What Should I Expect When Looking for Furnace Repair Services?
10/25/23
It’s a cold winter night and you get woken up by the frigid cold air hitting your face. You go to turn on the heater, but it won’t kick on and blow hot air. While your furnace going out might cause you to panic, there are some things that you can do to properly diagnose and wait for your furnace service to take place.
No one wants their furnace to stop working when they need it the most. But if you take some steps to prepare and look for furnace repair services, you should be able to get your heater working in no time! Here’s what you can expect when looking for furnace repair services from Help.
Key Takeaways:
- Small measures can help your furnace run at its best all winter long.
- Furnace service and maintenance can prevent inconvenient and uncomfortable breakdowns in the middle of winter.
Determine the Cause of the Problem
While you might be intimidated by your furnace going out, it’s important to complete some routine steps while you search for an HVAC professional. There are a couple of things the technician might ask you before they even make the house call. These small things can help you determine the cause of your furnace going out and make the repair process smoother and less stressful.
Know What Type of Furnace You Have
To determine where the problem with your furnace is coming from, you’ll need to know exactly what type of furnace you have. There are various types on the market installed in residential homes. The different types of furnaces all function differently. Here are the three most common kinds of furnaces.
- Oil furnaces
- Natural gas furnace
- Electric furnace
- Propane furnace
- High-efficiency furnace
The technician will likely need to know what type of furnace your home has. This will allow them to get an idea of what kind of problem you might be having and bring the correct tools to diagnose and repair the problem fast.
Check Your Fuse Box
One of the more overlooked problems with a heater that runs on electricity is the fuse box. It’s possible that there is a blown fuse or tripped breaker that is causing your furnace to go out when you need it the most.
Check your fuse box and look for any blown fuses or flipped breakers. If you see something that is wrong, simply flip the breaker or replace the fuse. If this happens to fix the problem, you might be out of the woods. If there’s still no change, follow the other steps to help determine the problem.
Check Your Thermostat
Your thermostat is essential to your heater running properly. If the fuse box didn’t show any potential issues, the next step is to check your thermostat. Sometimes people will accidentally set the thermostat too low, which will cause their furnace to stop running. Ensure you have it set at the desired temperature. If it’s set properly but still no luck with getting it to kick back on, there might be an issue with the thermostat itself.
Check Your Air Filters
Your air filters help to ensure good airflow and air quality throughout your home. If your air filter has not been replaced more than a month ago, your air filter might be the problem. When these are dirty and stopped up with debris, it can cause the system to give out. Check your air filters and make sure they are clean. If they are old and dirty, change them out and see if this helps your furnace kick back on.
These quick tips might help get your furnace working without needing a furnace service done by a professional. Knowing these things before the technician arrives will also help them get it working quickly. If you’re still noticing problems and are waiting for an HVAC pro to take a look, you’ll want to be prepared to wait it out.
Stay Warm When Your Furnace Is Out
Waiting for a repair on your furnace is not ideal. If the weather is bad or there is a winter storm happening, it might take the HVAC pro some time to get to your home. But if you take some precautionary steps to keep yourself warm, time should pass quickly.
Use Your Fireplace or a Space Heater
If you still have electricity, a space heater can be a great option to keep you warm until your furnace has been repaired. You’ll want to make sure that the space heater is always used while someone is attending to it, as fires are common with these heaters.
Fireplaces can make for a cozy option when your furnace is out. Not only does it provide a certain ambiance to the room, but it also will keep you warm while you wait for an HVAC professional. Having your family gathered in one room will also help you all stay warm.
Stay Inside
Going in and out of your home often when your furnace is out is not recommended. The warm air escapes right out your front door and allows cold air to enter. Try to limit how often you are going outside when your furnace is out to keep as much warm air inside as possible.
Put on Layers
Dressing in layers when you have no working heat is essential if you’re dealing with very cold weather. Try adding warm socks, hats, scarves, and sweaters to keep you warm. You can also cozy up with more blankets as you wait for the furnace to get fixed.
Insulate The Home
If your furnace is going to take some time to get repaired, there’s one thing you can do to your home to keep as much warm as possible. Make sure that all of the windows, doors, drapes, blinds, and curtains are shut. You can hang towels or blankets on the windows that don’t have good insulation. You can consider doing this in doorways as well.
How to Avoid Your Furnace Going Out
There are some steps that you can take on your own to avoid your furnace going out. Some DIY maintenance tips could help you prevent these potential problems. While you might still want to call a professional for a furnace service, decide if you want to take the following steps before you do.
- Replace your furnace filter:This should be completed every month when the system is running frequently.
- Check on the burner flames: Your burner flame should be blue and burning evenly. A yellow flame is a sign of a dirty burner or that the furnace is producing carbon monoxide.
- Clean your burners and blower by vacuuming them: Get rid of dust on the burner by vacuuming in and around them. Also, vacuum the furnace base and blower compartment.
- Replace the drive belt if it has any tears: If your drive belt is showing signs of extreme wear and tear you should replace this. You can pick one up for just $5.
- Wipe the flame sensor with an emery cloth: You can clean the flame sensor with a certain kind of cloth to ensure that it won’t get scratched. This will help the sensor detect heat and keep your furnace kicking.
- Check and dust off the pilot and hot surface igniter: To avoid a bad reading in your furnace you’ll want to keep the pilot and hot surface igniter clean. Use a drinking straw to blow off debris and dirt but be very careful not to touch the hot surface.
- Grease the bearings: To keep your blower shaft and motor bearing working properly, you can grease up the components with a few drops of lightweight motor oil.
- Check for corrosion: Check your furnace for any signs of corrosion. A professional will need to replace corroded parts of your unit.
- Seal your ductwork and vents:You don’t want to lose warm air through your vents and ductwork. Check them all and use heat-resistant silicone or metal tape to secure any leaks.
- Evaluate the air intake and exhaust pipes: Usually located on the exterior of your home, checking your air intake and exhaust pipes for debris, leaves, snow, or ice can help you keep your furnace working great.
While you might be interested in doing your own maintenance on your furnace, you’ll want to make sure that annual furnace services are completed by a professional. They will be able to identify potential problems before they cause significant breakdowns or repairs. They will also be able to make any repairs necessary before the cold months arrive to ensure you have a strong, solid heating system through the season.
When It’s Time To Call An HVAC Professional For A Furnace Service
If you’ve tried the above tips to get your furnace back in working order and you aren’t having any luck, you might need to call in a professional to take a look. Many small components of a furnace allow it to function properly and heat your home. Waiting could make the issue worse or cause you a lot of discomfort with the cold weather.
The team at Help Plumbing is ready and available to get your furnace in the best working order. Give us a call today to schedule your appointment!
Posted in: Heating
