Faults and problems are something we encounter with many products and services and it would be unwise to think that you will never have gas furnace problems. By having your unit maintained and regularly service may prevent you from having more problems, but it does not mean that you will never have any problems. Prevention is better than cure, but sometimes you need a professional opinion.
What Problems Can Be Encountered With Your Gas Furnace
Every so often, you could encounter a problem that will be unique to your gas furnace but these are few and far between. It is beneficial for you to know what the common gas furnace problems are so that you can start with troubleshooting before calling in the experts. If you can find the fault before they get there, you may save yourself on consultation fees because less time is spent on looking for the problem and more time can be spend on fixing the problems.
Some of the common problems with your unit may very between:
- No Heat
- Insufficient Heat
- Erratic Heat
- Pilot Problems
- Gas Dangers
These problems are mainly the symptoms of a deeper seated problem and the only way to get to the root of the problem is to do a bit of trouble shooting starting at the thermostat. Be very cautious when removing any components for the unit as you may compromise your warranty or you may damage your unit. Once you have gone through the basic troubleshooting process, you can call in the professionals and give them a run down of what you have already checked so that they only need to get into the more complex parts of the machine where they may find the problem without having to spend extra time on the basics which you will be billed for at the end of the day.
Solutions to Possible Problems
No Heat:
When no heat is coming from your unit into your home
there can be one of many problems. You could have a valve which is closed, a faulty fuse, a thermostat problem or a non-working thermostat. You can start to search for the problem at the thermostat and carry on checking all valves and fuses as you go along.
Insufficient Heat:
When you do feel heat coming from the unit but it is not warm enough, your thermostat may just be set too low. In this case, you only need to raise the temperature on your thermostat. If this does not solve the problem, you should check your filters as they may be dirty. The blower may be blocked as well. In both these cases you can either clean the blockage away and clean out the filter or replace the filter.
Erratic Heat:
When heat fluctuates erratically, the blower may be blocked which causes the unit to switch on and off more frequently because it may be over heating with the strain of trying to blow air through the blockage. Clean the blockage and make sure that all parts are properly lubricated. This problem could also be because of a faulty thermostat which could be misguiding the rest of the system as to what the premium should be.
Pilot Problems:
When you pilot is not lighting up properly, it may be clogged. Clean out the pilot opening and if that does not work, make sure that all of the control valves are open sufficiently. There may also be a lack in the fuel supply. Have your fuel lines tested.
Gas Dangers:
When you have pipes that leak just a small amount of carbon monoxide, you are in danger of getting poisoned by this gas. If you smell gas, have all of your pipes and fuel lines checked back to front because the hazards of using a leaky gas furnace are not worth the cash you may be saving by not having it checked out properly.
Which Problems Can Be Solved
When you are doing troubleshooting on your gas furnace you can see if you can sort the problem out without having to disassemble anything. The moment you need to remove wires, touch wires or have to switch of any supply of power or gas to the unit to inspect, it is time to call in the professionals.
If the thermostat is faulty, it is easy to recognize this problem by the heat you are feeling in your home at the time. If adjusting the temperature on the thermostat solves the problem then you won’t need to look any further for the problem. If there is still a problem you can check all the valves to make sure they are properly opened up and that all vents are unblocked.
You could even go as far as checking the filter on your unit. This part of the furnace is relatively easy to reach and if the filter is dirty or damaged then it should be cleaned or replaced.
Problems Solved By a Professional
When we have a problem, we always wait until the last moment to call in a professional. The problem with this approach is that you may cause more problems while trying to fix the original problem by yourself and it then ends up costing you more when you do finally relent to a professional.
Doing basic troubleshooting is harmless, but getting involved in taking your unit apart and checking the components yourself may not be such a good idea. There are many professionals who genuinely care about their work and will not charge you an arm and a leg to sort out a small problem. Rather be safe than sorry. A professional may be able to make a proper diagnosis following your troubleshooting and you can hand over your research which could save you some cash on his labor costs because he will not have to spend as much time on checking the components that you have checked already and can then just quality and double check for You.
