Top Furnace Installer Tips for a Successful Heating System Upgrade and Furnace Repair

A faulty furnace can be absolutely unbearable during the cold weather season. But furnace systems can be a part of your house that is out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, that can lead to a lack of maintenance that should be keeping your furnace running smoothly for the entirety of its service life and maybe even beyond. In this article, we will show you how your gas furnace works, what common issues may be causing it to act up, how you can go about DIY furnace repair, and when you need to hire a professional HVAC repair service.

How a Gas Furnace Works

A gas furnace works by mixing fuel and oxygen, burning it to create heat, and then distributing the warm air through your home through a system of ducts by way of a blower fan. The process starts with the thermostat sensing the temperature and sending a signal to the furnace’s control board. The control board then opens the gas valve and ignites the burner flames through combustion. The draft fan pulls in air from your home through a supply duct, where it is then heated within the furnace, and then sent back through the return duct to heat the rooms in the house until they reach the desired temperature.

Common Furnace Issues

Signs of furnace issues include strange noises, frequent on/off cycling, uneven temperatures, and high energy bills. Common culprits that can disrupt your home heating system’s performance include faulty thermostats, a tripped circuit breaker, a malfunctioning pilot light or ignition system, or a dirty air filter. A faulty furnace blower motor, heat exchanger, or combustion chamber can also cause issues with your furnace heating system. Troubleshooting common furnace problems can help you identify the root cause of the issue and determine the best course of furnace repair action.

1. Since the heating process begins with the thermostat, this is a good place to start when something is going wrong. make sure it is set at the correct temperature and is on heating mode. Next, make sure the batteries are still good and change them if necessary.
2. Make sure there is power being supplied to the furnace. Go to the power furnace switch and make sure it is flipped to the on position. It is also possible that the circuit breaker got tripped. Go to your home’s electrical control panel and make sure the breaker for the furnace is switched to the on position.
3. If your furnace has an exterior gas valve, it can be manually opened and closed. Make sure it is open so that your furnace is receiving the gas supply to light properly. If your fuel source comes from a propane tank, check to make sure the tank isn’t empty.
4. Dust and debris can gather in your ducts over time, and air filters are there to keep from blowing into your house. However, because of this, the air filters can become extremely clogged with debris in as little as a couple of months. Check the furnace filters and see if they are covered in dirt and dust or are extremely dark-colored. If this is the case, change the clogged filter and see if your furnace works better.
5. Check to make sure that your vents and registers are opened and unblocked. If there is something covering your vents, it could be preventing them from pulling in air and circulating it through your rooms. This can result in higher energy bills since your furnace will work harder during the heating cycle to try to send heat into your house to warm the colder rooms.
6. If your furnace has a pilot light, check to make sure it has not gone out. You also want to make sure it’s not flickering or has turned a yellow or orange color. It should always be blue. If there is a problem with the pilot light, you can relight it yourself or call an HVAC repair technician if you want to ensure safe furnace repair.

Signs You Need Professional Furnace Repair Services

If you’ve tried troubleshooting steps and your furnace still isn’t getting through a successful heating cycle, it’s time to call a professional furnace repair service. Knowing the common problems and causes can help you communicate effectively with the technician before the furnace repair begins. If you have tried to perform DIY heater repair on the furnace issue yourself with no successful results, the following could be one of the reasons your system is not getting through a proper heating cycle:

