace to turn on, check it one more time. Ensure that it’s in “heat” setting. The temperature setting should be at least a few degrees above the displayed temperature.
Check Electrical Power
Furnaces commonly use natural gas or propane to provide home heating. Though, they also need electricity to work. The first step is to adjust your thermostat again. Set the fan mode to “on.” If you hear the blower turn on, you have electrical power. If the blower doesn’t turn on, there could be a wire loose in the thermostat or perhaps a circuit breaker has tripped.
Airflow Problems
Problems with airflow are often caused by a clogged air filter. Check the air filter to see if it needs to be changed. If the filter is fine, you may have leaky ducts rather than a furnace problem. Obvious duct leaks or disconnected joints may be sealed with metal tape. However, you’ll gain more energy savings and maximize comfort with a professional duct evaluation.
Strange Noises
Is your heating system rumbling, rattling, grinding or squealing? Rumbling noises indicate a dirty gas burner or heat exchanger. Squealing sounds may be a frayed belt or dirty draft inducer. Rattling noises point to loose ducts or loose blower mounts. If you hear a grinding noise, turn off the furnace right away to prevent further damage to the blower motor and place a call to your HVAC pro.
If your Orlando home’s furnace is on the fritz and you need expert assistance, contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions today!
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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