There’s only one thing worse than your furnace not working in the winter, and that’s trying to diagnose the problem while you’re cold. Your home’s heating and cooling systems are complicated, and when it comes to furnace repair, actually finding the problem is often half the battle. The HVAC service technicians at H Jack’s Plumbing and Heating Co. are highly skilled, professional, and friendly, and we have plenty of experience dealing with tricky furnaces that just aren’t working right. We guarantee you the worry-free service and real results you need, which can provide real peace of mind when the temperatures are dropping. That said, you may be lucky and have only a very small problem you can solve by flipping a switch. To find out which problems you could tackle and which you should leave to us, keep reading.

Why Is My Furnace Running, but No Heat?

There may not be a simple answer — furnace problems can be caused by complex issues — but sometimes all it takes is a small fix. Furnace repair may be as simple as checking on the thermostat or replacing furnace filters, but in most cases, you’ll want to call a professional. When the risks of DIY furnace repair include gas leaks and serious fire hazards, it’s better to consult with an expert in the field.

What to Check If Your Furnace Isn’t Working

While we generally recommend hiring a professional service technician to diagnose your furnace, you can safely check on a few different furnace components yourself. This comes with a warning, however: make sure you don’t interact with any part of your home’s heating or cooling system if you don’t understand what it is or how it works. This is especially true with potential hazards. If your furnace isn’t working and you notice the smell of a rotten egg or dying plants in or around your home, you might have a gas leak. In this circumstance, evacuate the house, leaving the door and windows open, and call 911. After the line has been shut off, the technicians at H. Jack’s have the training and experience to safely repair your gas lines.

The Thermostat

Your furnace problems may be a matter of programming. While you’re probably not qualified to conduct electrical work on the thermostat, you can easily check the settings. One common mistake involves the “FAN” setting. Many thermostats will have “OFF,” “AUTO,” and “ON.” AUTO will only blow air when the furnace is heating it. However, ON will blow air constantly, even when the furnace isn’t operating. Try the following steps to reset your thermostat’s settings:

• Stop your thermostat from running and wait a couple of minutes
• Set FAN to AUTO
• Set heating/cooling to HEAT
• Set the temperature 5 degrees above room temperature
• Wait a couple of minutes for the results.

If none of that makes sense, give us a call at (440) 743-0780 and we’ll help you troubleshoot.

The HVAC Filters

The simplest way to explain why furnace filters are important is this: parts of your furnace need to stay cool. Furnace filters let air cool these parts without letting dust and other debris into your furnace’s inner workings. If those filters get too dirty, though, your furnace may get too hot. Overheating can damage your furnace or trigger a mechanism that turns your furnace off to prevent damage and the risk of a fire. If you want to check the filters, turn your furnace off at the thermostat, wait for the furnace to cool, and check the filters. If they’re dirty, they’ll need to be replaced. Generally, you’ll want to change 1- or 2-inch filters every three months, 4-inch filters every six months and 5-inch filters once per year. If you’re unsure of what kind of filters to use in place of your old ones, or if you have any trouble restarting the furnace after checking the filters, call an H. Jack’s certified technician for advice and assistance.

Your Home’s Circuit Breaker

It’s possible that your furnace repair is a matter of turning the furnace on. Check your furnace’s circuit breaker to see that it is on and/or that its fuse hasn’t blown. If the circuit is off or blown, try resetting the circuit breaker by turning it fully off and then on. If you live in an older home, you may have to replace the fuse entirely. Be aware, however, that these steps may not solve the problem and, depending on the issue, the fuse may blow again.

The Furnace and Pilot Light

Depending on what kind of furnace you have, there may be a power switch or visible pilot light that you can check. The pilot light is necessary to start the heating process. Check if your furnace is turned on; something may have bumped the off switch. Alternately, see if there is an easy way to see the pilot light from outside of your furnace. Even if you can identify a pilot light problem, however, the operation of the pilot light involves the gas lines, so you should rely on a professional to repair them.

What Is Not Safe to Check If Your Furnace Isn’t Working

Unfortunately, most of the reasons your furnace isn’t working don’t have fixes that you should attempt tackle yourself. Either the repair or the component in question requires specialized work. While you can check thermostat settings or replace filters, most furnace issues need professional care. If these parts of your heating system are failing, you should hire an HVAC Technician:

• Motor
• Gas line
• Drain lines
• Heat pumps
• Intake and exhaust vents
• Ducts
• Chimney Exhaust Flue

You may also want an HVAC Technician to assist with thermostat and filter issues. H. Jack’s prides itself on friendly and informed staff who can help you solve your furnace problems.

Furnace Repair with H. Jack’s Plumbing and Heating Co.

No matter what time of day it is, H. Jack’s is here to help with your furnace issues. We offer 24/7 service on everything, and our certified HVAC Technicians have expertise on all kinds of heating and furnace equipment. We care about the quality of work we provide, and we want to give you the professional service that you paid for and deserve. Whether you’re in Ohio, Pennsylvania, or New York, we want to be your HVAC tech. Contact us to learn more about what we can do for you!