Common Furnace Problems: No Heat

Here in Sparta, Michigan, we are noticing the temperatures are taking a nose dive! Temperatures have been in the low to mid thirties lately, sometimes with the occasional wind gust that will chill you straight to your bone.

Yes, the cold weather is making it's return upon us. It is time for sweaters, chili, thick comforters, hot coco, and thermal underwear. The best feeling though, is when you come inside and feel the heat warming you up. Have you ever come home to the heat not working?

If you have, then the question arises, "Why isn't the heat working?"

In this blog series, we will take a look at the more common problems of why your furnace is not working. We can even show you some tips that might fix your problem, saving you money from a service call.

The most common problem, of course, is no heat.

Your possible causes might be the following:

• Dirty furnace filter
• Thermostat set at a temperature that is too low
• Your thermostat is not working
• A circuit breaker or a fuse might be blown or tripped
• Your natural gas or propane valve might be closed
• The pilot light might not be lit (only if you have a non-electronic ignition)

So what can you do at home yourself that would troubleshoot these problems?

First, check your furnace filters. A dirty furnace filter will stop the heat from coming into your home. It is the simplest and cheapest fix there is!

Next you can check if your thermostat setting is set to "heat", there should be a flame symbol if you have an electronic thermostat. If you have an older thermostat make sure the switch is set to "heat". Once the setting is set to "heat" set your temperature at an appropriate setting.

You can further do some testing by adjusting the temperature up or down a few degrees to see if your furnace kicks on.

If you have a tripped circuit breaker, or a blown fuse, simply reset your circuit breaker or replace the blown fuse.

Should the pilot light not be lit, simply relight the flame.

If these simple steps do not fix your problem, then it is time to call your service technician out to your home to help you, as the problem might require an expert to fix. When the technician gets to your home, you can tell him about the troubleshooting you have already done.

In our next blog we will cover what could be wrong when there is not enough heat coming from the furnace, as well as some troubleshooting tips.

Stay warm!!

DSB Comfort Zone
Heating, Cooling and Ventilation
201 E. Division St.
Suite A
Sparta, MI 49345
P: (616) 205-5522
F: (616) 205-5533
W: www.dsbcomfort.com