Why Did My Furnace Shut Off?

If you have trouble keeping your furnace running and maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home, you may require furnace repair, maintenance, or replacement.

Furnace Won’t Turn On

If your furnace won’t turn on at all, there are a few possibilities:

  • There is no power running to your system – carefully check that there are no blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers
  • The switch is off – it might sound simple, but check that your furnace is set to on!
  • Your motor has overloaded – in this situation, wait 30 minutes and press reset on your motor
  • The pilot light is out – see below to find out how to resolve this problem
  • There is no fuel – gas furnaces require gas or oil to continue producing heat for your home, so ensure that your supply is plentiful and that the valve is fully open

Pilot Light Won’t Light

If your pilot light won’t even light, the pilot opening may be blocked. To fix this, simply clean the pilot opening. You may also have a problem with no gas being delivered to your furnace. In both cases, make sure that pilot light button is fully pressed and that the gas valve is fully open.

Burner Flame Won’t Stay Lit

If your burner flame (which should always be blue) won’t stay lit, there are few troubleshooting options:

  • Your pilot flame is set too low – in this case, adjust the flame so it’s about 2 inches long
  • You have an electric malfunction with your pilot – in this case, you should call a professional

Furnace Turns On and Off

While your furnace will cycle on and off to match your thermostat setting, constantly turning on and off, and then staying off, isn’t a good sign.

You may need to clean or replace your filter or have your motor, blower, and other parts lubricated. If you schedule furnace maintenance with a heating professional, they can make sure your furnace can remain operating efficiently to heat your home.

Other Signs You Need a New Furnace

In some cases, your furnace will keep shutting off as a sign you need a furnace replacement. Warning signs that this is the case include:

  • Furnace is more than 10 years old – if your unit is old, repair might not be worth it and it could be wiser to invest in a newer, more energy efficient model that will last longer
  • Heating bills continue to rise – when furnaces need repairs, they are most likely not running at maximum efficiency and therefore it will cost more to heat your home
  • Home is unevenly heated – furnaces that are about to give up don’t do a good job heating different rooms in your house consistently, so if you need extra socks in your living room but no blankets in your bedroom, contact a heating technician
  • Burner flame is yellow or orange – when your burner flame is no longer blue—a blue light indicates that it is burning properly—there’s a bigger problem than an inefficient furnace: your system is producing deadly carbon monoxide
  • Furnace makes strange noises – the easiest way to tell if your furnace is at the end of its life is listening for banging, popping, rattling, squealing, and other odd noises

If you’ve been experiencing any of the above symptoms and think you might need furnace replacement in Morrow, Ohio, call Rick’s Heating & Cooling today!