Is Your Furnace Not Turning On?

No time is a good time for your furnace to stop working, especially once it gets to the heart of winter. Without a working furnace, your home will go without proper heating. And having no heat will open up the door for a myriad of problems in your house. There are a few reasons for your furnace not turning on, and it is best to resolve these issues before it’s too late.

One situation might come when you try to turn up the heat on your thermostat. You can program the temperature to whatever suits your home the best, but it just won’t respond. Be sure to set your thermostat to heat your home, not cool, and that you set it high enough for it to kick on. 

Another problem might be that there is no power running to your furnace. Regardless of whether it runs on electric or gas, your furnace still needs the power to turn on. If it won’t start up, check the circuit breaker, or investigate the wiring and see if it’s corroding or if a rodent has chewed through them.

The furnace will also not kick on if the pilot light is out. Check beneath the furnace to see if the pilot light is lit, and if not, it can be a simple fix to relight it yourself.

If the issue is not one of those previously mentioned, check that there is a sufficient gas supply. The gas valves should be fully turned on so that the furnace can properly fire up the system. Some homeowners believe that the valve should be only slightly turned for safety, but it must be all the way on.

In an extreme case where the air filter has not been changed or cleaned out, the furnace might not turn on. There is no excuse for allowing your air filter to fall into such a state. Regularly change your air filter, and try to do so early in the season, so you know that your furnace can operate both properly and efficiently.

Unfortunately, there may be other situations with your furnace that you may not diagnose yourself. There could be an issue with the blower motor, or perhaps problems with condensation. In these cases, you will need to contact a professional.

When your furnace won’t turn on, call Sunrise Heating & Plumbing at (616) 293-9326. You deserve to live comfortably in your own home, and our staff want to make sure that happens. By providing exceptional customer service, our highly trained and experienced staff can handle any problem.