Picture this.
You drift off into blissful slumber on a cold winter’s night, only to be awakened by frigid indoor air. Your first thought is “someone must have opened a window or turned down the thermostat”. As you get up to check, teeth chattering and bones shivering, you find all the windows closed and the thermostat just as you left it. That only leaves one thing left to do – call a pro, right? Not until you first perform a little home heating detective work of your own.
Double check the thermostat
is it set on “heat”? Someone might have accidentally moved the switch to “off.” If it is set correctly, try turning up the thermostat to 80 degrees or more and see if that gets your furnace started.
Still no heat? Replace the thermostat battery. Some battery-powered thermostats will alert you with a “low battery” symbol while others simply stop working.
When was the last time you changed the furnace filter?
Newer furnaces may shut down when a filter is clogged to prevent problems with the system. Older models will continue to run but with reduced efficiency and heat output.
Make sure the furnace is getting power.
Set your thermostat to the “Fan Only” position. If the fan engages, you know the furnace is getting power. If it doesn’t, you may have an electrical vs. a furnace problem on your hands.
If the furnace appears to be without power, check the circuit breaker panel to see if the furnace breaker has tripped. If so, flip it back to the “on” position.
Check the furnace power switch.
It’s either on the furnace or a nearby wall. If it’s wall-mounted, it will look like a light switch, thus making it easy for someone to flip it to the “off” position out of habit.
If you have an older furnace, check the pilot light. Check the owner’s manual for instructions on how to safely relight the pilot, provided you feel comfortable doing so.
Okay, so you’ve tried everything you can think of, maybe even kicking the furnace for good luck, but nothing works. Now what? Eagle Service Company, that’s what! Or, in this case, “who”! We service and repair most makes and models of residential furnaces, and we’ll be happy to diagnose your problem to help restore warm and comfortable indoor air just as quickly as possible. Why not call today.
