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Before troubleshoot your furnace or call the experts to do so, understand what kind of furnace your home has. Is it a variable-speed gas or single- or two-stage heating. Is it modulating? Does it have a pilot light or electric ignition?

Once you comprehend what type of furnace you’re dealing with, it’s time to run down the list of potential heating problems when it doesn’t turn on. Here’s Warner Service’s breakdown:

Problem: It's not receiving power.

Solution:

  1. Check the state of your natural gas furnace’s circuits at the entrance of the unit.
  2. Check the thermostat. The majority of failures are caused by a faulty wireless thermostats, so increase the temperature by 5 degrees.
  3. Check that the second power switch is turned on for backup.

Problem: It needs to be reset.

Solution: Typically, there’s a “reset” button near the motor housing. Turn the appliance off, wait 30 minutes for it to cool down, then press “reset.” If the furnace doesn’t reset immediately, repeat the procedure twice more.


Problem: It clicks on, but doesn’t fire up.

Solution: This is likely due to a faulty or dirty ignitor/sensor. Use the following directions to solve the issue:

  1. Check the error codes in the user manual to ensure that you don’t have a more serious problem.
  2. Turn off the power and gas.
  3. Remove the front panel to look for the ignitor/sensor. Refer to the user manual to locate the ignitor.
  4. Remove the sensor with a screwdriver.
  5. Thoroughly and carefully clean the probe on the sensor with medium grain sand paper.
  6. Replace the sensor the way it was found.
  7. Put the front panel back on.
  8. Turn on the gas, then the power.
  9. Turn up the temperature on the thermostat to see if the appliance fires up.

 

Problem: The gas valve to the furnace is closed.

Solution: A disruption of the gas supply to the heating system in your home could leave the HVAC without fuel. If you smell gas, leave your home immediately, and call a local expert for emergency repair.


Problem: There’s no electricity.

Solution: The more advanced the heating system is, the more susceptible the system is to power outages.

  1. Start by checking other electrical components. If nothing is working, call the electric company.
  2. Check the circuit breaker to ensure that the appropriate switches are in the “on” position. These will be located on the main power distribution panel.
  3. Check for a circuit breaker on the appliance, or a light switch located nearby. Some units have redundant circuit breakers.
  4. If any of these circuit breakers are popped, reset them only once.
  5. If the reset doesn’t work, call the local HVAC technician.

 

Problem: The float switch is up.

Solution: Although drainage pans are associated more with air conditioners, furnaces still produce acidic condensation, so it likely has a float switch and a condensation pump as well. If the condensate pan has standing water, follow these instructions:

  1. If the pan has a drain, check that it’s clear.
  2. If not, drain the fluid, and check for normal operation.

    OR
  1. If the pan has a pump, check that the float switch is in the “down” position.
  2. If it’s “up,” clean it, and check for proper movement.  
  3. If it’s “up” with water in the pan, push down on the float and hold it. If this is the problem, the appliance will turn on within about 30 seconds to a minute -- and you need a new pump.

There can be a handful of common heating problems in your home, but a furnace without power is one of the worst. It means no heat for your family, which can lead to sickness in the winter months. Before you give us a call, see if you can diagnose why the appliance isn’t turning on with this handy guide.

For more tricks to survive the winter, download our HVAC Maintenance Checklist:

Download the HVAC Maintenance Checklist