4 Possible Reasons Your Furnace Isn’t Working

HVAC Technician With Customer Explaining Furnace Repair in Aitkin, MN

1. Air Filter Needs to Be Replaced

If your furnace is running, but there is little to no hot air blowing out of your vents, you should first make sure your air filter isn’t clogged, as this will limit the amount of air coming into the furnace and, thus, how much heat it produces. A clogged air filter can also cause your furnace to overheat and shut down. Should this happen, your furnace won’t turn on again until it has had time to cool sufficiently. In some cases, your heating system will also need to be reset after overheating before it will work again.

2. Flame Sensor Is Dirty

If your furnace lights and then almost immediately shuts down, it usually means that the flame sensor is too dirty to work properly. The flame sensor can also fail due to age. In either case, the flame sensor won’t detect that the burners are lit, which leads to the gas valve closing and the furnace shutting down within a few seconds.

3. Fuel or Electricity Supply Issues

If your furnace won’t come on at all, you should make sure that the circuit breaker isn’t tripped. Your furnace obviously also won’t work if the fuel supply to it or your entire home is interrupted for any reason. Another possible reason your furnace won’t run is that its wiring is damaged and the unit isn’t receiving electricity.

4. Faulty Furnace Switches

Modern furnaces have a number of different fail-safes in case of overheating or other safety issues. For instance, furnaces have an air pressure switch that detects when the draft inducer is working correctly to vent combustion fumes out of the home. If the pressure switch fails or doesn’t activate, the furnace will not turn on.

Contact the Pros

Unfortunately, most furnace issues other than a clogged air filter aren’t something you can diagnose or fix on your own. If your furnace isn’t working, the technicians at Northern Air Plumbing & Heating can inspect your unit and quickly get it running again.

We have served the residents of Aitkin, MN for 30 years, keeping homeowners and their families comfortable and safe over the decades. We install, maintain and repair all types of heating and cooling systems. We also provide indoor air quality and plumbing services. Contact us today if you have any questions or need to schedule a service call so we can get started!

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