This is definitely not a question you want to find yourself asking during a winter in Northwest Vermont! But if you do run into the situation of a furnace that simply isn’t doing what it’s supposed to, you’ll need to get to the bottom of it fast. In some cases, you can remedy the trouble on your own. Others will require you call on heating professionals.
The thermostat has lost the connection
The thermostat is the first thing you should check if the furnace doesn’t come on. If the thermostat screen is blank, you may have to change its batteries. It’s also possible the thermostat was incorrectly set by someone else in the house. More serious thermostat issues will require professionals to repair or simply replace the thermostat.
Tripped circuit breaker
We addressed this last week. The short version: reset any tripped breaker, check on the furnace filter, make sure vents are unblocked… and if none of this works, contact HVAC professionals.
Failed electronic ignition system/pilot light
Most modern furnaces use an electronic ignition system to start up their burners, although you may have an older model that uses a pilot light. Go to the furnace and listen to find out if the burners are on. If they aren’t, it might be a failed ignition system or a pilot light that has gone out. Relight the pilot light in the latter case, and call for professionals in the former.
Broken air handler
Are you not getting any heat because there’s no air coming from the vents? Then the issue is probably a broken air handler, the part that blows air through the furnace and into the ducts. This is usually due to a failed blower motor, and it takes professionals to repair it.
There are many other possibilities for a furnace that won’t do its job—and you only want to let experienced technicians investigate. (It’s unsafe for anyone who isn’t licensed to work on a gas furnace, or an appliance connected to a gas line.)
The furnace repair experts you need in Burlington, VT are at Red Rock Mechanical LLC. Serving Northwest Vermont and the Plattsburgh, NY area for more than 23 years.
