What Are The Most Common Problems For Home Furnaces

If you own a heating system, it is important to know what the most common problems are. This way, you can try to fix your heating system yourself or call for professional help before they worsen and cause more damage than necessary. Knowing about your heating system's problems will save you money, time, energy (due to stress), and headaches in the end.

First, let's start with the No Heat problem. The most common problems that cause this are as follows:

1. Check your circuit breaker or fuse box first! Is the system on?
2. Dirty air filters - Replace if dirty or broken. If you see a lot of dust around it, you should replace it.
3. Blocked Heating Vent - Just open up the vent and check if there is an obstruction blocking airflow. If there is, clean it out or call a professional to do so.
4. Dirty burner chamber, combustion blower, or pilot assembly - Clean them if dirty or replace them if they are worn out/broken.
5. Low Gas Pressure - Call the gas company to check your system's regulator if it is malfunctioning or not calibrated correctly.
6. Blocked exhaust vent - Clean it out, or call a professional to do so for you.
7. Broken Toe-Kick Switch/Safety Sensor - Call a professional since this can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
8. Pilot Light Out - This is probably the most common reason for No Heat problems. If it's out, turn on the circuit breaker and relight it. Also, check your owner's manual for tips on how to relight your specific type of pilot assembly if this doesn't work. If it continues not to light, call a professional.

How To Troubleshoot Common Heating System Problems

If you're not sure if your heating system's problems are due to dirty air filters, blocked vents, etc., check out the following steps:

1. Turn off the circuit breaker and open up all vents in the house. This way, it'll be easier for you to find where the hot air is coming from.
2. Once you've found the source of the hot air, look at your heating system's controls, burner assembly, or flue/exhaust vent.
3. If you notice a lot of dust or dirt on your heating unit, there is most likely some form of blockage in the airflow caused by increased stress to your furnace due to blocked filters and vents, etc. So, replace your filter and open up vents to relieve some of the built-up pressure on your furnace before it malfunctions completely.
4. If you notice black streaks or soot on/around your heating unit, this is usually caused by excessive buildup due to lack of maintenance. Clean out the dirty burner chamber, combustion blower, and pilot assembly with a soft brush to eliminate dirty buildup, which will reduce the stress on your furnace.
5. If it's been a long time since you last serviced your heating system or cleaned its vents, there is also a good chance that you have carbon monoxide in your home. Carbon monoxide is deadly and can cause flu-like symptoms, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and more. If you suspect that your heating system has been producing carbon monoxide for a while now, call the fire department immediately to check.

Do I Need To Hire an Expert To Fix Furnace Problems?

If you don't feel comfortable tackling the problem on your own or it seems too much for you, call a Professional Furnace Repair Service in Allentown. They can help resolve all types of home heating issues and offer 24/7 emergency services to boot! So if this ever happens again, just give them a call and they'll come through for you in no time flat!