Essential Guide to Electric Furnace Repair: Tips and Troubleshooting

A popular choice for homes without access to natural gas or oil, electric furnaces use electricity to heat air, which is then distributed throughout the home. The newer models of electric furnaces are generally safer and less expensive to install than older models of gas or oil furnaces, which have dangerous exhaust gases and less efficiency. However, electric models can be more expensive to operate, especially in colder climates. When it comes to your electric furnace, you will want to keep up on furnace maintenance and troubleshooting quick repairs in order to avoid larger emergency repairs or a premature replacement. In this article, we will give you some DIY tips on how to troubleshoot your furnace and complete minor repairs on your own, as well as how to perform routine furnace maintenance steps to preserve and extend the lifespan of your electric heating system. These steps are important to maintaining your family’s health and the safe operation of your furnace system.

Common Electric Furnace Issues

Warning signs of a malfunctioning furnace can include:

• Unusual noises, such as banging or clanking sounds.
• Inconsistent heating, with some rooms’ temperature feeling colder or hotter than others, or a weak stream of air coming from the vents.
• Cold air comes out when the heater is running.
• Increased energy bills, indicating a decrease in system efficiency.
• Frequent short cycling of your heating system.

Before you begin any repair, it is important to remember not to perform any repairs that will void the warranty of your unit. Also make sure to always shut off the power to your furnace before you begin working to make sure there is no electricity flowing into the unit while you work. A good tool to have on hand is a multimeter, which can allow you to perform tests on several different parts of your unit, such as the thermostat, blower motor, limit switch, control board, and more, to see if there is one specific component that needs replacing.

Wear protective gear like gloves and safety glasses when working with electrical components, and ensure the area around the furnace is clear of debris and combustible materials. Be sure that you have the manufacturer’s recommendations on hand for your specific furnace brand as well before you begin work.

Troubleshooting Electric HVAC System Problems

The main components of a furnace are as follows:

• Air filter
• Blower motor and fan
• Electrical ignition
• Supply and return heating ducts
• Thermostat
• Limit switch
• Heating elements
• Control board

Thermostat Issues

If your furnace does not turn on or it cycles on and off, it could be that there is a problem with the thermostat, which is where the power for the heating system begins.

• Check the thermostat’s batteries and replace them if necessary.
• Ensure the thermostat is set to heating mode and the temperature is set high enough to trigger the furnace.
• Check for loose or corroded connections between the thermostat and the furnace.
• Make sure the thermostat settings are properly programmed.
• Consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat for improved energy efficiency.
• If it is positioned improperly in direct sunlight, for example, it may not be able to get an accurate reading, so you will have to relocate it.

If your furnace turns on but is not producing enough heat, make sure that the thermostat is set at least a few degrees above room temperature. If you notice that the blower is running constantly, check to make sure the thermostat fan switch is set to auto instead of on. If you’ve checked all of the above and there are still problems, you may have a faulty thermostat and may have to contact an HVAC specialist.

Furnace Power

When the furnace is still refusing to turn on, start to inspect the circuit board and the breaker panel.

• Check the circuit board for signs of damage or wear, such as burn marks or frayed wires.
• Check the breaker panel to make sure the furnace breaker switch is turned on.
• If you find that the breaker switch is still on, turn it off and check to see if there is a fuse within the furnace that blew out.
• Make sure the power switch for the furnace (which typically looks like a regular light switch on the wall near the unit) is turned on, giving power to the system.

Safety Switches

A furnace has various safety switches that can shut down power to one part of the HVAC system or the entire system if they sense something dangerous to the system. If any of these parts malfunction, they can shut down the system when nothing is wrong.

• Look to see if you have a safety switch on the door of your furnace, which is meant to shut off the fan and burner when you open the door. This switch can malfunction and shut the fan and burner off on its own. You can use a multimeter to make sure the switch is working.
• The blower motor also has a safety switch that may need to be reset. It may be because the motor needs to cool off.
• The limit switch is a safety feature that is there to prevent the furnace from overheating. If this switch has tripped by accident, it will stop the furnace from running, or it could cause the blower to run but with no heat coming out.
• A furnace sequencer is what turns the heating elements on and off in a specific sequence that doesn’t overload the breaker. A faulty sequencer can cause overheating or trip the furnace breaker.

Blower Motor and Fan Problems

Issues with the blower motor can lead to your electric furnace not running at all, the fan blowing weakly, not enough heat coming from the system, or short cycling.

• If the blower motor is running weakly or it has failed completely, that could cause the furnace to not power on at all. using a multimeter could test if there is power getting to the motor. If there is a safety switch and it has not tripped, there is power getting to the motor, and it’s still not running, it will need to be replaced.
• The blower belt may also need to be tightened or replaced if it is broken. A loose or broken blower belt causes the blower fan to turn less and not be able to circulate the hot air through your house. You can remove the access panel and check the belt number to get the proper replacement if needed.
• A blower wheel that is dirty can also be an issue. It will reduce airflow as well as increase your energy usage since your system will use more electricity to try to power the unit and provide enough heat. This can be avoided by changing the air filters regularly and cleaning off the blower wheel if debris begins to build up.
• It is possible the blower motor or fan needs to be lubricated in order to turn at an adequate speed.

