When a furnace is in good working condition, the temperatures in your home should be comfortable at all times. During the cold winter months, your furnace should turn on immediately after the indoor temperature drops below the preset level on your thermostat. If the furnace is functioning properly, you should rarely have to think about it.
Even though furnaces are designed to last for many years, it’s always possible that the system could malfunction or fall into disrepair. Most furnace issues are fairly straightforward and easy enough to fix for a professional technician. Here at Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating, we offer expansive furnace maintenance and repair services to residents of San Antonio, TX to ensure all their needs are met. Let’s consider a few of the possible problems.
Your Furnace Turns Off and On
The most common issue occurs when your furnace turns off and on in a manner that doesn’t make sense. When a furnace heats a home, it should cycle off and on regularly to maintain the temperature that’s displayed on your thermostat. When the outdoor temperature is well below your preferred indoor temperature, your system will likely turn off and on several times each hour.
If your furnace begins to turn off and on frequently without reaching the temperature on your thermostat, this means that there’s likely an issue with your equipment. A short cycle usually involves the furnace only staying on for a few minutes before shutting off. It’s possible that the furnace does not have the right amount of airflow, which leads to overheating. Most units come with built-in safety switches to turn the system off when it overheats.
There’s a chance that airflow is being restricted because of a clogged air filter, which might also result in overheating. If a replacement of your air filter doesn’t fix the problem, our technicians at Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating can take a closer look and diagnose the issue before providing the necessary fix.
Your Furnace Doesn’t Properly Produce Heat
Your furnace is designed to distribute air throughout your home, which allows anyone who lives there to be comfortable as the temperature drops. When a furnace isn’t producing enough heat, something is likely causing the furnace to be less efficient and effective than it should be. In most cases, this issue will be small and easy to correct.
For instance, it’s possible that your furnace isn’t producing heat if your thermostat is set to the “fan” setting. In this scenario, the furnace’s fan will blow out air without heating it. Another cause of a furnace not producing enough heat is that the thermostat in your home hasn’t been turned to the “heat” setting. The temperature on your thermostat could also be lower than it should be to keep your home comfortable.
Your Furnace Isn’t Working at All
Another common problem with furnaces occurs when the furnace shuts down completely before reaching the preset temperature on your thermostat. This issue may take place because the circuit breaker was tripped. Restricted airflow and pilot light issues can also lead to your furnace not starting. If your furnace shuts off and won’t come back on, our trained technicians at Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating can help you resolve this issue.
Your Furnace Doesn’t Turn on Immediately
When a furnace is functioning properly, it will turn on and produce the right amount of heat once the thermostat sends a signal to the system. If you’ve set your indoor temperature relatively high but find that the indoor air becomes colder than you would like before the equipment comes back on, there could be something wrong.
The cause of this issue might be as simple as your circuit breaker being turned off. There’s also a possibility that the issue is more severe and may warrant closer inspection and more extensive repair work. A few additional reasons why your furnace might not be turning on at the correct time include:
- A lack of fuel
- A badly clogged air filter
- A faulty pilot light
- A malfunctioning ignition system
Your Furnace Makes Strange Noises
The majority of furnaces will make a certain amount of noise while they are in operation, which could involve clicks from the thermostat when the furnace is about to turn off or on. Once the air is sent through the ductwork in your home, you might hear a standard “whooshing” sound. Keep in mind that some furnaces are noisier than others.
Even though some noise is expected, other sounds might indicate that something is wrong with your furnace. For instance, there shouldn’t be a rattling or knocking noise in your furnace. If there is, it’s possible that a part has come loose or some fuel remains in the combustion chamber even after the system has turned off. Whatever the issue, a technician should look at it.
How to Avoid Common Furnace Issues
There are certain things you can do to avoid some of the more common furnace issues mentioned in this guide. Whenever an issue occurs, consider checking your circuit breaker and thermostat before getting in touch with our furnace technicians. While many furnace issues are caused by small problems that are easy to fix, there are also times when the problem requires more attention.
It’s highly recommended that you don’t attempt to repair anything in or on the furnace by yourself. If you don’t have experience or training on how to work with HVAC equipment, doing so can be dangerous. If your furnace isn’t turning on, it may be out of propane gas or oil, which means that the fuel levels should be checked.
If your furnace is making loud noises, the issue is likely more serious, which is when you should get in touch with a service technician. Another reason why you should contact a technician is if you notice any odd smells that are emanating from your furnace.
If it smells like something burning, a technician should look at your furnace as soon as possible. The smell of rotten eggs means that you should leave your home immediately and contact 911 or your utility company. If your furnace runs on natural gas or propane, the smell of rotten eggs indicates there’s a gas leak in your home.
You can avoid these issues altogether by having your furnace regularly maintained. It’s best to have your furnace cleaned, serviced, and tuned up at least once every year. Many homeowners choose to schedule maintenance just before the temperatures drop for the winter.
By doing so, your unit can be maintained before the cold season kicks in, which means that any possible issues with your system will be identified and fixed before a more serious malfunction occurs. Keep in mind that delaying maintenance only results in small issues worsening and requiring more costly repairs.
At Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating, we offer a wide selection of heating and cooling maintenance, repair, and installation services. Our technicians can diagnose and fix any issue that could be affecting your home’s furnace. We also offer a suite of additional services to those in Selma and the Greater San Antonio area that include air duct cleaning , indoor air quality solutions, and the installation of VRF systems. Call Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating today to schedule your appointment.
