So, your heating won’t turn on? Gosh, let’s hope you aren’t getting too chilly! We’ll help you figure out whatever the heating issues are and share easy ways that can quick-fix HVAC systems.
Not every furnace problem can be dealt with by an amateur, so this article has two sections: furnace concerns you can resolve on your own and those that require a call to an HVAC professional.
Most furnaces are reasonably simple in their construction. Still, some parts need professional servicing. They also present dangers that only professionals have the tools and expertise to deal with.
Learn more in our guide below.
What if Your Heating Won’t Turn On?
The following five items are easy to solve without calling a technician. A couple might require a service call only if you determine the part is not working or there’s a different problem.
Later, we’ll explain furnace repairs that do call for professional HVAC services.
1. Check the Circuit Breaker
There’s a possibility that something (e.g., a power surge) tripped the breaker. All you need to do is reset the switch. However, if the breaker trips again, you should call an HVAC technician or an electrician.
You might ask, “do I need heater repair for an electrical problem if I have a gas furnace? The answer is yes since there are furnace parts, such as the ignition, that require electricity.
2. Check the Thermostat
Is your thermostat on and set to “heat” or “auto”? If not, turn it on and set it!
If it is turned on and set correctly, though, you might need to look a bit deeper. First, try raising the temperature and see if the heat kicks in. If it doesn’t, the next step is to figure out if the thermostat itself is broken.
Doing this involves turning off the furnace’s power at the circuit breaker before you access the wires connecting the thermostat to the HVAC system. If you would rather not proceed beyond this point, though, call your HVAC company for assistance.
3. Could the Furnace Be Switched Off?
The answer to this might seem straightforward: switch the furnace back on. Before you do, though, ask yourself how and why it was switched off. After all, unless the weather has gotten warmer, what reason would there be to switch off a furnace?
Since “switching off” a furnace could mean one of a few things, you should do some investigation. When someone does this, it’s usually for a good reason.
Was it a household member? An HVAC technician on a recent maintenance visit?
If you’re sure you did not flip the switch yourself before turning it back on, perhaps it would be wise to make a few phone calls to the likely “suspects” in case the system was turned off for safety reasons or due to a malfunction.
4. Is a Filter Installed?
Most HVAC systems won’t run without filters; there’s no way around it. And don’t try putting the old, dirty filter back in, either. Not only will that not make the machine start running correctly again, but it could damage the furnace.
The easy answer? Go to your local home supply store and buy a new filter (order in advance from an online filter company next time). If replacing the filter doesn’t put things back in order, call for HVAC service.
5. Check the Blower Fan Motor
Many of our clients have never opened their furnace doors. Doing so makes them nervous, so we’re happy to help when we’re needed. But checking the blower fan motor is relatively easy in most HVAC systems.
When you open the furnace door, just check for a flashing green light. If there is one, you’ll see it, front and center. The green light means that, if there’s a furnace problem, it’s not the fault of the blower fan motor.
If no flashing green light is visible after you’ve looked around inside the furnace, call your HVAC technician.
With these five items, you will have exhausted all the easy DIY options for furnace repair. Now it’s time to call in the pros.
Furnace Concerns Needing Professional HVAC Servicing
The items to follow all call for the help of an HVAC professional.
This is not an exhaustive inventory of things that could go wrong with your furnace. However, we have compiled a representative list of items that most homeowner amateurs are advised not to go near. These include:
- Anything that involves installing new components on HVAC systems
- Anything concerning natural gas and the supply lines
- Anything that would put someone in contact with dangerous substances like natural gas
- Something that requires unique special-order replacement parts
- Equipment prone to overheating that requires special handling
- Evidence of long-term maintenance neglect
For the last item, we should point out that if a furnace goes for a long time without regular maintenance, any number of parts could be worn out, damaged, or leaking.
Whatever the state of an overlooked furnace, the first ones to open it and look inside should be those with the more significant expertise: HVAC professionals.
Did you know that HVAC has been listed among the most dangerous jobs in America? Some of us signed on for this responsibility when we embarked on HVAC training and began our careers.
So if you chose a different path, isn’t it easier and better all-around to leave the challenging and specialized work to us?
Are We Getting Warm Yet?
What do you do when your heating won’t turn on, now that you’ve read what we have to say?
Do you feel more confident about what’s all right to do yourself? Or, did you find our advice on what to avoid daunting enough to keep you far away from your furnace, no matter what?
When you’re ready for professional help with heating problems, let us know. If you happen to call us and say, “my heater won’t turn on,” we’ll be there right away. At Small Solutions, we don’t waste time getting to our customers’ needs.
Small Solutions is available 24/7 for emergency heating repair in Frederick County.
