Construction & Contractors Blog
It's two o'clock in the morning on a cold night in the middle of winter, and you've woken up to realize that the bedroom is cold. That's when you realize: you don't know when the last time the furnace turned on. The most important thing to do in a situation like this is to resist the urge to panic. There are a variety of reasons that your furnace may not be turning on, and not all of these reasons involve a broken heater. These troubleshooting tactics may help you determine the source of the problem without calling for heating repair.
Ensure the System has Power
If your furnace or thermostat fails to get power, your furnace won't turn on. To ensure that the system has power, check the panel box. Many heating systems are hardwired to their own circuit in the panel box. If that circuit overloads for any reason, then the power to the system will be cut and the system will turn off. If your heater or thermostat fails to turn on, check the panel box for a flipped switch.
In some cases, the furnace actually plugs in to a wall outlet. This is more common in areas of the country where ice storms frequently take out the power because this feature allows homeowners to plug their furnace into a generator during an outage. If a glance inside the panel box reveals the circuit is on, check your furnace for a plug and ensure the system is still plugged in.
Check the Pilot Light
Gas heaters rely on a pilot light to heat the air. The pilot light is a blue flame positioned inside the furnace. It may be visible from the outside of the furnace, or you may need to open the door of the furnace to see the pilot light inside. If your pilot light is not lit, your furnace cannot heat the air. Follow the instructions on the outside of the furnace to relight the pilot light.
Turn on the Gas
Check the valve near the gas meter to ensure that it's turned on. If the valve is in a position that runs parallel to the gas line, that means it's on. If the valve is in a position that is perpendicular to the gas line, it's turned off.
If you're unable to find the source of your furnace trouble, call a reputable and experienced heating repair technician in your area.
Share23 March 2015
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
