3 Steps to Take if Your Furnace Stops Working and You Want to Confirm That It’s an Emergency
- Check Your Thermostat – Is it on?
- Check the Circuit Breaker – Circuit breakers may trip for no apparent reason.
- Check the Furnace Door – Your furnace won’t work if the furnace door isn’t properly closed.
How long can you go without a furnace?
The average home will stay warm for 8-12 hours after the power goes out. After the first 8-12 hours, most homes will experience a gradual cooling over the course of the next couple of days.
Check out 5 things to do if your furnace stops working.
- Is Your Furnace Turned On? The first thing you’ll want to check is that your furnace is actually turned on.
- Check Your Furnace Filters.
- Look for Thermostat Issues.
- Inspect Air Ducts.
- Call a Professional.
Should I turn my furnace off if its blowing cold air?
Typically, there’s a 10 to 15 minutes allowance for this. However, if after this time it’s still producing cold air, then there’s an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. It would be wise to turn the furnace off and get in touch with a pro immediately for help dealing with the issue.
HOW TO DO A FURNACE RESET
- Locate the furnace power switch near the furnace and turn it off. If there’s no switch, turn off the main circuit breaker to the furnace.
- Wait for about 10 seconds.
- Turn the switch or breaker back on and check to see if the furnace is running properly.
Why does my furnace not turn on when its cold?
If your furnace is not turning on you should first check if the filter is clean. Dirty filters cause insufficient airflow and can prevent the furnace from starting. Other reasons it won’t start can stem from improper thermostat settings, forgetting to turn on the gas line, or faulty pilot light.
Should I turn my furnace off if its not working?
It then takes more power to heat your home and your furnace could overheat and shut down. Always remember to turn off your furnace’s shut off switch and set the thermostat to off before opening up your furnace and changing the air filter.
Where is my furnace reset button?
All furnaces are equipped with a reset button. They are generally red or yellow and are located inside the blower compartment. The reset button is a safety feature that will shut down the furnace when a problem is detected, often a hot or overheating furnace, before it trips the circuit breaker.
How do I restart my furnace after summer?
Turn the knob from “Off” to “Pilot.” Light your fire source and either press the red reset button (if you have one), or depress the knob. Whichever one your furnace requires. Should take about 30 seconds for the thermocoupler to get hot enough to open the main gas line again.
How long does it take for a furnace to reset?
Either way, restarting a furnace is a relatively simple task that takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete. Follow these steps to reset your gas furnace: Turn the circuit breaker off and switch the furnace power button off too. Never touch the breaker with wet hands and use only one hand to do it.
What causes a furnace to need to be reset?
When your furnace runs out of fuel, whether it’s oil or gas, the reset button of the unit may be triggered. A quick check on the fuel tank will let you know whether fuel outage is the cause. If it is, you can have the tank refilled.
Should I hit the reset button on my furnace?
If your furnace doesn’t have any air coming out at all and the pilot light is out, it’s worth it to try resetting the furnace. If this doesn’t work, there may be a problem with the thermostat setting, the power, or the gas line.
How to Reset an Electric Furnace
- Turn off the power to your furnace. If there is no power switch, then cut the power off from the circuit breaker.
- Locate the reset button within the blower housing.
- Hold the button until it clicks.
- Restore power.
Why do I have to hit the reset button on my furnace?
The purpose of the reset button on a furnace is to shut it down before it can trip your circuit breaker. The need for this may arise if the furnace becomes too hot, or if there is some sort of electrical system interruption. To get the furnace working again, you simply press the reset button back down again.
How long do you hold the reset button on a furnace?
Typically, the reset button would be yellow or red, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to spot. The button will pop out if your furnace gets too hot or experiences an electrical interruption. If you need to reset your furnace, press the button for 30 seconds only once.
How do I force my furnace to start?
Although this may seem obvious, be sure your thermostat is set to heat and that it’s actually colder in your house than the temperature the thermostat is set to. If it is neither of these reasons causing the issue, try turning the fan switch to “on” to force the furnace to start blowing air.
Is there a reset on a furnace?
Steps to Reset Your Furnace
If you can’t find a switch at the furnace you can turn off the circuit breaker to the furnace at the main circuit breaker box. Wait about 10 seconds. Turn the switch or breaker back on and check the furnace to see that it has power again.
How to Find and Reset your Furnace Motor Blower
- Step 1: Turn off the power to the furnace.
- Step 2: Remove the blower compartment cover.
- Step 3: Make sure the blower is completely cooled off.
- Step 4: Locate the reset button.
- Step 5: Press the button in (assuming that this is your issue and that the button has popped).
Why do I keep having to reset my furnace?
If your furnace reset button keeps tripping, it’s most likely that your heater is overheating. This may indicate a need for heating system repair work that needs to be addresse.
How many times can I hit the reset button on my furnace?
Don’t hit “reset” more than twice. The process pumps oil into the burner chamber, where it can accumulate if you have no ignition. Then when the furnace finally does start, it can do so explosively. So if the button won’t reset, or quickly pops up again, it’s time to call a professional repair service.
Read on to learn three signs of a clogged furnace flue:
- Excessive Soot. When you notice excessive soot around your furnace flue, it might indicate inefficiency that requires a call for maintenance.
- Water Streaking the Furnace Wall.
- Yellow Flame.