Air Conditioning in Arlington – A Guide to Furnace Repair and Problems
Winter is fast approaching and people are ready to turn their furnace on. However, with no maintenance done on your furnace for the past months, you might want to check it now if it is still producing heat or not! Since it has been sitting in dust for so long, you should consider furnace repair.
If your furnace is giving you trouble, then there are some tricks that you can try on the furnace to repair it yourself. Before calling a furnace repair expert, read these basic furnace problems, and then try the mentioned tips in order to kick start your heat again.
Basic Furnace Problems and Their Solutions
Furnace Is Not Producing Heat
Problems
- The fuse that controls the furnace has blown
- Thermostat has stopped working
- Not enough electricity
- Thermostat numbering is not high enough
- In case of natural gas, the valve is closed
- Standing pilot light has blown out
- Ignition sensor is not working
Solutions
- Replace the fuse
- Turn the thermostat to ‘heat mode’ and play with the dials until you get the correct setting
- Connect the furnace to a separate battery
- If the thermostat is non-digital, then either clean it or replace it. Often the thermostat dial gets loose and people have difficulty in adjusting the temperature
- Turn on the limit switch
- Stock the standing pilot so it is lit for a long time
- Troubleshoot the ignition system
Maintenance – Furnace Is Producing Less Heat
Problems
- The air flow is obstructed by dirt on the filter
- The furnace has some wear and tear that is heating it up
- Limit switch that controls the air chamber fan is damaged
- Low juice batteries
Solutions
- Do not skimp money on the filter by just cleaning it. The filter is made of a special material that gathers dust so that the furnace works properly. Try replacing the filter every month
- Replace the limit switch
- Either recharge the batteries or buy new ones. Often, a battery just needs a strong electric bolt that kick starts it again
- As for the wear and tear, it can only be avoided with regular cleaning
Heat Is Not Circulating
If the heat from the furnace is not circulating in your house then you might have a problem with your blower motor and fan. Blower motor is the part which allows air into the vents, past the blower fan into the house.
How You Can Identify That Your Blower Motor Is Damaged
Shut down the furnace and take its blower motor out. Spin the motor with your hand and see if it spins freely. If not, add a little oil to it. If the motor now spins freely but turns hot after a few spins, check the capacitor and the wirings. If the wires are damaged then replace the run capacitor.
Check the motor again with the new capacitor in place. If the motor is still not running smoothly then proceed with blower replacement.
Another case can be the blower belt, which might have worn out. This furnace repair can be done easily. Take out the blower belt from around the motor and check the number stamped on it. This way you can get the same belt easily from a Home Depot. The pulley on the motor is fixed exactly in the same way as on a bicycle. Slip the belt on and tighten the tension till it runs smoothly.
Three Furnace Repairs That You Should Immediately Do When Your Furnace Makes Noises
If a furnace makes noise loud enough that you cannot sleep at night, then it is time you looked into the matter. Usually a furnace makes three kinds of noises and each one indicates a different problem.
1- Loud Squealing Noise
There can be three reasons why your furnace is making squealing sounds:
- Blower belt is frayed
- Blower motor is damaged
- Shaft bearings need oiling
2- Loud Rumbling
A noise like this is an indication that some parts of the furnace have either fallen off or they are rubbing against each other. Some of these cases include:
- Blower wheel has fallen lose and is hitting the case of the blower
- The bolts that hold the motor have come loose and the motor is hitting the furnace case
- Blower wheel broke
3- Loud Pop at Intervals
The reason for this noise can be caused by two problems.
- Dirty Burners
The furnace burner is the part which ignites the furnace. If these burners get damaged, the gas builds up in the furnace and when it ignites, a loud pop can be heard. The noise usually occurs when the burners get covered with soot. This kind of noise should not be ignored because it can cause an explosion.
This is why most people do not set burners on automatic. This problem can be taken care of with regular maintenance. You can easily clean the burner by vacuuming the dirt around it.
- Air Ducts Contracting and Expanding
The heat from the furnace can make the metal ducts contract and expand all the time. This usually occurs when the air ducts are not the right size, when blower fan closes or when the filter gets clogged. The air filter can be replaced easily but the other two require professional furnace repair help.
Whether you are choosing electric, propane or natural gas furnace, its maintenance is of utmost importance. Furnace repair services in Arlington offer repairs of all three furnaces. These furnace repair experts have all the right technical skills, which qualify them for this service.
When embarking on a task such as furnace repair, keep your furnace manual at hand so that you can identify the part which needs repair. If you feel you are not qualified enough to take on these kinds of furnace repairs, then you can call our furnace repair service in Arlington to get your job done.