Heaters from furnaces to fireplaces are indispensable household appliances that maintain warmth in our residences during winter. That being the case, however, as with almost any mechanical system, furnaces can sometimes fail or misbehave. Even if you don’t have extensive repair skills, it may be enough to fix your furnace using the tools discussed in this post. This article teaches how to diagnose common furnace issues and details how to carry out some simple fixes.

Keep an Eye on the Thermostat and the Furnace Filters

Remember that the first thing to do when having this problem is to ensure that the thermostat demands heat. Also, ensure its temperature is higher than the room or the house you live in. Also clean the furnace filters for maximum efficiency so that they are not blocked by debris. The filters clog and prevent room air from flowing straight. If the filters are dirty or need to be cleaned, they should be replaced.

Inspect the Furnace Blower

Lack of Airflow

Any time the thermostat is set to heat and no warmed air blows from the vents, there probably is an airflow issue. The first thing which should be checked is the blower fan. If the duct system is used, the heated coils or the hot ducts (or the duct system) are blown over the hot coils, or the ducts or duct system are forced through the heated coils. Look that there is no barrier around the blower or blockage. One way is to feel if the blades are rigid, or if there isn’t any metal scraping sound as you try to turn the blades with your hand. If the blades do not rotate smoothly, the motor may be stuck or a broken blower belt.

Check Power to the Blower

More so, ensure that electrical power is indeed getting to the blower and that it is well supplied. Turn the circuit breaker off from the furnace. Pull out blower motor cover panel and examine wire harness termination. All the cables must be connected and the screws tightly buckled. After repair, turn them back on. however, wiring appears normal it is recommended you check for voltage with a multi meter during heat call. If there is no voltage, this blower relay or circuit board may be at fault, blown fuse, or tripped breaker.

In addition, check burners, and heat exchanger

If the blower is on and you do not feel heat, then there probably is with the burner or heat exchanger problem. Look through the sight glass for blue or orange flames during heat call. If no fire is visible, try using the flame probe area then check the flame sensor wiring connected to the gas valve. Contaminated contacts can help in preventing ignition of the burner. Secondly, check that the burner ports are not clogged with cobwebs or dust, and if so, clean with the compressed air, as needed. If the appliance has a pilot light, open re confirm gas supply line and re confirm and gas supply line is open.

Check for Cracks, Holes, Rust

Also, it should be checked whether the heat exchanger agent has cracks, holes or too much rust. Openings let exhaust gases reintegrate with circulating air unsafely; rust particles can spread through duct systems. If such defects exist, then heat exchanger must be replaced. Seek advice from a technician at that stage should repairs be required at this phase. Do not operate a furnace in case the building catches an electric spark and results in a fire outbreak or carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Diagnosis of Strange Noises/ Smell

If you smell gas, then turn off the gas supply to the furnace and call your gas utility or a qualified HVAC technician. Evacuation off the site should be initiated in case of a leak, and emergency procedures should be initiated. Any weird smell of burning plastics may call for an electrical short of burnt wires. Burned insulation, check the cables, and turn the system off. Some indicators are rattles or squealing sounds because one or more of the parts may have worn out or some previously assembled components have loosened up. Determine origin of sound by performing different operations of furnaces independently and simultaneously from within as well as from outside the enclosure of the furnaces. Determine whether the parts needed can be fixed without some professional assistance or not.

When to Call a Professional

Most minor furnace issues such as replacement of filters or ignition of pilots can be done. However, it is sound advice to know your limitations. Complex operations, for example, swapping blower, heat exchanger, gas valve or circuit board are more appropriately done by professionals to avert hazards or learn more about maintenance. If the hints mentioned above to identify or repair the issue don’t work or aren’t known, it is also advised to call a pro. The repair should be carried out by HVAC pros who possess appropriate testing instruments and sophisticated tools to analyze the weaknesses of a system and fix them accordingly.

Maintenance Tips

Perform annual check-ups each in the fall. Always wash the inner parts and blower fan if filters are being changed. Connections between consecutive axes are tested, and any loose connections are soldered down. Remove debris around the burner tubes, heats cells and vents using compressed air. Find out if the pipes carrying exhaust and intake are busted, clogged or leaking. Ensure gas pipes are free from leaks also. This is so that all warranties granted to clients are noted together with copies of the annual maintenance checklists. This reduces repair stress as a result of neglecting maintenance by a considerable level.

Conclusion

It is almost imperative that a homeowner learns how to handle some of the frequent problems that may affect his/her furnace such as lack of airflow or heat, and how to fix minor issues. But complex big jobs which may involve significant risks should be undertaken by competent personnel in order to restore the equipment’s to their proper functioning state. Ensure that your furnace serves you for some more years after essential seasonal maintenance checks. If you follow the furnace troubleshooting and repair tips below, you’ll be able to enjoy a warm house all winter.