Other Issues

• If your furnace is too small, it will not be able to adequately heat your space. Furnaces range in size, and when installing a furnace, you have to know the BTUs and how many square feet each furnace is able to heat. This determines how efficiently the furnace will be able to send the heated air through the ductwork of your house until your space is at your desired temperature.
• Faulty electrical parts can cause weak or cold air to come out of your furnace unit, including the safety switches, power, thermostat, heating elements, motor, and more. Using a multimeter, you can test each of these parts to see if power is getting to them, or you can even use a flashlight to do a visual inspection and see if anything looks burned or melted.
• A clogged air filter can be a common reason for issues with the furnace. A furnace filter is there to catch any dust and pollutants from circulating through your air ducts and into your air. Over time, it will become filled with dust and make it difficult for your system to run efficiently if not regularly changed, since the air handler will have to run more to try to get past the blockage and reach the desired temperature. Changing dirty air filters is the quickest and easiest furnace repair you can perform and can save money in energy bills by allowing the hot air to run unobstructed through your ductwork.
• Look at the heating elements to see if they look corroded or cracked. Instead of a gas valve and pilot light, in an electric furnace, the heating elements create heat by electric currents passing through them, and they can become worn down over time. If they need to be replaced, you will have to call an electric furnace repair specialist.
• If your vents are blocked or closed, this can severely restrict heating and lead to your furnace using a lot more energy than necessary. If a vent is obstructed in some way, the furnace will try to power more heat to get that area of the house to the correct temperature, which could lead to less efficiency and overheating.

Furnace Maintenance for a Healthy Heating System

Electric furnaces don’t require as much routine upkeep as gas furnaces since they don’t have elements such as a heat exchanger, combustion chamber, or flue pipe, but regular maintenance can help extend the life of the furnace and prevent costly repairs. It can also improve system efficiency, save money on energy bills, and reduce environmental impact. Furnace maintenance tune-ups can also help identify potential minor issues before they become major problems. In order to avoid having to locate your furnace issue and go about repair, there are a lot of issues you can avoid entirely simply with a combination of DIY furnace maintenance and professional furnace maintenance.

DIY Furnace Maintenance Tasks

1. Shut down your furnace system at the main circuit breaker.
2. Clean out the access panels with a vacuum.
3. Wipe down the blower fan blades and clean off the motor.
4. Replace your air filter. The furnace filter is usually located in the blower compartment. Remove the old filter and insert the new filter facing the correct direction before replacing the filter cover. This should be done every 1-3 months.
5. Clean out your air ducts using a shop vacuum, brush, and microfiber cloth. Remove the vent covers and insert the brush inside to loosen all the debris before inserting the nozzle of the vacuum inside and sucking out the built-up dirt within the duct. Wipe down the vent covers as well.
6. Check the thermostat’s batteries and replace them if necessary. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re awake and in the house, but lower it when you are sleeping or when you leave the house for a period of time.
7. Perform a visual inspection of the heating elements, calling an HVAC professional if they look corroded or cracked.
8. Ensure the area around the furnace is clear of debris and combustible materials.

Advanced Furnace Maintenance and Repair

Schedule an annual furnace maintenance tune-up with a licensed HVAC contractor to ensure the furnace is working efficiently and safely. An HVAC professional can inspect deeper into the furnace and identify potential issues before they become major problems. They can also perform advanced furnace maintenance tasks that are dangerous for you to perform on your own.

Changing the heating elements is a job for a furnace professional because there are dangerous components, and they require exact work to install and ensure they are operating safely. This is usually the same as any other electrical component of the furnace. Electricians should handle all of the electrical wiring and parts of the furnace.

Regular maintenance and repair are essential for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of an electric furnace. It’s essential to take safety precautions when performing repairs or maintenance and to call a professional furnace service if unsure or uncomfortable with any aspect of the process.

John Owens Services, Inc. is a professional in furnace maintenance in Petaluma, Santa Rosa, San Rafael, and the surrounding areas that can install, repair, and service all different types of air conditioning and furnace systems, from electric and gas to heat pump systems. Whether it is maintaining older units or installing a new furnace, we can help ensure you have warm air throughout the heating season. We can also clean and seal ductwork and test your indoor air quality to ensure your HVAC system runs at peak efficiency. We even have a free online heating and air conditioning quote tool, so you can see the cost of any furnace maintenance or installation job beforehand. If you are in need of electric furnace repair, gas furnace maintenance, heat pump services, or any other furnace service, we are the HVAC technician to contact!