Potential Causes Of A Malfunctioning Furnace System

Do you have a furnace that doesn't seem to be working very well? Are you wondering if your furnace needs to be replaced or if it can simply be repaired? While not every repair job can be handled by most homeowners, here are some things to check or do before calling your heating repair technician:

Change filters: Clogged filters can cause a system to work harder than it needs to, resulting in a potentially costly heating repair bill in the future. You may be changing or cleaning one filter on time, but it's possible that your system has multiple filters. If you aren't sure or you can't find the additional filters, your furnace repair technician should be happy to show you how and when to replace any additional filters that you may have.

Clean air ducts: Your filter or filters should catch most airborne debris and prevent it from reaching your furnace. But if you have pets, visually inspect the inside of any air ducts at least once a month. If your furnace's filter is just outside the furnace itself and it draws otherwise unfiltered air from throughout your home, pet hair and dander could start to build up inside the ducts. Before this pet hair and dander starts to become an issue, make sure to clean out your duct work or have it cleaned out for you by a professional company. The increased airflow can help raise the efficiency of your furnace, allowing it to work properly once again.

Replace blower fan: If your whole house seems cold, it may seem like you're in serious need of a heating repair. But the cause could be a simple burnt out motor on your blower fan. With some furnace systems, this fan may be easily replaced by following the instructions laid out in your owner's manual. For these types of furnaces, the so-called repair will consist mainly of unplugging the old fan and plugging in the new one. For more complicated fan replacement, you're probably going to want to have your local repair technician take care of it for you.

Change thermostat batteries: When your furnace turns on and off seemingly at random, the cause may be a faulty thermostat or temperature sensor. If the thermostat in your home has batteries, replace them with fresh batteries to see if that solves the issue. If it doesn't the thermometer or thermostat in the furnace itself may need to be replaced. 


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