For many homeowners, the immediate reaction to a furnace problem is to call a technician and schedule a repair. The technician later arrives to discover that it was a very simple problem the homeowner could have resolved themselves. If you would like to save money by performing minor maintenance and repairs yourself, then you should consider the following checklist prior to scheduling a repair.

1. Check The Thermostat

This might sound like a trivial problem, but it’s actually extremely common. Homeowners often believe that their heating system isn’t working so they schedule a repair. When the technician investigates the system they realize that the thermostat was not on the correct setting. For example, the selector switch may still be on “cool” or stuck somewhere between the two options. They might also have the temperature set too low for the furnace to engage.

The last thing you want to do is pay a technician to adjust your thermostat. That’s why checking the settings should always be your first step. Make sure that the selector switch is fully moved onto the “heat” option. Make sure that the temperature is set high enough. Finally, make sure the thermostat is set to run immediately and not on a timed schedule.

If the thermostat is not displaying any information at all, then it may be time to swap out the batteries. Replacing the batteries in your thermostat should be as easy as removing the front cover and putting in a few new batteries. If the thermostat does not use batteries, then it is possible that the fuse in the breaker box may be tripped.

If you’re comfortable doing so, open your breaker panel (just the door, not actually opening the box with a screwdriver, just sayin) and check for any tripped breakers labeled furnace, heat, AC or something like that. If this happens again, call us immediately. This could be an indication to a larger, more dangerous issue with your furnace!

2. Check For Gas Flow

This is a problem that new homeowners often face shortly after moving from an all-electric home to a house that uses gas. They turn on the heater at night but the furnace never ignites. The first assumption is that there is something wrong with the furnace so they schedule an appointment with a local hvac technician. It turns out that it was not a problem with the furnace at all, but simply that they had not yet called for gas service at their new home. Or if you are using an gas furnace, your gas tank may be empty or the gas line may be turned off.

You can avoid this simple problem by ensuring that you have gas at your property. Obviously, this only applies to homeowners with a gas-powered furnace. If the stove is gas powered, then it’s very likely that the furnace is as well. You can also tell by simply locating the furnace and reading the information on the labels.

If you have gas at the property, but the furnace is not lit, then it may be as simple as lighting the pilot light yourself. Most furnace units will have clear instructions printed on the furnace about lighting the pilot. You can also find an online manual if you are able to identify the make and model of the furnace. Igniting the pilot light is a very simple task. It’s a good idea to learn how it’s done so that you don’t need to call a technician every time that it goes out.

In fact, next time we’re in your home, maybe for your annual furnace tune-up, please ask us how to perform basic hvac tasks like this to prevent future furnace repair visits that you could have remedied yourself and saved a few dollars.

3. Clean The Air Filters

Dirty air filters are one of the leading causes of home heating problems. It can cause a variety of symptoms that seem very serious, but the cause of those problems is extremely easy to fix. It’s as simple as taking out the old hvac air filter and replacing it with a new one. It shouldn’t take longer than a minute to get the job done.

Some of the problems caused by dirty air filters include increased energy bills, reduced air flow, poor indoor air quality, dirty components, cracked heat exchange, and even an entire system break down if the problem is ignored for long enough. Thus, if you suspect any problem with your heating system you should check the air filters before contacting an hvac technician.

You should be cleaning or replacing your air filters regularly even if you aren’t currently experiencing any problems. The problems caused by a dirty filter will often go unnoticed for quite a while. For example, your electricity bill may steadily increase over several months. It could be a year later before you realize you’re paying an extra 20 percent more than you were the previous year. Learn some fast, free or cheap energy (money) savings tips here.

The damage caused by a dirty air filter can become quite expensive. The increased energy bill, the cost of hiring a technician, and the potential damage to internal components all add up. You could very well be paying thousands of dollars because of a problem that is extremely easy to fix. In comparison, the cost of a single air filter is usually less than twenty dollars.

4. Check The Safety Switch

Most modern furnaces have a safety switch located on the furnace door. The point of the switch is to prevent the burner and fan from operating while the access panel is removed. The switch will pop out as the door is open. When the door is closed, the switch should be pushed in, thus allowing the furnace to properly operate.

If you recently lit the pilot light manually or performed any maintenance in the area, then it’s possible that the door was not fully closed and has since opened. This would cause the safety switch to disengage and the burner to stop operating. It might also be possible that the safety switch has stopped functioning properly because of wear and tear over the years. It will need to be replaced if that is the case.

Replacing a furnace safety switch is not a particularly difficult task. You should be comfortable working with electrical wires if you plan to replace the switch yourself. Otherwise, inform a local furnace repair technician and they can handle the job for you in a short period of time.

5. Clean The Burners – Likely best performed by a professional hvac tech, like us.

A dirty burner is very likely to encounter seemingly random problems that come and go. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to tell if your burners are dirty and even easier to clean them out. Most furnaces will accumulate dust over the summer because they are not used often. That’s why it’s always recommended that you take the time to clean the furnace and burners before the start of winter.

You can often tell if burners are contaminated by looking at the flame it produces. An even, blue flame is a sign of a clean burner. Flames that are yellow or sporadic are burning dust and debris.

To clean the burners, you should disable any gas and electricity going to the furnace. You then use a vacuum cleaner with a hose to suck any dirt, dust, or debris of the burners and in the surrounding areas. It’s recommended that you do this at least once a year and it’s always a good idea to do it before calling a repair service. Your furnace could return to working normally immediately after being cleaned.

This is an included part of our annual hvac Maintenance Program. It’s super great value and will keep you safe and warm, guaranteed.