You never want to start the cold weather months with a furnace that doesn’t seem up to the job. You want to know that after you turn the furnace on for the season and make the adjustment to the thermostat that you’ll receive the right amount of warmth for your family’s comfort. If your furnace isn’t keeping up the cold, there may be something wrong. It might be minor. Or it might be something that will require you to call us for furnace repair in Cincinnati, OH or even a full furnace replacement.
To help you get started, we’re going to look at several of the reasons a furnace might get into the problem your furnace is currently in. Please don’t attempt any actual repair yourself, however, unless it’s something simple (we’ll point those out below).
The furnace filter is excessively dirty
The first thing we recommend you check when you’ve got an underperforming furnace is the furnace filter. In most HVAC systems, the air conditioner uses this filter as well, so the filter may be clogged up from using the AC for months. It takes from one to three months for this filter to become so dirty with dust and lint that it will restrict airflow into the furnace—and that means the furnace won’t be able to heat up as much air. Put in a clean filter to see if this improves your heating.
There are blocked vents in the house
Never block or close room vents! This doesn’t help save energy, which is a mistake people often make. What it does is cause a drop in general airflow that will lead to inferior heating. It can also cause the furnace’s heat exchanger to overheat and shut down. Check all the vents in the house to see they’re unobstructed and open.
The furnace has missed multiple maintenance appointments
We strongly recommend all our customers have annual maintenance inspections and tune-ups for their heatings systems, no matter what type. The cleanings and adjustments our technicians do during these appointments help a furnace work at peak condition and slows down the effects of wear and tear. If you haven’t had maintenance for your furnace for several years, we’re not surprised it’s losing power. Call us for repair work first, then we’ll get you on the schedule for regular maintenance in the future.
The burners are shutting off early
If the burners don’t stay lit for long enough in your furnace, you won’t get adequate heat. There are several causes of the burners shutting down early: carbon build-up on the burners, dirt and grime on the burners, or a faulty flame sensor.
The thermostat is miscalibrated
You may have a thermostat that’s reading temperatures as hotter in your house than they are. You won’t be able to get the heat level you need when setting the thermostat normally. Please call us to fix this rather than just pushing the thermostat higher.
The furnace is ready to be replaced
Is your gas furnace more than 15 years old? Then the reason it’s struggling is probably because it’s too old to do its job anymore. We recommend replacing a furnace this old, but talk to our technicians first for a professional opinion.
Call Bartels Heating & Cooling “For a Comfortable Way of Life”!