Heating And AC Repair: An In-Depth Look At Why Your Furnace Might Not Be Turning On | Azle, TX
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If your furnace has stopped turning on, there could be a plethora of reasons why. Instead of trying to diagnose the problem by yourself, your best bet is to actually contact the heating and AC repair company. The heating and AC company will be able to send out a technician to your home. The technician will take apart your entire furnace in order to get a better idea of what could be wrong. Based on their findings, the professionals will propose several different solutions for you.
In this article, we will look at some of the most common reasons why your furnace is not turning on, so you have a better idea of what to expect. If you have any further questions or concerns, make sure that you discuss it all with the heating and AC repair technician. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the solution that’s proposed before signing any contracts or agreeing to any service.
#1. Thermostat Issues
The most common reason why a furnace might not be turning on is because there is something wrong with the thermostat. The thermostat is responsible for telling the brightness when it should turn on and off. If it is malfunctioning, the furnace will never get the signal to turn on.
One of the first things that a heating and AC repair service will do is inspect the thermostat. The professional will want to check whether the thermostat is properly set up. They will then want to make sure that it is in the right mode and that the temperature setting is lower than the temperature that’s inside your home. If the thermostat is set correctly, then the issue is probably caused by a broken part or inner mechanism. In which case, there are two solutions:
- Take the thermostat apart to see which components may not be connected properly or may have malfunctioned. This can be quite costly, and heating and AC repair professionals in Azle, TX will need to be very experienced in handling that specific part.
- Replace the thermostat with a new one. This is the most highly recommended solution. Replacing the thermostat is usually quite affordable. It’s also a fairly quick fix. Once the thermostat is replaced with a new one, your furnace will go work like new again!
Another thing that the heating and AC repair company might do is to clean the area surrounding the thermostat. They will remove any dirt or dust that has built up within the same area. These contaminants can prevent the thermostat sensor from working properly. Fortunately, this is a fairly easy thing to do. If you do not want to trouble any professionals, you can try cleaning the thermostat yourself by removing any dirt and dust that you see using a soft brush.
#2. A Blown Fuse
Another reason why your furnace might not be working is because it has a blown fuse. This is another cause that is fairly easy to diagnose. The heating and AC repair technician will check the circuit breaker to see whether the switch for the furnace is on. If it’s not, they can turn it back on.
The difficult thing is figuring out why the fuse is blown in the first place. There are many potential culprits. We’ll look at some of them below:
- Short circuits and faulty wiring. The most common reason for a blown fuse is damaged or faulty wiring. This results in a short circuit. The heating and AC repair technician in Azle, TX will need to take the unit apart in order to see whether the wires are connected poorly in any locations. They will also need to see if the wiring needs to be replaced. This is definitely a job that you want to leave for the professionals. If you do not have any experience working with electrical wiring at all, this can become very dangerous.
- Dirty air filters. Another common reason is if the air filter is dirty. In general, you should have the air filter replaced every one to three months. If you fail to do so, dirt, dust and other debris that has built up inside will block the blower motor. This might cause the entire furnace to shut down prematurely. A clogged blower motor will also cause the fuse to blow because it has to work a lot harder. If you do not use your furnace that regularly, you might be able to get away with replacing the filters every year. With that said, it’s important to get the furnace serviced annually in order to keep it in pristine condition.
- Valve failure. Last but not least, a valve failure can also cause the fuse to blow. This problem pertains to only gas-powered furnaces.
A blown fuse is not something that most homeowners can easily diagnose themselves although it is something that is fairly easy to fix.
#3. Overheating or Malfunctioning Parts
Overheating or malfunctioning parts can also be quite detrimental to your furnace. A furnace requires many different components and parts to come together and work together in order to function properly. If even one of these parts is malfunctioning or overheating, it can have a huge effect on the system. In minor situations, it might only lead to inefficiency; however, in some of the more severe situations, the entire furnace might stop working or turning on altogether.
In order to diagnose the problem and figure out what needs to be repaired, the heating and AC repair technician will need to take everything apart for an inspection. This entire process can take some time, as it can be difficult to narrow down the problem to just one part — especially if the part is small.
