Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of coming home on a bitterly cold day, had thoughts of a warm home but find out your house is just as cold as outside?
It’s no fun, is it?
When this happens, your home is experiencing some type of furnace issue. Your furnace could not be kicking on for a number of reasons, but these are among the most common cases:
Lack of Maintenance
In order for your furnace to run well, it needs to be properly maintained. Imagine never getting the oil in your car changed. Would you expect it to be working after some time? Just like routine maintenance for your car, your furnace needs to be worked on to keep it running optimally.
Lack of regular maintenance may cause a wide range of furnace problems, which may lead to a shortened working life, loss of overall efficiency and a decrease in comfort level.
What can Maintenance Help with?
By having your furnace regularly maintained, you can safeguard your home from the following:
• Dirty air filters
• Broken igniter
• Internal components wear and tear
• Stopped blower motor
• Dirty flame sensors
Dirty or Clogged Furnace Filters
It’s very easy to forget about the furnace filter and they are fairly easy to replace. However, the repercussions from not changing them out can be noticeable.
For instance, dirty and clogged filters are a major cause of poor heating system operation and increased utility costs.
Dirty filters can cause many problems, including:
• Poor airflow
• Increased operating costs
• Accumulation of dirt inside the duct system
• Reduced system efficiency
• Poor indoor air quality
• Reduced equipment working life
Air Flow Problems
Poor airflow is one of the most common furnace problems; in fact, many homeowners have one or more rooms in their homes that do not receive sufficient airflow. Some of these problems are caused by a leak or obstruction in the ductwork or an obstruction at the vents which causes airflow problems, which may cause the furnace to overheat and lose efficiency.
Thermostat malfunctions
Your thermostat is the brains of the whole operation. If the thermostat is having issues, then your furnace will too. Many people have panicked when they thought their furnace went out but really the thermostat was to blame and that was a cheaper replacement.
A damaged thermostat can cause no heat, intermittent heat, and insufficient heat transmission throughout the home. If you feel that you might have problems with the thermostat, check to see if it is in the right setting. Many people forget to set it to “heat” and don’t feel the warm air when they turn it on.
Additionally, you might also want to open up your thermostat’s cover and check for any dirt buildup, which can mess with your thermostat’s sensors. Try dusting your thermostat with a soft brush to remove any dust that you find.