5 Common Furnace Problems and Repairs

When it’s winter, you don’t want your furnace going on the blink. While many homeowners are content to leave their furnaces unattended to in warmer weather, not doing the correct amount of maintenance on your furnace can be a huge mistake. Just like any complex mechanism, your furnace needs a lot of attention and care not just during the colder months, but throughout the year in order to avoid issues popping up. Of course, even if you’re extra diligent about taking care of your furnace, problems can still come up at the most inconvenient times. If you’re looking to get some advice on Furnace Repair, here are a few furnace troubleshooting tips to help you out.

1. Lack of Care

When it comes to a failing furnace, the number one culprit on every homeowner’s list is a lack of maintenance or improper maintenance. If you don’t routinely check your furnace for dirt buildup, replace filters at least monthly, and keep an eye on the ignition, you could wind up with a furnace that simply isn’t equipped to do its job. For best results, do a full maintenance run on your furnace each month to keep on top of replacements and repairs.

2. Clogged Filters

Your furnace needs a clean supply of air flowing through in order for it to do its job. If you’re not changing your furnace’s filters monthly, it could lead to a lot of dirt buildup resulting in diminished capacity and clogging. You don’t want to be breathing in dirty, toxic air in your home, and you certainly don’t want to risk your furnace’s health by letting filters go unchanged for too long.

3. Wear and Aging

If you’ve lived in your home for a long time, a certain amount of wear and tear to your furnace is par for the course. If your furnace isn’t working up to standard, keep an ear out for any strange clanking or whirring sounds that might indicate a worn-down part or loose pipe.

4. Ignition Light Issues

Your furnace either has a pilot light or an ignition to help it get started up. When there’s trouble with either of these elements, it can create trouble for your furnace and a potential safety hazard for you and your family. If your ignition is electric, checking for trouble should be simple. Disable the connection to the thermostat to avoid the risk of shock, and see if you can diagnose the problem from that. If you’re working with a gas burner, make sure you keep carbon monoxide detector close at hand. Never re-light the pilot if you smell gas or believe that the light has been out for more than a few minutes.

5. Thermostat Problems

The most common issue affecting most furnaces is a lack of communication between the furnace itself and your thermostat. Sometimes, this is due to a malfunction in the thermostat itself. Run a few tests to try and see whether your thermostat unit is at issue before trying to fix the furnace itself.