Before Calling a Furnace Repair Contractor

Exposure to extremely cold weather can affect your daily activities and your overall wellness. For this reason, you need your furnace to work at peak performance, especially when winter is at its coldest. However, furnaces tend to fail at some point, particularly when they are poorly maintained or simply overworked.

Calling your trusted heating company in Shoreview, MN is the best thing to do to restore the heat in your home. While you’re waiting for your heating professional to arrive, there are a few things you can do to quicken the technician’s diagnosis.

Check the Filter

The filter’s job is to clean the air that goes into the furnace as well as the heated air that circulates around the home. A clogged filter restricts airflow, which leads to poor air circulation and also causes other issues. Short cycling and diminished heating are some of the problems brought about by a clogged filter.

Some homeowners tend to forget to check their filters regularly and they discover too much filth has already been accumulated. To avoid such issues, it is helpful to check your filters at least once a month and thoroughly clean it. Get rid of dirt, debris, and dust to allow a better airflow within the system. Professionals also suggest replacing your filters every 2-3 months to keep your furnace running smoothly.

Check Your Vents

Vents help you get rid of the byproducts of gas combustion. If they are clogged with snow or other elements, they can cause issues to your furnace as well as your home comfort.

New high-efficiency models have a safety feature that automatically shuts down the furnace when the vents are congested. If you have an older heating system, you may not have this convenience. Your furnace will continue to run, collecting great amounts of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, and potentially deadly gas. This is then circulated throughout your home, which poses danger to you and your family.

A wrong practice among homeowners is that they close all the vents in unused rooms. This could actually lead to damage to your system as closed vents generate higher pressure, causing high resistance and increased heat on your furnace.

Check Your Thermostat

Many problems related to heating are associated with your furnace’s thermostat. Sometimes, simple adjustments can fix the issue, while in some cases battery replacement might solve the problem.

If your furnace is unable to start or if it turns on when it shouldn’t, this can be caused by an inaccurate temperature reading. Check to ensure that your thermostat is installed in the right location. It should be placed away from outside doors and windows as well as heat sources such as fireplaces and radiant heaters. When exposed to direct sunlight, heat emissions and outside temperature, your thermostat will have an inaccurate reading. This results in your furnace turning itself on and off.

Also, loose connections and faulty or old wiring can cause your thermostat to disconnect from your furnace, thereby causing an interruption in service. If your furnace stops working properly, it’s a good idea to inspect your thermostat’s wiring. If you discover a faulty wiring, call your local heating professional.

Check Your Electronic Ignition or Pilot Light

When these parts malfunction, it will be difficult to heat your home. A failing pilot light may be caused by a faulty thermocouple, drafts, or blockages in the furnace. Your furnace should produce a bright blue flame with a little bit of yellow on the tip.

If your pilot light shows a color other than blue, it means that your furnace is unable to properly burn fuel. This is something only a professional should try to fix. It is risky to try to solve this issue without proper training and knowledge.

Call the Heating Pros

These things can help your technician to restore the heat in your home as quickly as possible. If you’re looking for a reputable Shoreview furnace repair, call our experts at Four Seasons Air Specialists.

Our technicians are trained, certified, and have multiple years of field experience in repairing all makes and models of furnaces. We can ensure that you’ll receive no less than the best heating solutions for your home. Your furnace will be up and running again in no time.