It’s Cooling Down Outside—Is Your Furnace Ready for Winter?

Temperatures are dropping, and soon you’ll be reaching for your thermostat’s heat switch. Before the bitter cold weather arrives, you should make sure your furnace is free of problems. If problems are ignored, chances are you will be subjected to many cold nights, and maybe even expensive furnace repair in Kalamazoo, MI. Now is the time to arm yourself with information! Let’s take a look at some of the most common furnace issues and how to fix them.

Furnace not producing any heat

If your furnace is not producing heat, first check that the thermostat is set to “heat.” Play with the temperature settings to check for a noticeable difference. Not feeling a difference in the temperature could mean there’s an issue with a circuit breaker or fuse—it might be tripped or blown. You can test your home circuit breakers yourself.

Open the breaker panel and look for the control to the furnace. If the switch is set to the “off” position, or sitting in the middle, manually test the breaker by flipping the switch back and forth. It should stay in the “on” position. This will reset the breaker and your heater will start producing warm air. If not, there may be a problem with the wiring or circuit breaker.

Furnace not producing enough heat

A furnace that is working but not producing enough hot air could be the result of a clogged or dirty filter. Check the filter to ensure that it’s clean and in good condition, or replace it with a new one. Checking and changing the filter is an essential part of furnace maintenance (as well as the easiest task). In fact, a dirty filter is one of the most common reasons furnaces don’t work as well as they should. Change the filter depending on use and the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Furnace or ductwork is loud

The only normal sound you should hear when your furnace is on is the system powering on. Rattling, squeaking and rumbling noises are not normal and may point to mechanical problems, a clogged burner or airflow reductions. Other times, the furnace is working fine, just very loudly. If this is the case, the problem could lie in the ductwork. Follow the ductwork and listen for unusual sounds—ducts could be leaky or damaged.

Furnace not blowing any air

If you’re doing furnace maintenance yourself, look into the inspection window on the unit and make sure there’s no debris near the blower. You should also see a flashing red or green light. Consult your manual to be sure of these lights, but a green light typically means that everything is okay, while a red light means you need to call a service technician. No light indicates the furnace problem may be with the thermostat, blower motor, transformer, run capacitor or furnace control board.

The key to a properly functioning furnace is to have maintenance, inspections and repairs done before you actually need to use the system this winter. Call the team at All Brands Heating and Cooling today to schedule a service appointment or get any necessary furnace repair in Kalamazoo, MI!

The post It’s Cooling Down Outside—Is Your Furnace Ready for Winter? first appeared on All Brands Heating And Cooling.