There are few things worse than having your furnace break down in the middle of winter. You don’t know what’s wrong or how much it will cost to repair—and in the meantime, you’re freezing. It helps to understand a bit of what’s going on with your system. Here are a few of the most common furnace problems and what they mean for you.

• Furnace Won’t Turn On. It’s easy to panic when this happens. You turn on the furnace and nothing happens. Is it broken? Do you need a new one? However, the solution may be something simple. Check the furnace unit to make sure it’s turned on. Check the circuit breaker to make sure it wasn’t tripped. Make sure the thermostat’s batteries aren’t dead as well. If none of these things yields an answer, then call your HVAC technician.
• Furnace Won’t Turn Off. If your furnace blower runs continuously without stopping, there may be an issue with the limit switch. This is the switch that tells your furnace when to turn on and off, based on the temperature in your home. If your limit switch is failing, you may need to call your HVAC technician to have it replaced.
• Cycling On and Off. Your furnace runs for a few minutes, then turns off for a few minutes. Then it turns on again, and then off again. Not only does this waste energy and make it difficult to get your home to a comfortable temperature, it also wears out your furnace prematurely, and can result in costly repairs and an early replacement. The most common cause of this is airflow problems. Check your air filter, and replace it if necessary. The issue also may be that your furnace is too big for your home. If this is the case, you’ll need to replace the furnace and make sure your HVAC contractor sizes the new model properly.
• Rumbling and Rattling Noises. If your furnace is making loud noises, it most likely indicates a mechanical problem, such as a part coming loose. Call your HVAC technician to check things out immediately.
• Burning Smell. This is another issue that’s (usually) less serious than it seems. When your furnace has been sitting dormant since the end of last winter, the first time you turn it on, you may smell something burning. Don’t freak out. It’s just the dust that’s accumulated over the past year, burning off. The smell should dissipate after a few minutes. If it persists, then call your HVAC technician.
• Thermostat Problems. Maybe your thermostat is on the wrong setting, or maybe it’s not calibrated properly. Maybe the battery is dead. Check to make sure your thermostat is working, and functioning the way it’s supposed to.

In order to avoid, or at least minimize, the problems with your furnace over a given season, it’s important to schedule your annual maintenance visit. Your HVAC technician will check all of the things listed above, as well as a host of other factors, to make sure your furnace is running properly and efficiently. They can often catch minor issues and address them before they turn into bigger problems, thus avoiding that emergency repair call down the line. Contact us to schedule your HVAC maintenance visit today.