5 Reasons Why Your Furnace Won’t Turn On
You rely on your furnace to keep your Cheyenne home warm throughout the winter, so it’s frustrating when it won’t work. Because your furnace is a complex piece of equipment, several things could be wrong when it won’t run.
When you need furnace repair in Cheyenne, the heating specialists at AC Mechanical can help with expert service for all brands. With more than 40 years of combined experience, our family is dedicated to solving your furnace problems.
Here are a few of the most common issues our HVAC technicians see, and how to fix them. Some of them can be fixed on your own, but others require professional help.
1. Incorrect Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat is a critical part of your heating system. When it isn’t set right or working properly, your furnace won’t turn on or won’t run properly. We recommend checking this first, as it’s the top reason why your furnace won’t turn on.
If you’ve run through all the troubleshooting steps for your thermostat type but aren’t getting heat, give AC Mechanical a call at 307-778-0515.
Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats are the most common type of thermostats. Here’s how to troubleshoot yours:
- Is it set to “heat”?
- Is the temperature setting higher than the room temperature?
- Is the programming correct?
- Have you tried overriding the programming?
- Do the batteries need to be replaced?
- Does the thermostat need to be replaced?
Smart Thermostat
If you have a smart thermostat, refer to manufacturer’s site for troubleshooting tips.
2. Dirty Air Filter
If your furnace’s air filter is too dirty or clogged, it can cause your furnace to short cycle, trip the breaker or stop working entirely to avoid overheating. Here’s how to determine if you need to replace your air filter:
- Turn off your thermostat.
- Remove the filter and hold it up to the light.
- If you can’t see light through the filter, replace it.
- We recommend replacing flat filters monthly and pleated filters every three months.
3. Tripped Breaker
Another common reason for your furnace not turning on is a flipped switch or breaker. First, check that your furnace’s switch is on. This looks like a normal light switch and is located close to your furnace.
Next, check your electrical panel. If the breaker for the furnace has tripped, move it back to the “on” position. If you’ve changed the air filter and the breaker continues to trip, turn your furnace off and call AC Mechanical at 307-778-0515.
4. Lack of Annual Maintenance
You might think that you don’t need annual furnace maintenance because your furnace is working fine. Much like visiting the doctor for an annual physical, this preventive service can catch minor issues before they become major problems.
Regular maintenance can reduce your risk of furnace breakdowns by up to 95%. And it provides many other benefits like:
- Keeping your manufacturer’s warranty valid, which protects you if a major part fails during this time.
- Potentially reducing your heating bills by up to 30%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Possibly extending the life of your furnace.
5. Other Problem
When there’s a problem with your furnace’s components, it uses flashing red lights to communicate error codes. You can find these lights on the front of the furnace.
These lights usually flash slowly when the furnace is working correctly, or quickly when it’s starting to heat your home. If you notice any other patterns, your furnace is trying to tell you that something’s wrong. Our professionals at AC Mechanical can figure out what the error code is and how to fix it.
If you’ve made it through our list but still aren’t getting heat, let us help. It doesn’t matter if it’s a night, weekend or holiday, because we offer 24/7 emergency furnace repair in Cheyenne. Our family of experienced heating professionals is ready to serve yours, so give us a call at 307-778-0515 to schedule your appointment now!
