Where On Earth Would We Be Without Our Furnaces?

They’ve helped us to stay warm and cozy during even the coldest of winter nights. However, when they stop working, or they won’t turn on anymore, serious problems happen. Oftentimes, furnaces won’t turn on because we haven’t used them for a long time. Nevertheless, this isn’t always the case. Here are the most common reasons your furnace isn’t turning on.

Why Your Furnace Might Not Be Firing Up

Thermostat Issues

Along with it being among the easiest problems to solve, thermostat issues are one of the top reasons why furnaces won’t fire up. If you think about it, it’s like having a television without the remote control. Useless right? First, make sure your thermostat is set to “heating.” If it is set to “fan,” you won’t be getting heat from your vents. Secondly, if that’s not the case, you should consider whether it could be faulty wiring issues. Please make certain to call a professional before doing any electrical work or moving further. Finally, if you’ve exhausted all else, it could be that your thermostat has grown too old, and you need a new one installed. If you call a professional, they can install a thermostat and show you how it works. Here at Delaware Heating & Air, we can install a pre-bought thermostat for you at a low price! We also sell thermostats at the office if you are interested!

Tripped Circuit Breaker

When a circuit breaker trips, it means too much electricity is running through a part in your system. It is not able to handle all the power coming through, so it cuts off so that your unit does not overheat, causing more damage. It was meant to trip, helping prevent the wires from overheating and potentially causing a fire. Please, allow a professional handle bad circuit breakers because when they are not installed correctly, serious problems occur.

Pilot Light Is Out

To see if your pilot light is an issue you can solve on your own, look under the furnace to see if the little blue light is still lit. If it is not, you might be able to light it again with a lighter. If lighting it doesn’t work, you will want to call a professional. If a new pilot light needs to be installed, lucky for you, they are not expensive.

Not Enough Power

If your furnace is not receiving enough power to run it precisely, many different wiring problems could be to blame. We strongly advise you not to touch anything and call a professional. Even a single out of place wire can interfere with the health of your furnace and shorten its lifespan.

Gas Supply

Having your gas on only partially is worse for your furnace than having it turned on completely. Some homeowners believe that keeping it on halfway helps to preserve how much goes into the system. Even though this is true, it is still worse for the health and life of your furnace. It can shorten your system’s lifespan and can be a serious safety hazard. It must be either all the way on or off all the way.

Condensation Problems

A furnace’s condensation pan collects excess water when the reservoir has filled up. When the pan is full, it will shut your unit off completely. The water is then drained out. After this happens, a furnace won’t attempt to restart itself for safety purposes. Seek a professional to help, or give us a call if you do not know where the pan is located or if it keeps filling up super fast.