Furnace Repair Checklist
1. Inspect the Thermostat
To begin, ensure your thermostat is signaling your heat to start.
Digital Thermostat
- Change the batteries if the display is not displaying anything. If the digital display is scrambled, the thermostat might need to be swapped out.
- Make certain that the control is on “heat” instead of “off” or “cool.”
- Ensure the program is showing the appropriate day and time and is programmed to “run.” If you’re having trouble getting out of the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and holding the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to ignite if thermostat is causing an issue.
- Turn the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.
If your heating hasn’t started within several minutes, make certain that it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t start, your heater may not have power.
Smart Thermostat
If you utilize a smart thermostat—like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting will depend on your model. Check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you aren’t able to get your Wi-Fi thermostat to function, contact us at 803-220-0761 for heating and cooling service.
2. Inspect Breakers and Switches
Next, confirm your breaker and furnace switch are on.
- Find your main electrical panel. If you aren’t sure where it is, keep an eye out for a silver metal box in your basement, garage or closet.
- Make sure your hands and feet aren’t moist in advance of opening the panel or breakers.
- Find the breaker titled “furnace” or “heat,” and double-check it’s switched “on.” If you find that the breaker tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” spot.
- Using one hand, steadily turn the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker trips right away and pops back to “off,” don't try to reset it and get in touch with a professional from US Air Heating and Cooling at 803-220-0761 immediately.
It doesn’t matter how old your furnace is or what brand it is, it has at minimum one ordinary wall switch placed on or close to it.
- Ensure the control is flipped up in the “on” spot. If it was switched off, expect your furnace to take up to five minutes to start. (If you don’t know where your furnace is located, check your basement, garage or utility closet. It may also be in a crawl space or attic.)
3. Buy a New Air Filter
When we think about furnace problems, a grungy, blocked air filter is frequently the top culprit.
If your filter is too dirty:
- Your heater won’t keep heating your home, or it may overheat from restricted airflow.
- Your heating costs could increase because your heat is running more often.
- Your heat could stop working too soon due to the fact a dusty filter forces it to work harder.
- Your heater may be disconnected from power if an overly dirty filter causes the breaker to trip.
While it depends on what type of heating system you own, your air filter is located within the blower compartment of your heater, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
To replace your filter:
- Switch off your furnace.
- Take out the filter and tilt it toward the light. If you can’t see light through it, use a new one.
- Put in the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the heating system to prevent damage.
Flat filters ought to be replaced once a month, while pleated filters should last about three months. If you have children or pets, you could have to change your filter sooner.
To make the process go more quickly down the line, write with a permanent writing tool on your heating system outside or ductwork to list the airflow direction and filter size.
4. Check the Condensate Pan
Otherwise known as drain pans, condensate pans capture moisture your heating system draws from the air.
If water is dripping from within your furnace or its pan has too much water in it, try these recommendations.
- If your pan has a drain (look for a PVC pipe), make sure that it isn’t clogged. If it requires draining, drop in a special pan-cleaning tablet you can buy at home improvement or hardware shops.
- If your pan uses a pump, take a look at the float switch. If the switch is jammed “up” with water in the pan, contact us at 803-220-0761, because you will likely have to buy a new pump.
5. Look for Heating Error Codes
If faults keep on happening, look inside your heating system’s plastic window to verify the blower motor’s status. Depending on the model, the light may also be attached on the surface of your furnace.
If you notice anything other than an uninterrupted, colored light or twinkling green light, call us at 803-220-0761 for HVAC service. Your heater may be giving an error code that is calling for specialized assistance.
6. Brush off the Flame Sensor
If your furnace attempts to work but switches off without distributing heated air, a dusty flame sensor could be to blame. When this happens, your heater will make an attempt to turn on three times before a safety mechanism turns it off for around an hour.
If you feel confident with opening up your furnace, cleaning your flame sensor is a task you can do personally. Or, one of our heating service professionals has the ability to complete it for you.
If you are confident cleaning the sensor personally, you require:
- A 1/4” hex screwdriver or wrench
- Portion of light grit sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth
- An unused paper towel
Then:
- Turn off the furnace’s power by using its wall switch or breaker. If your gas valve isn’t electric, you have to switch off the gas as well.
- Remove the furnace’s front panel and trace the wire to the flame sensor.
- Unscrew the rod and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to gently scrub the metal rod.
- Clear the rod with a paper towel.
- Screw the sensor back in.
- Secure the furnace doors.
- Turn the furnace’s power back on. It could run through a sequence of examinations before resuming regular heating. If your heater doesn’t start, the sensor might need to be replaced or something else might be wrong. If this occurs, get in touch with us at 803-220-0761 for heating and cooling repair assistance.
7. Light the Pilot Light
If you have an outdated heater, the pilot light could be out. To reignite it, look for the guide on a sheet on your heating system, or follow these steps.
- Locate the switch beneath your furnace that says “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
- Turn the switch to the “off” position.
- Don’t do anything for at least five minutes to prevent sparking a fire.
- Turn the switch to “pilot.”
- Hold down the “reset” button as you bring the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
- Release the “reset” switch once the pilot light is lit.
If you have followed the list twice and the pilot light still won’t light or keep ignited, call us at 803-220-0761 for furnace service.
Examine Your Energy Source
Try switching on an additional gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service could be switched off, or you could be out of propane.