During the cold New England winter months, your gas furnace is much more than another appliance in your home — it’s a necessity to keep everyone in your home safe and warm. If your furnace were to break down late at night or when service wasn’t immediately available, would you know what to do?
One of the responsibilities of being a homeowner is understanding your home systems, including how they work and doing basic maintenance and repairs. Here’s how to repair a gas furnace when the most common problems happen.
What Is a Gas Furnace?
At its core, a gas furnace is a heating system that uses natural gas or propane as fuel to warm your home. The entire process starts with your thermostat: When the temperature goes below your set heat, the furnace lights the gas source which warms the metal heat exchanger. A blower fan forces air across the heat exchanger, which is then circulated through your home’s ductwork, providing warmth to all connected rooms.
Modern gas furnaces are highly efficient, which can help you save money on your energy bills when they are working properly. The combination of reliability, efficiency, and effective heating capability makes gas furnaces one of the most popular heating choices for homes across New England.
What Are the Signs My Gas Furnace Needs Repair?
Although cold air circulating through your home is a major sign that you need gas furnace repair, it’s not the only indicator that you could be having issues. Some of the most common indicators that it’s time for furnace maintenance include:
- Unusual noises like banging, whistling, or rattling during operation
- Inconsistent heating throughout your home
- A burning yellow pilot light instead of blue
- Frequent cycling between on and off
- A dramatic increase in your energy bills
If you smell gas in your home or your carbon monoxide detector starts alarming, do not wait for gas furnace repairs! Turn off the gas, leave your house, and call your gas company for immediate help, then call Heritage Home Service immediately to fix the problem before it becomes a major health hazard for your family.
The Most Common Gas Furnace Repair
For some issues with your gas furnace, small repairs can be made to hold out for a full mend by an experienced technician. Here are some of the most common problems your gas furnace may face between maintenance calls.
Repairing a Bad Pilot Light
If your pilot light goes out or isn’t burning properly, it can prevent your furnace from heating. A properly functioning pilot light should burn steadily and blue. A yellow or flickering flame often indicates the pilot light needs cleaning or adjustment.
To check your pilot light, start by shutting off both the furnace and gas source. Start with the thermocouple — if it is loose, retighten it to its proper connection. Second, look into the pilot orifice. You can use a pipe cleaner to clear out any blockages. Finally, if the pilot flame setting is too low, use a screwdriver to adjust the flame until it burns correctly.
Checking Broken Fans
Blower fans are crucial for distributing heated air throughout your home. If your furnace is running but there’s little or no air coming from your vents, you may have a fan problem.
Start by checking the obvious: Ensure your thermostat is set to “Auto” or “On” for the fan, and verify that nothing is blocking the filter or return air vents. Listen for unusual noises like squealing or grinding, which could indicate worn bearings or a failing motor.
If your fan runs inconsistently or not at all, check your circuit breaker — sometimes a tripped breaker is the simple solution. If those quick fixes don’t work, it could be an indication that your fans are broken — which means it’s time to Just Call Heritage for a fix.
Malfunctioning Blower
Blower problems often show up as inconsistent airflow or unusual noises. A properly functioning blower should operate smoothly and quietly. If it’s not, it could be due to one of several causes.
Check your furnace to ensure that the door is completely closed. If it’s open at all, your furnace blowers will not work correctly. Next, turn off your furnace and check the blower belt. If the belt is showing signs of wear, including cracks or fraying, it will need to be replaced. But if the blower motor is hot, you could have an overload. If you’re not sure of the problem, Just Call Heritage and we’ll schedule a service appointment at your convenience, even if it’s for the same day.
Blocked Air Filter
Like any engine, your gas furnace keeps the air intake clean using an air filter. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked your fan, it could be a sign it needs to be replaced now.
If the warm air stops flowing through your home, or your furnace is running longer and increasing your energy bills, one of the easiest things to check is the air filter. If there’s visible dust build up on the air filter or it’s curved in one direction, it’s time to replace it immediately. An annual service call from the technicians at Heritage Home Service will check your air filter and replace it once per year.
Thermostat Malfunctions
The problem could also be inside your thermostat unit itself. Even modern digital thermostats can break down if they are improperly installed or leave the factory with a defect.
Start your gas furnace repair by checking the thermostat. If it operates on a backup battery, try replacing it to see if that brings your operations back to normal. Dust could also cause the thermostat to have issues, in which case cleaning with compressed air can clean out the unit. Double-checking the wiring to ensure that everything is still properly connected is an easy way to ensure your thermostat isn’t having issues. If nothing works, call Heritage Home Service to calibrate your thermostat, or help you upgrade to a modern unit.
Call the Experts at Heritage Home Service for Professional Gas Furnace Repair
If nothing else works, don’t get frustrated with your attempt at gas furnace repairs. Instead, Just Call Heritage! Our team can come out as soon as the same day to help you troubleshoot the problems, or even make the complex repairs you may not be prepared to do. And if your issues occur late in the evening, our 24-hour answering service will ensure you get scheduled for service the next morning.
When you trust the technicians at Heritage Home Service, you’re never alone. Contact your local team to set your next service call now.