You’re inside your home, beginning to shiver Heating System as the temperature outside dips lower and lower. Hey, it’s winter, nothing unusual about that. Still, something’s not right since it’s getting colder and colder indoors too. Which makes you wonder: What’s going on with my furnace?
So, let’s figure it out.
1. Someone changed the thermostat setting.
Thermostats make our lives so much easier. They’re also the first place you should look if your furnace isn’t working properly.
It’s easy to have your thermostat set incorrectly, particularly when the seasons change from summer to fall, and we turn on our furnaces for the first time. If you can feel the furnace blowing through the air vents but it’s cool air, maybe someone accidentally changed the setting from warm to cool. You also want to be sure the thermostat setting is ‘Auto,’ not ‘On.’ When it’s set to ‘on,’ the fan on your furnace will blow even when your furnace isn’t on. When it is set to ‘Auto,’ your furnace and fan will come on at the same time, as intended.
2. The furnace filter is dirty.
An overly clogged air filter will limit airflow to your furnace and could cause it to overheat and turn off. Then the furnace blowing cold air is all you’re going to get! This is something you can check yourself – just turn off the furnace beforehand. If it’s full of gunk, clean or replace it as needed. And then try to remember to do so every 60-90 days. It’s one small way to spare yourself a heap of aggravation.
3. The condensate line is clogged.
High-efficiency furnaces have condensate lines that move water away from the furnace. A clog in the condensate line will prevent your furnace from igniting. No ignition means only cold air coming through your vents. There could also be an issue with your condensate drain lines.
4. The pilot light keeps going out.
This is for older furnaces. Many new models of furnaces have an electric pilot light that only turns on when needed – an older pilot light will stay lit continually from the gas line. If you are comfortable doing so, you can relight it by following the instruction kit that came with the furnace (always turn off the gas before doing so). Pilot lights can be very dangerous to replace, especially on a gas furnace, so for best results, contact Anthony’s for assistance.
5. There’s a problem with the gas supply.
If your pilot light is going out instantly or not lighting at all, there may be an issue with the gas supply. If this is the case, we have good news: Your furnace is designed to shut off if there is an issue with the gas supply. There might be an inadequate gas supply in your tank, but it might also be an issue with how the gas gets to your furnace. If your pilot light doesn’t light at all, it may also be the gas valve. This is not an issue that you can tackle on your own.
Whether you have a furnace, boiler, or heat pump, Anthony’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning can diagnose and fix all with the greatest of skill – and decades of experience to back it up. Contact us today to report a problem or schedule preventive maintenance to help keep problems at bay.
