Furnace Repair Checklist
1. Examine the Thermostat
First, ensure your thermostat is telling your heat to ignite.
Digital Thermostat
- Replace the batteries if the display is blank. If the digital monitor is mixed up, the thermostat might need to be swapped out.
- Make sure the button is set to “heat” as opposed to “off” or “cool.”
- Make sure the program is set to the appropriate day and time and is scheduled to “run.” If you’re having trouble overriding the program, set the temperature by utilizing the up/down arrows and holding the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to start if thermostat is causing an issue.
- Turn the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the temperature of the room.
If your heating hasn’t turned on within several minutes, make certain that it has electricity by moving the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t begin to run, your heating system might not have power.
Smart Thermostat
If you utilize a smart thermostat—such as one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Take a look at the manufacturer’s website for support. If you still can’t get your Wi-Fi thermostat to function, reach us at 361-214-1203 for heating and cooling service.
2. Examine Breakers and Switches
Next, confirm your breaker and furnace switch are on.
- Locate your main electrical panel. If you don’t know where it is, look for a silver metal box in your basement, garage or closet.
- Make certain that your hands and feet aren’t moist in advance of using the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker labeled “furnace” or “heat,” and make sure it’s reading “on.” If the breaker has tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” position.
- With one hand, firmly flip the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” don't try to reset it and call a team member from Four Seasons Air Conditioning and Heating LLC at 361-214-1203 quickly.
It doesn’t matter how old your furnace is or what brand it is, it has no less than one standard wall switch located on or close to it.
- Ensure the control is flipped up in the “on” placement. If it was turned off, it could take your furnace up to five minutes to turn on. (If you’re unaware of where to locate your furnace, check your basement, garage or utility closet. It may also be in a crawl space or attic.)
3. Get a New Air Filter
When we think about furnace problems, a filthy, blocked air filter is regularly to blame.
If your filter is too dusty:
- Your heat won’t be able to stay on, or it could get too warm from limited airflow.
- Your utility costs could go up because your furnace is working more often.
- Your heat may fail too soon because a filthy filter causes it to work overtime.
- Your heating system might be cut off from power if an extremely filthy filter is the cause of a tripped breaker.
While it depends on what make of furnace you own, your air filter can be found inside the blower compartment of your heater, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
To swap out your filter:
- Turn off your furnace.
- Take out the filter and tilt it toward the light. If you can’t notice light through it, get a new one.
- Put in the new filter with the arrow motioning toward the furnace to keep damage from happening.
Flat filters ought to be replaced monthly, while pleated filters should last about three months. If you have children or pets, you might have to put in a new filter more often.
To make the procedure easier in the future, use a permanent marker on your heating system housing or ductwork to show the airflow direction and filter size.
4. Inspect the Condensate Pan
Commonly known as drain pans, condensate pans capture water your heater draws from the air.
If moisture is dripping from your heater or its pan has too much water in it, try these steps.
- If your pan includes a drain (look for a PVC pipe), make sure that it isn’t clogged. If it needs to be drained, use a special pan-cleaning tablet you can purchase at home improvement or hardware shops.
- If your pan has a pump, take a look at the float switch. If the lever is jammed “up” with liquid in the pan, call us at 361-214-1203, because you will probably have to install a new pump.
5. Check for Heater Error Codes
If malfunctions persist, peek at your heater’s plastic window to confirm the blower motor’s status. Dependent on the model, the light might also be fixed on the surface of your heating system.
If you notice anything other than an uninterrupted, colored light or blinking green light, contact us at 361-214-1203 for HVAC service. Your heater could be giving an error code that is calling for professional assistance.
6. Brush off the Flame Sensor
If your heating system makes an effort to work but turns off without putting out warm air, a filthy flame sensor could be to blame. When this takes place, your furnace will make an attempt to start three times before a safety feature turns it off for around an hour.
If you feel confident with opening up your heating system, brushing off your flame sensor is a job you have the ability to do yourself. Or, one of our heating service specialists can complete it for you.
If you are fine with cleaning the sensor personally, you need:
- A 1/4” hex screwdriver or wrench
- Bit of light grit sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth
- A fresh paper towel
As the next step:
- Disable the furnace’s power through its wall switch or breaker. If your furnace’s gas valve isn’t electric, you will need to switch off the gas along with it.
- Lift off the heater’s front panel and trace the wire to the flame sensor.
- Take off the rod and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to lightly scrub the metal rod.
- Wipe off the rod with a paper towel.
- Put the sensor back in.
- Secure the furnace doors.
- Turn the furnace’s power back on. It might go through a set of examinations before proceeding with regular heating. If your heating system doesn’t ignite, the sensor could have to be replaced or something else could be creating an issue. If this happens, contact us at 361-214-1203 for heating and cooling repair assistance.
7. Light the Pilot Light
If you are using an aging heater, the pilot light could be turned off. To relight it, locate the instructions on a sheet on your furnace, or follow these recommendations.
- Look for the lever below your heater marked “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
- Push the switch to the “off” position.
- Don’t do anything for at least five minutes to prevent sparking a fire.
- Move the knob to “pilot.”
- Push the “reset” switch as you move the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
- Let go of the “reset” lever once the pilot light is burning.
If you have tried the list twice and the pilot light still won’t light or stay burning, contact us at 361-214-1203 for furnace service.
Examine Your Gas Delivery System
Try using an additional gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service may be turned off, or you could be out of propane.