There are many reasons why your furnace may not operate. The problem could be something fairly simple, or it could be something quite serious. This range of possibilities leaves a lot of room for mistakes, especially if you attempt to repair the problem yourself without having expert knowledge of your system. Vermont winters are no time to be without heat, even for a short duration, so if your furnace won’t turn on, call the people you can count on for heating repair in Essex, VT: Red Rock Mechanical.
Why Won’t My Furnace Run?
Here are a few examples of why your furnace may not be turning on:
Dirty Air Filter
When your furnace’s air filter becomes too clogged, it can restrict the air flow in your system. Proper air flow is necessary for your system to work, so if the air filter blocks air flow, the system can eventually shut down. It is recommended that you change your air filter every 3 months to avoid having problems develop.
Thermostat Issues
Your thermostat controls when your furnace turns on and off; if problems develop with your thermostat, your heater may not turn on. Common problems that can affect how a thermostat operates are frayed or corroded wiring, dirt and dust on the instrumentation and dead batteries. It’s also important to make sure your thermostat hasn’t been accidentally switched to off or cooling, or that the program hasn’t been altered if you own a programmable thermostat. If you own an older mercury-based thermostat, it may be to be calibrated.
Problems with Ignition
Furnaces have either a standing pilot light or electronic ignition. When a furnace has a standing pilot, it also has a safety mechanism called a thermocouple. This component lets the system know that there is a pilot and it is viable for ignition. However, if there are problems with the thermocouple, there can be problems with ignition. The same is true for electronic ignition. There are two types of electronic ignition: hot surface ignition and intermittent pilot. The probe for hot surface ignition can crack, disabling it from heating properly, and if the right amount of electricity doesn’t flow to the intermittent pilot, the pilot can’t be lit.
As you can see, a wide range of problems can cause your furnace to breakdown. Instead of trying to figure it out yourself, call the experts you can trust for all of your heating repair service needs: Red Rock Mechanical.