#4. A Dirty Air Filter
As mentioned above, a dirty air filter can wreak a lot of havoc on any furnace system. Due to this reason, it is crucial that you get the filters replaced every 1 2 3 months. It really depends on how frequent you turn the furnace on. If you use the furnace very frequently, you’ll want to replace the filter. However, if you seldom turn the furnace on, you’ll be able to get away with replacing the filters every 3 months or longer.
Fortunately, a dirty air filter is something that’s fairly easy to see and diagnose. The heating and AC repair technician will only need to disassemble parts of the furnace to get to the air filter. They’ll be able to see exactly how much dirt, dust and other pollutants have accumulated on the filter with ease. Based on your usage history, the heating and AC repair technician will also be able to provide you with more information on whether you need to replace your filters more frequently than you previously thought.
Types of Furnace Air Filters
Although learning more about furnace air filters is probably one of the least exciting things you can do today, it will be well worth it. The different types of air filters have their own functionalities. When the heating and AC repair technician is inspecting the air filter, you can ask them about switching to another type:
- Disposable fiberglass. This is the most common option and is made from 1-inch thick fiberglass. This type of filter will remove large particles of dust, lint and debris from the furnace, but it will do little else. It is, however, one of the most affordable options.
- Disposable pleated. This is another popular option behind disposable fiberglass, and is made from either polyester or cotton paper. This type of filter needs to be changed frequently, but it can remove small particles like mites and spores from the air.
- High-efficiency pleated. This is one of the most expensive options out there, but it’s great at screening out even the smallest particles from the air. It’s an ideal choice for those who may struggle with respiratory disorders. These filters are made from 4 to 5-inch thick pleated synthetic cotton that has been attached to a rigid metal grid.
- Polyester. This type of filter is denser than fiberglass, so it does a better job at removing particulates from the air. The polyester can be up to as much as 4-inch thick.
- Disposable electrostatic. This type of filter is quite interesting. It’s made from self-charging electrostatic cotton or paper fibers, so it can filter out even some of the smallest particles out there. It is, however, a bit expensive compared to some of the regular options.
If you have any other questions or concerns about the air filters, speak with a heating and AC repair technician. They’ll be able to walk you through the pros and cons of various types. They will also be able to let you know what type of air filter that you currently have installed.
#5. No Pilot Light
If the pilot light is out, your furnace will also not turn on properly. This is actually one of the issues that you can probably fix by yourself. You can check your manufacturer’s instructions to learn how to relight the pilot light. However, if you notice that the pilot light is constantly going out, you want to contact with heating and AC repair technician in order to see what the underlying problem may be. Some common reasons why the pilot light may be constantly turning off are:
- A faulty thermocouple. The thermocouple is a copper rod that comes into contact with the pilot light. It’s a safety mechanism that will shut off the gas if the pilot light goes out; however, if there’s something wrong with the thermocouple, the pilot light might constantly go out.
- Dirty pilot orifice. This happens more regularly with older furnaces. If the pilot orifice is dirty, it will not allow the pilot light to turn on properly. The heating and AC repair technician will need to disassemble the unit and clean out the debris before assembling it again. As you’ll need to work close to the gas line, it’s best to leave this to the professionals.
- A bad gas regulator. Last but not least, the problem could be due to a bad gas regulator. This means that the pilot light is not getting enough gas to stay on when it needs to be. The technician may need to contact your gas company if this is the case to get a better understanding of where the issue is coming from.
There are plenty of other causes for a pilot light that isn’t able to turn on properly. Most of these causes, however, will require a professional to diagnose. When it comes to the pilot light, it’s always better to leave all of the work to the professionals. You definitely don’t want to tinker around with these parts if you don’t have any experience or education in this field, as it can be quite dangerous.
Our Heating and AC Repair Technicians Can Help!
With time, it is fairly common for furnaces to run into different types of issues and problems. The key is to hire a heating and AC repair company to come and take a look as soon as possible. Like with all things, the longer that you wait, the worst of the situation can become. If you are able to get a professional to come out immediately, you’ll be able to fix the situation before it gets worse.
Finding the right heating and AC repair company that serves Azle, TX can be difficult since there are so many different options out there. Do your own due diligence to make sure that you are working with a reputable company with a lot of years of experience under their belts. One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Fort Worth serving Azle, TX is one of these companies. We offer a wide range of heating services and can send a heating and AC repair technician to your home immediately!
To reach us and talk to a heating and AC repair technician in the Azle, TX area, call 817-835-6016.
