Winter HVAC Troubleshooting Tips for Your Unit

furnace not heating - tulsa ok

Your HVAC system helps your Broken Arrow home stay warm and cozy all through the winter. When problems with your HVAC system occur, you could end up without heat. Doing some winter HVAC troubleshooting can help you figure out what’s wrong and get your heat working again. In some cases, though, you’ll need to rely on HVAC technicians to handle repairs. These are some of the more common issues HVAC systems can have during winter that can benefit from winter HVAC troubleshooting.

Uneven Heating

When some areas or rooms in your home feel colder than others, you might have an air leak or a problem with the blower motor. If the blower motor isn’t working properly, this can result in uneven heating in your home. Air leaks around windows and doors can allow outdoor air inside, making certain rooms feel colder. A clogged or dirty HVAC filter can also lead to uneven heating. You can seal gaps around doors and windows to stop air leaks and replace your HVAC filter with a clean one. HVAC technicians can repair the blower motor if needed.

Unlit Pilot Light

If your gas or propane furnace isn’t turning on, check the pilot light. The flame sensor on your furnace might be damaged or dirty, which can cause the pilot light to go out or not ignite when your heating system turns on. HVAC technicians can clean or replace the flame sensor as needed in order to get your pilot light working again.

Frozen Coils and Pipes

Bitterly cold temperatures can cause water to freeze inside coils and pipes, which can prevent your heating system from working. If you think you have frozen water in your pipes or coils, turn your water off and have professional HVAC repairs done. Turning off your water can help reduce the risk of having frozen pipes or coils burst, which causes an even bigger (and messier) problem. These are all winter HVAC troubleshooting moves that can come in very handy.

If you need help with winter HVAC troubleshooting, please contact Air Assurance. We can make HVAC repairs if needed in order to keep your Broken Arrow home warm.

Furnace Not heating Up?

furnace not heating - tulsa, ok

If your furnace isn't warming your home as it should, there may be a simple solution that doesn't require the assistance of an HVAC pro. The following tips can help you troubleshoot the problem.

• Make sure that the thermostat is set correctly. It should be in "heat" mode, and the temperature called for must be above the room temperature that's displayed. Also check that the fan is in the "auto" position so that it only operates when the furnace is running.

• Check the thermostat itself. If you have a digital thermostat, replacing the batteries may solve the problem. With an older, manual unit, remove the cover and clean the contacts.

• Examine the furnace filter. If the filter's clogged with dirt, it can adversely affect the flow of warm air that arrives at your registers. To maximize your furnace's efficiency during the heating season, clean or replace the filter once a month.

• Check the gas shutoff position. The shutoff is located along the gas line that runs from your furnace, and the handle must be set parallel to the pipe so that fuel reaches the burner.

• Look inside your breaker box. Is the furnace not warming your home at all? A tripped breaker could be the reason why. If everything looks fine inside your main electrical service box, check for a blown fuse and/or flipped breaker in the furnace's blower compartment.

• Check your pilot light. If the pilot light has gone out on your older furnace, look for instructions on how to relight it right on the unit, next to the pilot light opening. Alternately, they should be in your owner's manual.

If the above tips don't help, or if you have a newer heating system with an intermittent or hot surface ignition, give your HVAC professional a call. He or she may diagnose another common problem such as inadequate airflow to the combustion chamber, or a dirty gas burner.

Is your furnace not warming your home and you need expert help? Contact us today at Air Assurance. We've provided outstanding service to Broken Arrow area homeowners for more than 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).