How to Troubleshoot: Furnace Not Getting Hot
Is your home’s furnace not getting hot and blowing in cold or lukewarm air? This experience can be inconvenient, especially during the winter months when it’s cold and uncomfortable outside.
In these situations, it’s wise to take a few steps to try and troubleshoot the problem yourself. You may be able to identify and even fix the problem yourself without ever having to call an HVAC technician, saving you time and money. Even if you can’t fix the issue on your own, having already diagnosed the issue will help the professionals know what’s wrong and shorten the repair time until your home is warm and toasty again.
If your furnace isn’t heating air the way it should, try the following troubleshooting steps:
1. Check your thermostat’s batteries.
If your thermostat runs on battery power, check that the batteries aren’t low or dead. When a thermostat battery is dying, it can send incorrect temperature readings that interfere with a furnace’s performance.
2. Ensure your thermostat is set to a high enough temperature.
Take a minute to ensure that your thermostat is set to the temperature level you want and that no one has changed the temperature levels. Additionally, many thermostats operate on a programmed schedule. A momentary loss of power or connection can cause the system to reset itself, resulting in low or no heat.
3. Check that your furnace’s fan isn’t set to “on.”
When set to the “auto” setting, a furnace will blow hot air whenever it’s necessary to maintain the programmed temperature in your home. However, when the fan is set to stay continuously on, your HVAC system will blow air all the time, even if that air isn’t hot.
4. Clean or replace your furnace’s filters.
To operate effectively, your furnace needs to pull in a steady flow of cold air, which goes through a filter. When that filter becomes too dirty, the furnace can’t get the air it needs, which results in compromised heating.
5. Check that the blower motor panel is in place.
To inspect or repair your furnace, you need to remove the blower motor panel. If this panel isn’t replaced after the inspection or maintenance is complete, it could be hindering your furnace’s function.
6. Ensure the gas valve is open and clear of grime.
If you have a gas furnace, the gas valve needs to be open and clear of all sorts of dirt, dust, or debris. Take a look and make sure this issue isn’t hampering your furnace’s heating performance.
Help Your Furnace Heat Up
If you can’t figure out why your furnace isn’t getting hot, call the heating and cooling professionals at Wicomico Heating & Air Conditioning for assistance.
In addition to emergency furnace repair work, the Wicomico Heating & Air Conditioning team can perform regular maintenance on your furnace to catch small issues before they become big (and costly) problems. This is a great option to extend the lifespan of your furnace and reduce the risk of breakdowns. We also offer 24/7 emergency services if your furnace stops warming up in the middle of the night. Call or contact us today for more information.
