My gas furnace won’t turn on, now what do I do?

A malfunctioning furnace is a nightmare and often considered dangerous in the north or during the winter season. As the snow falls, a furnace that won’t start puts a home in the risk of condensation problems, frozen water lines, and unbearable coldness in the house. It is necessary to ensure that the gas furnace is working perfectly before the cold season comes.

People often have a sense of hopelessness when they discover that their furnaces are not turning on. You should contact a professional if you don’t feel comfortable doing some basic troubleshooting. However, if you are familiar with your home circuits and some basic functions that are associated with your furnace, it is plausible to do several things to troubleshoot your furnace. Below is a list of the possible causes of a furnace malfunction and how to address their associated problems;

*WARNING–Please be advised, there could be safety issues or compromising of warranties if you do the below steps without a professional. We welcome you to contact the professionals of Wise Heating and Cooling today!

1. Electrical Problem
Gas furnaces and related heating systems also use electricity and this is the first area of troubleshooting when a furnace starts malfunctioning. Blown-up fuses, poor connections, a tripped circuit breaker, and damaged power cables are some of underlying electrical problems. If you are familiar with your circuit board and blown fuses or the other electrical issues listed, you may confirm if any of those items are a source of the problem. However, if you are not familiar, this becomes a safety issue and it is better to contact a professional than put yourself at risk.

2. Gas Supply Problem
It goes without saying that a gas furnace requires a steady and adequate gas supply for it to function. If you are familiar with the gas supply system you may check whether the gas is connected or turn on from the main supply unit. If you are out of gas, you will need to refill your supply before reconnecting it to the heating system. You should contact a professional to reconnect the heating system.

3. Blower Failure
The blower compartment has a light bulb that flashes green when the gas furnace is functioning well. However, if the light is red or not flashing, it could indicate a problem with the transformer, blower motor, run capacitor, or control board. We urge you to contact a professional for this assistance, it is not a good idea for the consumer to fix this problem.

4. Thermostat Problem
Sometimes, the furnace is on but fails to start heating the house. This issue may arise from the thermostat and occurs if it is not set to a temperature that is higher than the ambient temperature. To address this problem, set the thermostat to a higher temperature. Or if your thermostat takes batteries, try replacing them to see if that remedies this particular issue.

5. The Pilot Light is Off
This step is only for those gas furnaces with a pilot light. Many modern gas furnaces still have pilot lights and if it is not on; the furnace won’t start. Please contact a professional to help you with this.

6. Failed Air Filter
When the air filter is clogged due to a long duration of usage without replacement, the furnace won’t start as a safety precaution to prevent overheating. As such, it is important to check the air filter. If is it dirty and clogged, it must be replaced.

If you are in need of a furnace repair, the professionals of Wise Heating and Cooling welcome you to contact us today!