There is nothing worse than having furnace problems during the cold winter months, especially if you live with the elderly, who are more vulnerable to extreme temperatures. The good news is that if you can identify what’s wrong with your furnace, you’ll be in a much better position to do something about it and get it working again. Let’s take a look at some of the top reasons your furnace may not be heating your home and what you can do about it.
1. Clogged or Damaged Filter
Your filters are an important yet oftentimes underappreciated part of your furnace system. They keep your furnace from circulating bad particles such as bacteria, allergens, and dust. If your filters become clogged, then instead of protecting your home from these harmful particles, they could be helping to spread them.
Keeping this from happening is a simple fix in most cases. As soon as you notice the air quality in your home getting worse, check the filters. If they are clogged up or look old and worn out, get new ones to replace them. This will keep your air cleaner and your home healthier.
2. Thermostat Issues
If you turn on your furnace and you notice that your home isn’t warming up as it should, then you may have a thermostat problem. In many cases, this can be a simple issue, such as not having it set properly, but in other cases, it may be damaged or malfunctioning for some reason. If you check virtually everything else and can’t identify the problem, then your thermostat is likely to blame.
The main issue here is that fixing your thermostat is probably beyond your skill level if it even can be fixed. Most of the time, it is cheaper and more time efficient to just have it replaced by a professional furnace service. They will get your furnace working and your home comfortably warm in no time.
3. Ductwork Problems
In order for your furnace to evenly distribute warm air through your home, the ductwork needs to be in good repair. Damaged ductwork can lead to heat not going where it needs to, which can severely impact your furnace’s ability to warm your home. Sometimes fixing damaged ductwork can be as simple as patching a hole with some duct tape. However, in other scenarios, it may be damaged beyond repair, or the damage could be in an area that you can’t easily access. If this is the problem, you’ll need to call on professional HVAC services to come to fix the problem for you.
4. Internal Damage
There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a furnace as it ages. If you notice strange noises such as banging, knocking, or whistling, then something is probably going wrong inside it. Since furnaces typically only last 15 to 20 years, the likelihood of this happening increases with time. The good news is that if you do hear these noises, you can get your furnace inspected and get it fixed before something goes wrong that causes it to stop working.
5. Blower Not Turning Off
Another common furnace problem is the blower not turning off when it should. This can lead to excess wear and tear that prevents your furnace from heating your home as it should. A lot of times, the blower doesn’t turn off because of a damaged or malfunctioning limit switch. If this is the problem, you’ll need to have someone come look at it and potentially replace the switch.
Furnace Maintenance is Critical
One of the main things to keep in mind when it comes to making sure that your furnace works when you need it is that it should be given regular maintenance.
This can be easy to forget since you’re not going to be using your furnace for half the year, but it will help to ensure that it does work when you need it.
Setting up a maintenance plan with your local furnace service is easy and will help keep your furnace working. This is especially critical for older furnaces since they are more susceptible to breaking down and wearing out. Replacing damaged parts and having repairs done before your furnace stops working is cheaper than waiting for complete failure as well.
