Four Common Furnace Problems: What You Can Do

Sometimes a long heating season can take a toll on your furnace or heating system, leading to problems that could require expert heating repairs. Here are four issues you may encounter in the months ahead, and what to do if you find them.

Furnace Troubleshooting Steps

• Your furnace doesn’t turn on – If your furnace won’t start at all, try these six steps before calling for service – it could save you the cost of a visit:
  1. Check to see if you have enough heating oil
  2. Make sure all power switches are in the “on” or “start” position, and that your circuit breaker has not been tripped
  3. Make sure the temperature on your thermostat is set at least five degrees above the current room temperature, and the system switch is on the HEAT or AUTO position. The fan switch should be set to ON for continuous airflow or AUTO.
  4. Check the pilot light, if your equipment has one.
  5. Check the air filter if airflow from your vent seems low; also make sure that vents are not blocked.

  If these measures don’t restore heat, contact Oehlert Bros. for service.

• Your furnace “cycles” – If your heating system cycles (turns on and off) more than it should, it could indicate one of several problems; two of the most common causes of cycling are a clogged air filter and a faulty thermostat. Check both, changing (or cleaning, depending on the model) the filter and swapping out the thermostat if needed. If cycling continues, contact us for service.
• You get inconsistent heating performance – Hot and cold spots in your home could be caused by drafts or by the heating system itself. Rule out the former by replacing caulking and weather stripping around windows, adding door sweeps under external doors, and add insulation in unconditioned rooms if your house is not up to recommended R-value levels. Check your vents and filters, too, since blockages in these areas could impede the flow of warm air. If these efforts don’t fix the issue, you could have a more serious problem – damaged heating coils, for example. These problems should always be addressed by a heating professional.
• Smoke or soot – Smoke or soot are signs that your heating system is in trouble; they could indicate a carbon monoxide (CO) leak that can pose a health risk to your family. If you see soot build up or smell smoke on your oil-fired equipment, contact us immediately for service. It is also important to install carbon monoxide detectors at every level of your house and test them periodically, replacing batteries at least once per year.

Avoid problems like these by getting regular heating maintenance in eastern PA from the pros at Oehlert Bros. Our heating oil service plans include an annual tune-up, plus discounted repairs, priority service, and more. Contact us today to learn more.

If your furnace is more than 15-17 years old, or isn’t performing the way it used to, it’s time to start thinking about a high efficiency replacement – contact us for a no obligation quote today!