1. There might be a problem with the thermostat where the signal is not getting to the furnace system. Some models might alert you if there is an error; others might just go blank or become unresponsive. This means there is something going on with the electrical wiring that a licensed electrician should deal with.
2. Similarly, it may be the case that your furnace circuit board is faulty. This is essentially the brain of the unit, so if there is something awry, there will be problems. It can cause things like the burner or the furnace blower motor to not work to power the heater. It is vital to call an electrician for this job, and it is important to have an inspection as well to make sure something like a leak hasn’t damaged the circuit board.
3. There may be issues with specific parts of the furnace, such as the draft inducer motor, the hot surface ignitor, the blower motor, or the heat exchanger. If any of these parts are cracked and damaged, it can create problems for the entire furnace since each component plays a vital role in the process of pulling in air, heating it, and sending it back through your ducts. Some of these parts might simply need cleaning, like if you have dirty burners. If they are broken, you will most likely need a furnace repair professional to replace them. Some issues, like a cracked heat exchanger, can become incredibly dangerous if not resolved by a professional HVAC contractor for furnace repair since cracked heat exchangers can allow dangerous chemicals into the home with the warm air.
4. One issue may be if the gas valve is closed, not letting the system receive gas to fuel the ignition for the heating cycle. This problem can happen because of an electrical issue, natural aging of the part, or the valve being affected by a leak. Another issue could be a faulty flame sensor. The flame sensor is there to detect the burner flames inside the furnace currently burning before it allows the gas valve to open. If you have a malfunctioning flame sensor that cannot detect a flame, it will shut the gas flow off, preventing your furnace from being able to warm the air.
5. A limit switch, which is there to monitor the temperature of the air as it goes through the heat exchanger, will shut down your furnace if it senses that it is overheating. If the limit switch is damaged, it may incorrectly activate the safety protocol and shut down the furnace even though it is not overheating. Similarly, a pressure switch shuts down the system if there is the danger of a backdraft, so if this component is faulty, it will incorrectly cause a safety shutdown as the furnace attempts to start.
6. The condensate drain line, which is there to catch any dripping water coming from the system, can become clogged by excessive debris. In this case, it is possible that the drain line can become disconnected from the unit due to the strain placed on the pipe, causing leaking and possible flooding. If there is a water safety switch within your furnace, this will activate it and cause the furnace to shut down.
7. If your system has a metal flue pipe and it becomes blocked or cracked, this can be incredibly dangerous since that will block the dangerous fumes from being expelled outside the house. This can happen with damaged exhaust pipes as well and will require a furnace repair expert. If you smell any strange chemicals in your home or are experiencing unexplained dizziness or illness, turn the furnace off and schedule a professional to inspect the system and provide furnace repair right away.
8. A common reason for uneven temperatures and high heating bills is dirty or leaky ductwork. Dirt and debris can build up and block your ducts if they are not regularly cleaned, and if there are cracks or holes in your ducts, this can let a large amount of heated air out in unwanted places, such as your attic or crawlspace. Both of these issues can cause a tremendous waste of energy that you are paying for, not to mention preventing you from enjoying the heat from your heating system. It is good to perform or schedule routine duct cleaning, and if you have leaky ducts, you can have a professional HVAC company seal them with a material called Aeroseal that will bind itself to the cracks and holes in your ducts and last at least ten years!

Benefits of Regular HVAC System Service

Regular furnace maintenance, like cleaning dirty burners and changing a clogged filter, can prevent early furnace replacement, extending the lifespan of your gas furnace (10-15 years). Maintenance tune-ups can help lower energy bills and reduce the frequency of furnace repairs since they allow for early detection and addressing of developing issues. Heater maintenance tasks include cleaning the blower motor assembly, inspecting the heat exchanger, and checking the combustion chamber. Consider hiring a professional HVAC technician to perform regular maintenance tasks and ensure your system operates safely and efficiently.

A regular furnace service before the heating season can maximize efficiency and provide longer-lasting home heating. However, there are times when a simple furnace maintenance call can help locate an issue that would otherwise require a large investment to fix. The decision to get a furnace repair or furnace replacement is up to you, and often, it’s a matter of comparing the cost of the furnace repair service, taking into account the age of the equipment, versus the cost of a new furnace.

Upgrading to a New Furnace

Upgrading your furnace can provide numerous benefits, including improved energy efficiency, increased comfort, and enhanced safety. New furnaces often come with advanced features, such as variable-speed blower motors and high-efficiency heat exchangers. Consider upgrading your furnace if your current system is old, exhibits poor energy efficiency, requires frequent furnace repair, or no longer meets your heating needs.

Proper installation is crucial to ensure your furnace operates efficiently and safely. A poorly installed furnace replacement can lead to reduced performance, increased heating bills, expensive and constant furnace repair, and even safety hazards. Hiring a professional furnace service who has experience with gas furnaces, electric furnace models, and heat pumps can greatly reduce the risk of any installation issues.

Choosing a Furnace Repair Service

John Owens Services has been offering professional furnace repair services since 1986. Our trustworthy HVAC team offers experienced heating repair in Petaluma, Santa Rosa, San Rafael, and the surrounding areas. We provide reliable emergency furnace repair for homeowners that increases energy efficiency so that your home’s heating system continues producing heat at an adequate level for years to come. We can perform HVAC repair on any faulty flame sensor, troublesome pilot light or ignition system, and leaky air ducts. Aside from furnace repair, we offer routine maintenance to maintain your furnace’s efficiency and identify any key warning signs that your heating system has a problem. We also work with heat pumps, hydronic furnaces, and many other types of emergency furnace repair!

Worried about furnace repair cost? You can schedule one of our furnace repair professionals to come out and perform a quick furnace inspection before providing you with a free estimate for the furnace cost so you have an idea of the actual cost of the furnace repair service before moving forward.

Schedule Furnace Repair Today!

A successful heating system upgrade requires careful planning, proper installation, and regular maintenance. By understanding your furnace system, choosing the right furnace repair service, and upgrading your furnace when necessary, you can ensure your home remains warm and comfortable all year round and avoid the troubles of a broken furnace and the strain of complicated furnace repair. Strange noises, uneven indoor temperature, or a short heating cycle are all signs that you might need furnace service. Prioritize regular HVAC system maintenance from your local HVAC dealer before the heating season begins to prevent common furnace issues and ensure your system operates safely and efficiently, with no need for emergency services.