Basic Troubleshooting Guide For Your Home's Forced-Air Gas Furnace

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Your home's forced-air gas furnace runs to keep you warm and cozy during the cold months. It does this by drawing cool air from the interior of the building, heating it up, and returning it back to the building as hot air.

If you're not getting hot air from your residential heating unit, this is an indication that something is wrong with it. To quickly and accurately point out the underlying cause of the problem, read this simple troubleshooting guide.

Check The Gas Supply

As the name indicates, gas furnaces use gas (typically natural gas or propane) to heat your home. If your home is without gas supply due to unpaid utility bills or other reasons, then you simply won't get any heat from your gas furnace.

If your gas company or supplier cut off the gas supply to your home while you were away, you'll need to get reconnected for the heat to flow again.

Check The Thermostat

Your home heating system has a thermostat connected to it. The thermostat is a device that lets you set your home's desired indoor temperature level. When this temperature level is reached, your heating unit shuts off until the next time heat is needed.

Failing to adjust your thermostat settings for the heating season can result in your home feeling cold and uncomfortable even when the furnace is running. A broken thermostat can also leave you feeling cold during the winter months as it won't communicate to your heating system that heat is needed inside your home.

While wrong thermostat settings can be adjusted, a faulty thermostat will need to be replaced.

Check The Blower

Without a properly functioning blower, the cold air that gets sucked into your gas furnace won't have anywhere to go. Plus, the heating system would not have a way of blowing hot air into the return air ducts and ultimately throughout your home.

If the blower is damaged or its motor isn't working properly or at all, heated air won't reach your home. When your gas furnace is blowing cold air instead of hot, it's always a good idea to confirm that the blower is clean and working properly. 

Depending on the extent of damage to your blower, you may need a blower repair or replacement.

Check The Air Filter

Like air conditioners, heating units also rely on air filters to keep the air clean and healthy. When dirty, these air filters will be less effective at removing airborne pollutants from the air that enters the heating system and comes out via the return air vents and grills. This not only compromises the indoor air quality but also leads to restricted airflow, which makes you feel colder than you'd like.

Fortunately, replacing filthy air filters is a job that you can do yourself as long as you have a few simple tools and a little basic knowledge of your heating system.

Nothing sends chills down your spine than the realization that you have no heat in your home during the cold months of the year. If you ever find yourself in such a situation and can't fix the issue yourself, never hesitate to ask a local heating contractor for assistance.

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1 November 2021

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