Winter can be harsh on your heating system. Usually, if you are having issues with your unit, it will require an on-site inspection to diagnose the problem. Here are some reasons for heater failure that you might need to look out for this season.
- Loose wiring or shorts in the thermostat. When changing out thermostats, sometimes the wires are loose or get worn out. If the thermostat is installed wrong and the problem isn’t noticed until you turn your heat on for the first time. This is typically indicated when the small 3 amp fuse in the furnace is blown out.
- The blower motor capacitor is dead. The capacitor helps drive the indoor blower fan motor. If this is out, then the indoor fan won’t run.
- Sometimes the blower motor dies from either running too long with a bad capacitor or from a short in the motor windings. But many times, the bearings have seized up from dirt in the bearings. This can be caused by cheap air filters or running your system without air filters. Annual maintenance will help to prevent this problem.
- Some furnaces have other controls like time delays, relays, circuit boards, or large control modules. Sometimes these go bad and need to simply be replaced.
- The flame sensor is a metal probe that is extended into the burner flame. If a flame is present, the sensor sends a small current back to the control module. If the sensor is dirty, sometimes the current isn’t strong enough for the control module to read, and the furnace will turn off.
Are you looking to upgrade your home? Have Questions? Call HEP Inc. at (865) 234-0501 and get started today! HEP Is On The Way!