It might not be winter anymore, but there are still some chilly spring nights yet to come before we’re able to shut down our furnaces completely for the season. If you’re having heating trouble, you will need to get it sorted out or you’ll be in for some chilly discomfort! But wouldn’t it be nice if you could sort out the problem yourself without needing to get repairs done?
For your safety and the wellbeing of your furnace, actual heating repairs must be done by a qualified professional. But before you decide you require the services of a heating technician, there are some things you should investigate on your own. Follow this handy furnace troubleshooting checklist, and you might be able to resolve your own heating malfunction without any assistance.
Step 1: Check Your Electrical Panel
If your heat isn’t coming on at all, there’s a chance the circuit breaker has tripped, and your furnace simply isn’t getting any power. Take a look at your electrical panel, and if a switch is out of line, flip it back. This might be all you need to do. But if the circuit breaker keeps tripping when the furnace runs, it’s a sign of an electrical problem in your heating system, and you will need heating repair in Brentwood, TN.
Step 2: Check Your Thermostat
It happens all too often: we get called to the home of someone whose heat isn’t working, and we find that there’s been a simple mishap with their thermostat. They could have adjusted it themselves and solved their problem in a matter of seconds if only they had checked their thermostat settings.
On many thermostats, it’s easy for a slight bump to jostle it from the heat position to the off or cool position. It’s also possible that, either by total accident or through the meddling of a curious small child, a vacation setting has been activated. Your thermostat might be keeping the house cooler than usual in accordance with that setting. Or you might simply need to replace your thermostat’s batteries.
Step 3: Check Your Air Filter
A clogged air filter prevents proper airflow through your furnace. This means that the heat your furnace creates gets trapped and builds up rather than being quickly distributed throughout the home. That excess heat can trigger the limit switch, which recognizes a safety risk and shuts the furnace down. Try cleaning your air filter—which should be done monthly during the winter—and see if your furnace works better now.
Step 4: Consult a Professional
You’ve done what you could. Now it’s time for a heating technician to come and investigate the issue. With their training and expertise, they’ll be able to diagnose the cause of your heating failure and perform the necessary repairs. And you can rest assured that you only paid for heating repairs once you were certain you really needed them.
Covenant Heating and Cooling is your trusted resource for generator installation, maintenance, and repair in Nashville, TN. We are “Dedicated to the Promise of Serving You!” Contact us today.