2 Possible Repairs For A Furnace That Won't Start
Your furnace is one of the most important appliances in your home, so it should also be one of the most dependable. If your furnace refuses to start on a cold day, you could suddenly find yourself in the middle of an HVAC emergency.
You won't be able to solve your furnace problems without a solid understanding of the things that could be going wrong. Here are two possible repairs for a furnace that won't start.
1. Replacing the Thermostat
It's reasonable to suspect that your furnace may not be starting up because of a disruption between the furnace and your thermostat. The thermostat is responsible for sending a signal to the furnace that activates the ignitor. As such, your furnace won't ever start if your thermostat doesn't let it know that heat is needed.
HVAC thermostats will sometimes display other warning signs if failure is imminent. For example, the display on a digital thermostat may go blank or become jumbled. If changing the battery or reseating the thermostat doesn't help, replacing the thermostat is the next step.
Homeowners without at least a little DIY electrical experience may want to let an HVAC technician replace their thermostat for them. If you've done some wiring before or are feeling adventurous, you should snap a photo of the existing wire layout and replicate it exactly when you install your new thermostat. However, be sure to shut off the breaker for your thermostat's circuit before you begin this work.
2. Replacing the Ignitor
When it comes to internal furnace components, the ignitor is the most common source of issues when a furnace fails to start. There are several different styles of furnace ignitors that you can find in residential furnaces today. Older furnaces used standing or intermittent pilot lights, while direct spark ignitors and hot plate igniters are seen in more recent models.
Whatever type of ignitor you have, its function is the same: igniting the gas in your furnace and starting the heating process. Unfortunately, furnace ignitors can malfunction due to electrical shorts or several years of exposure to high temperatures. However, an HVAC technician can repair this furnace problem by swapping out the ignitor for an identical model.
When you are having trouble getting your furnace to start, schedule a professional HVAC inspection as soon as possible. These quick and easy repairs can be crucial to ensure that your home has a reliable source of heat when you need it most. Contact a heating repair service to learn more.