Furnace not heating? Before calling a technician, check a few simple things that you can fix yourself in minutes. A cold house on a Halifax winter night is stressful, but the cause is often the thermostat setting, the furnace power switch, the air filter or the oil tank level. If you’ve checked all four and your furnace still isn’t working, it’s time to call a professional. Most homes in Halifax use oil furnaces, which have a few more parts that can cause problems. Clim A.G has over 13 years of experience with furnace repair in Halifax and Bedford. The checks below are the same ones our technicians do first when a customer has no heat.
When a furnace is not turning on at all, the cause is usually a setting, the power supply or the fuel.
Set the thermostat to “Heat,” then raise the temperature a few degrees above the current room temperature. If the screen is blank, put in new batteries. The furnace won’t start if the thermostat has no power.
Most furnaces have an on/off switch nearby that looks like a light switch. People often turn it off by mistake. Also check your electrical panel for a tripped breaker labelled “furnace.”
If you have an oil furnace, look at the gauge on top of the tank. Call your oil supplier if it reads empty or close to empty. After a refill, a technician may need to restart the furnace because air can get into the fuel line. In Halifax, this is one of the most common reasons for a no-heat call in the fall.
Oil burners have a red reset button that trips when the furnace locks out. Press it once. If the furnace still doesn’t start, don’t press it again. Pressing it repeatedly can flood the burner with oil, which can cause a fire.
If your furnace is blowing cold air, the fan is running but the furnace isn’t making heat.
When the thermostat fan is set to “On,” the fan keeps running even while the furnace is off. Change the setting to “Auto.” The fan will then run only while the furnace is heating.
It’s normal for a furnace to blow cool air for the first minute or two as it warms up. If the air is still cold after five minutes, something is wrong.
Cold air from an oil furnace often means the burner isn’t lighting. Common causes are a clogged oil filter, a blocked nozzle or a faulty igniter. These parts need oil furnace repair by a trained technician.
A furnace that keeps shutting off is usually overheating because air can’t move through it properly.
A dirty filter blocks the flow of air, so heat builds up inside the furnace. A safety switch then turns the furnace off to protect it. During winter, check your filter every one to three months.
Closed or covered vents also reduce airflow. Move any furniture, rugs or curtains that are blocking them.
Some furnaces have vent pipes on an outside wall. After a Halifax snowstorm, snow or ice can cover these pipes. Gently clear them so air can flow in and out.
Call for emergency furnace repair in Halifax right away if you notice:
Don’t try to fix these problems yourself. They can be dangerous, so a licensed technician should handle them.
Regular furnace service catches small problems before they turn into a breakdown. It usually includes:
Book your furnace service in the fall, before the coldest part of a Halifax winter.
If your furnace is not heating, check the thermostat, power switch, air filter and oil tank first. One of these is often the cause. Call a professional if the furnace still isn’t working, or if you notice smells, strange noises or soot. Clim A.G has over 13 years of experience with furnace repair in Halifax, including oil furnaces.
