Text:
If your furnace isn’t starting, it could be the result of many different things. Here are a few basic items you can check before calling maintenance.
-Locate the electrical service panel. Check to see that the circuit breaker for the furnace is in the on position.
-Check the thermostat and make sure it is set to heat. Turn your thermostat to ten degrees warmer than the room temperature, you may have a sensitive or fault thermostat.
-Your furnace has a power switch. It looks like a standard light switch. Make sure it’s on.
-During the winter months, ice and snow can build up on the plastic vent piping on the outside of the house. Be sure that the entire area is clear of ice and snow and the pipes are not plugged.
-On older furnaces, the vent pipe is on the roof. Visual inspect to see that the vent cap is not covered with ice or snow.
If these troubleshooting tips don’t work, try this:
-Turn off the furnace for one minute. While the furnace is off, check the filter. A clogged filter will reduce furnace efficiency and sometimes shut down a system. Most standard filters need to be changed monthly.
After about a minute, turn the furnace back on. Turn your thermostat to ten degrees warmer than the room temperature. Listen for start up. It can take up to 3 minutes for the burners to ignite. If you still find that the furnace is not working, call maintenance.