Common Furnace Problems (And How to Fix Them)

Firing up your furnace when temperatures dip can leave your home feeling toasty warm or surprisingly chilly, depending on the condition of your unit. A faulty furnace is the holiday gift no one wants, with leaks and drafts making winter's embrace even more unpleasant. Fortunately, some common furnace issues are simple to fix, either on your own or with the help of a NATE-certified technician from Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning.

Is Your Home Too Cold Due to Furnace Problems?

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For such a simple component, dirty or clogged filters can cause complex issues like restricting airflow and forcing your furnace to struggle to adequately heat your home. This struggle decreases energy efficiency and may cause bigger problems like overworking the blower motor, overheating the heat exchanger, and compromising indoor air quality. You also risk decreasing your furnace's life span if you don't change the filter regularly.

For all the problems it can cause, fixing the issue of a dirty or clogged air filter is easy — just change it! Look at your unit's documentation, determine the filter location and size, and change them. If you're uncomfortable doing it yourself, Four Seasons offers a maintenance plan for HVAC systems to keep your furnace running smoothly.

Reasons abound for why thermostats may not work properly, including calibration issues that give inaccurate readings and cause furnaces to cycle too often or not enough. Faulty thermostats may not respond to adjustments, have loose wires, or may not be set or programmed correctly for the season. Placement in a naturally hotter or colder area than the rest of your home may cause inaccurate readings. Though some issues just cause discomfort, others, like short-cycling, may damage your furnace.

In most instances where furnace thermostats are unresponsive, changing out the batteries fixes the issue. Most other issues, unfortunately, aren't quite as easy to fix, so call Four Seasons for help from a NATE-certified technician with the experience and skill to upgrade the part. If placement is causing problems, our knowledgeable technicians can remount the thermostat in a space that ensures consistently accurate readings.

A clogged internal drain line can cause your furnace to leak, as can a cracked heat exchanger or leaking flue pipe. An improperly installed unit or ventilation system can also cause furnaces to leak, as can a faulty condensate pump. Furnaces with humidifiers may also leak due to malfunctions or dirty components.

When your furnace starts leaking water, call an HVAC technician. This problem requires a fast fix, and Four Seasons offers fast, convenient scheduling with 2-hour appointment windows so you don't wait around all day. Common fixes include removing clogs from the drainage system, replacing key parts, performing regular maintenance, and cleaning the unit.

The pilot light serves as your furnace's main ignition source, so when it doesn't light or stay lit, your furnace doesn't work. This may be due to a faulty thermocouple, thermopile or igniter, or flame sensors, or the gas supply may be the issue. A damaged or corroded pilot burner could also be the problem.

Gas is dangerous, so if you attempt relighting and it doesn't stay lit, call an HVAC technician for safe furnace repair. The skilled technicians at Four Seasons can adjust, clean, or replace key furnace components and ensure your sensors are functioning properly.

Wear and tear to blower motors occurs due to dirty filters or thermostat issues, both of which put an undue burden on the part. Internal parts like blown capacitors also cause blower motor problems, as can electrical issues.

Blower motors require professional repair, so call an HVAC technician when yours has issues that changing the filter doesn't help. Many components require experience with electricity removal and replacement, making Four Seasons' NATE-certified technicians your best bet for safe furnace repair.

Ductwork issues cause numerous furnace problems, from uneven air flow and less energy efficiency to decreased air quality. These issues point to higher energy costs and potentially expensive repairs.

Four Seasons HVAC technicians understand the importance of ductwork and know where to look when things go wrong. This experience helps them spot and fix common issues like poor installation, damaged components, and environmental issues.

Get 100% satisfaction guaranteed furnace repair from Four Seasons Air Conditioning & Heating. Committed to good old-fashioned service, we offer furnace repair for any brand and type to warm up your winter again.