Homeowners in Indianapolis, Indiana want to tackle their common furnace repairs at home. Luckily, Williams Comfort Air has all the information homeowners need to perform repairs to their furnaces. Though some issues require professional help, most furnace issues require simple solutions that can be done by the homeowner.
We collected all the information you need to know about common furnace repairs. With these pieces of advice, you can confidently examine and fix your furnace when it decides to act up. Let’s take a look at these common problems and solutions!
Causes of Furnace Problems
Before we can get into common furnace repairs, we need to discuss what some of the most common causes of furnace problems are. These causes range in severity, but all are relatively common when things go wrong with the furnace.
- Clogged air filter. Furnaces obviously deal with the air in your home. That means that they use a filter to clean the air they redistribute throughout the space. Over time, those filters gather dirt, dust, and other particles that debilitates the filter’s ability to clean the air. This causes poor air quality and can keep the furnace from blowing as much warm air as it can with a clean filter.
- Thermostat. A lot of common furnace problems stem from the thermostat. Though it seems simple, adjustments to the thermostat could either save your system or cause problems. When the thermostat isn’t properly calibrated, then the whole furnace system won’t work like it should.
- Tripped breaker. The electrical in your home has as much to do with your furnace as the rest of your heating and air conditioning system. If the circuit breaker stops or if certain switches are flipped when they shouldn’t be, then the furnace encounters problems.
- Ignition. Sometimes, when you look for other common furnace repairs, you notice that the electric ignition or the pilot has debris or other issues. If the ignition doesn’t work, then the whole furnace stops regular functions and acts up. No one wants that!
- Burner. Burners heat the air that blows through your home. If the burner is dirty or needs adjusting, then the furnace does not heat your home. Burner problems range in severity, which means that some adjustments must be made by professionals. When a burner stops working, your heating bill tends to skyrocket because it no longer heats the area efficiently.
- Belt and blower. Along with the burner, belt, and burner problems range in severity. More often than not, these problems need a professional. Broken belts and blowers often emit a high-pitched sound, so if that comes from your furnace you’ve most likely found your problem.
Common Furnace Repairs for Indianapolis Homeowners
Now that the common problems have been outlined, the common furnace repairs for homeowners can be discussed. These at-home fixes help when homeowners want to take care of their furnace on their own rather than call a professional. However, be advised that a professional always knows exactly how to address common furnace repairs, so don’t be afraid to call in for help!
- Check the thermostat. One of the simplest common furnace repairs is to check the settings on your thermostat. More often than not, a quick adjustment fixes problems with not enough heat or no heat at all. Thermostats have sensors that read the temperature of a room, then heat or cool your home according to the reading. However, if the sensor gets dirty or if the thermostat rests in direct sunlight, then the reading produces the incorrect temperature.
- Change the filter. Another easy fix stems from filter maintenance. Be sure to check the filters in your furnace often—around once a month—to see if they need changed. A dirty filter circulates polluted air, which impacts the indoor air quality of your home. Additionally, it keeps the furnace from properly heating your home. Make sure those filters are sparkly clean!
- Reset the breaker. If you suspect electrical problems, one common furnace repair would be to reset the circuit breaker. Circuit breakers are usually located in the basement, the garage, or outside. From time to time, circuit breakers trip, which turns off the furnace. Make sure to check the circuit breaker for issues when your furnace acts up.
- Make sure gas is on. It happens to the best of us. Sometimes, we knock the gas switch to the off position, or someone shuts it off for a different reason and forgets to turn it back on. Either way, no gas means the furnace stops working. For other gas-related issues, always call a professional technician. Gas leaks prove incredibly dangerous to your home and your family.
- Clean around the furnace. One of the common furnace repairs you might not expect relates to cleaning. The area around your furnace is just as important as the furnace itself. Any obstructions in the furnace’s way can cause it to either poorly function or completely stop. That’s why it’s best to keep the area around the furnace nice and clean.
- Check burner flames. Even if you aren’t a professional, you can check on your burner flames to see if it needs maintenance. In almost every circumstance, you should leave the actual repairs to a professional, but as a homeowner, you can quickly check to see if the flame looks right. Remember, the flame should be even and blue! If it’s any other color, it’s time to call a professional.
- Oil the furnace. Next, oil the furnace to ensure all the parts run smoothly. Well-oiled parts keep the mechanics from sticking, which means that the system itself runs as intended. All you need to do is clean around the oil caps, then use two to three drops of lightweight machine oil. Make sure you only use a small amount of oil. Over-lubrication leads to other kinds of issues!
- Check the ignition. Keep in mind, when you check the ignition you are not looking to make repairs on your own. Leave that for a professional. However, you can check the ignition to see if that’s the cause of the problem.
- Clean the furnace itself. Another one of the most common furnace repairs revolves around the system itself. Have you checked the cleanliness of your furnace lately? If you haven’t, it’s time to give it a good once over with a vacuum in the burner and blower cavities. Make sure to dust everything and clean the flame sensor. It’s important to make sure the power is off before you start working!
Common Furnace Repairs to Leave for Professionals
There are more serious issues that must be attended to by professionals for the safety of yourself, your family, and your home. These common furnace repairs should only be addressed by the pros. When homeowners attempt these fixes on their own, it usually leads to larger problems or dangerous scenarios. Make sure to stay safe with your furnace repairs!
- Gas leaks. If you ever suspect a gas leak, call a professional technician immediately. A gas leak presents itself in a few different ways. If you smell sulfur, hear a hissing or whistling near a gas line, see a white or dust cloud near a gas line, or if the gas pipe has damage, you likely have a gas leak on your hands. You definitely want to leave these common furnace repairs to the pros!
- Noises. Noises usually indicate a problem with the belt or the blower. In that case, homeowners usually cannot perform the repairs necessary to fix the issue. A professional likely needs to replace one or more parts for the furnace to get back to its original state.
- Maintenance checks. Common furnace repairs can be avoided with regularly scheduled maintenance. Only a trained professional performs maintenance checks to furnaces, so be sure to have one scheduled once every year.
- Complete replacement. When your furnace finally decides to kick the bucket—which happens roughly every 10 years—then it’s time to call in a professional. If you do all of the at-home fixes and none of them work, then call a professional to see if they have common furnace repairs up their sleeves. Sometimes, though, it’s just time to get an entirely new system and only a professional can install one.
- Ignition repairs. Finally, professional technicians handle all ignition repairs. Though these common furnace repairs seem self-explanatory, if done wrong they can backfire in major ways. The ignition makes a clicking noise and does not provide heat when it isn’t working, so be on the lookout for those symptoms before you call in the pros.
Contact Us for Common Furnace Repairs
When in doubt about common furnace repairs, call a professional to get the best answers. The trained technicians at Williams Comfort Air are ready to help you with any questions you have. We perform quality, reliable repairs for furnaces of all ages. No matter the issue, we have you covered.
For more information on our services, give us a call today. We are happy to answer any questions you have about heating, cooling, plumbing, and more! We offer free service estimates and we can schedule your next maintenance check on the phone. Give us a call—we want to hear from you!
