When owning a gas furnace, it is important to understand how the components operate and how you can clean the system. By cleaning the unit yourself, you can save on the regular maintenance cost of having your unit professional cleaned. Troubleshooting techniques also come in handy as you will have the ability to get your unit up and running again without the assistance of a professional technician. Below are a few tips on what to expect from your gas furnace and how you can clean and repair the unit when needed.
Conventional Gas Furnace
A traditional gas furnace will look like a very large box in the home that will take in cold air, clean the air, then heat up the air and distribute the hot air throughout the home via ductwork. Seems like a simple process, but one that does take time and several components to do so.
No Heat Production
When you have no heat coming from your furnace system, you may immediately begin to worry. However this can be one of several issues that you can easily fix yourself. Possible causes for your system to be offering no heat is the thermostat, power to the unit, closed gas valve, pilot light issues or ignition issues.
To repair yourself, try checking the thermostat and make sure the unit is set on heat mode with the appropriate temperature setting. You can try moving the temperature dial up and down a few degrees to see if this kick-starts the system. Check breaker box and reset breaker if tripped. If the pilot light is out, relight it. Any of these solutions can be why your system is not producing the hot air you need to stay warm.
Heat, But Not Enough
Okay, so your furnace is providing heat but it is not enough. This could be due to a dirty filter, dirty gas burners or an obstruction in the air flow of the combustion chamber. To troubleshoot this issues, try checking your filter and replacing if dirty. Make sure the combustion air chamber is working properly. You may need to contact a technician to help you with the gas burners if adjusting or cleaning is needed to get your unit back on track.
Blower Running Constantly
If you find that your blower is running constantly with your furnace system, you will need to check the thermostat or fan limit control switch. The thermostat may be set on continuous and this will keep the blower from shutting off. Another issue can be if the limit control switch of the fan is faulty. You may need to reset or replace this switch to provide the blower with the option of turning off.
Mismatched Furnace and Thermostat
If you find that you have constant issues with your furnace system, you may have a mismatched thermostat and furnace. Many home owners believe that any furnace can operate on any thermostat but this is not the case. When you have a thermostat that does not go with a furnace for operation, you can have operating problems within the system. This can also be dangerous in the home.
The thermostat and furnace system need to be coordinated so you can safely heat the home. There are three basic thermostat types used currently in today’s furnace market which include Millivoltage, Low Voltage and Line Voltage. A licensed and qualified technician will be able to help you determine which thermostat type will work best in your home and provide you with a safe environment for producing heat. If you feel as though your unit is mismatched with the thermostat, contact a technician quickly to sort out the issue.
