Home Heater Not Working – Fix

During the cold weather, you are likely to grab the blanket. When it’s not enough, you will click on the thermostat.

Each year the local fire departments in the US have responded to an average of 50000 fires that involve heating equipment.

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of household fires. Even though the home heating systems are sophisticated. They are bound to develop problems.

Your heater at home could stop working due to poor maintenance. If your furnace doesn’t turn on, it could be because it hasn’t been turned on for a while.

Often the issue is that the heating system is dirty. It could be the blower, filter, or burner’s flame sensor.

Another issue could be with the thermostat. It is not turning on the heat. The issue could be that it’s malfunctioning or improperly set.

The thermostat regulates the amount of heat generated by the furnace.

So how do you reboot your thermostat?

Begin by clicking it down below the room temperature. Until you hear a click sound. Go to the circuit breaker of the heater.

Turn it off and wait about 30-45 seconds. Before turning it back on. Go back to your thermostat and bump the heat to your desired temperature.

It should be above the temperature of the room. Bump it until you hear a click sound. To mean the heater is back on.

If it doesn’t come on, consider replacing the thermostat with a programmable option. Which allows you to choose different temperatures for various times of the day, night, and week.

Also, check the thermostat to see if it’s set on heat. If you got a heat cool-off system switch, that should be in the heat mode.

Is the temperature setting set above the room temperature?

Make sure you have power to the furnace. This you will check on the thermostat. There is another switch there. The fan or blower switch.

It’s either automatic or on. Set it in the on position. By this, you are telling the blower to run non-stop.

You should be able to hear the furnace blower come on. As well as feel air blowing out. If it doesn’t do that, you have a power problem.

At this point, you will be required to go downstairs. To do a hard furnace reset. Keep in mind that the furnace has multiple circuit boards on them.

These appliances have a lot of safety control features in them. Which can sense whether the furnace is having a problem or not.

It can lock itself out. If it senses a problem. To communicate with you that there is a problem.

You can reset it by removing power from the furnace. There should be an external power switch on the side of the furnace. That looks much like a light switch on the wall.

Power it off and give it 10-20 seconds. You have done a hard reset on that furnace when you power it back on.

This should clear out any faults with the heat. You should hear the action in the furnace.

Another issue could be the blower capacitor is dead. Hence the furnace is blowing cold air.

Begin by turning off the thermostat. In most cases, the furnace has an additional switch.  So turn it off as well.

Check the air filter. Which allows the inlet or outflow of the air. The air filter has an arrow that should always show the direction in which air flows.

When the air filter is not set properly, the furnace will detect.  And then partly shut off.

Meaning the fan will continue to blow without the igniter lighting the burners. Therefore the air will go out at the same temperature it came in.

After that, check to see if the filter furnace is clean. Because if it’s not, it degrades the airflow to the furnace. And within the first 90 seconds, without the proper ventilation, it will not turn on.

Remove the cover plate. Usually, this is very easy. Then check for the limit switch. It is the component that does not allow the furnace to turn on. Until the air inside your furnace is heated up.

It also acts as a kill switch to the burner if the temperature becomes too high. Over time it can fail, and you should replace it. 

Still, inside the furnace, there is the igniter. It is located at the back of the burner tube. As a little tub sticking out with an electric connection. 

If it fails, it will never ignite your furnace; therefore no heat.

Now begin troubleshooting when the furnace blower is not working.

Confirm that the motor is receiving power. If it is not, then the motor blower has turned off.

If the motor hums and the blower wheel is unobstructed. But will not turn freely. Then it’s likely the motor bearings are locked up. Therefore the motor needs to be replaced.

Check for a faulty capacitor. This is the one that stores an electrical charge and then releases it to start the motor blower.

If the motor blower doesn’t start or starts slowly. Then the capacitor may be faulty. It will show by bulging or leaking.

If the physical signs don’t show any damage. Check the capacitor using an analog style ohmmeter. To determine if it’s working properly.

Place a screwdriver with an insulated cable to release the extra charge.

After that, check the capacity board. Which is the component that releases the power supply to all of the furnaces.

If defective, it may not send power to the motor. An incoming power problem may cause the blower not to work.

Lastly, check to see if the circuit breaker has tripped. Or the fuse has turned off.

The other issue with the heater not working is the low refrigerant levels. 

When these levels remain too low for a long time. The compressor could overheat and break down.

Therefore, you need to increase the refrigerant charge once in a while. Especially if you notice that the heat strips are coming on too frequently.

Other times the heater could stop working because of a problem with the ductwork. This causes issues with the airflow throughout your home. 

The heating system will most likely short cycle frequently. Within no time, it will overheat and break down completely.

Therefore ensuring that the duct tape is properly designed. As well as being installed is a huge undertaking.

To avoid these problems, begin by calling the heating technician every year. Come and tune your furnace. This protects you from the inconvenience of a broken furnace.

This should apply even with the issue of repairing the parts of the furnace.

If the house is heated with natural gas. Ensure the valve is in line with the gas liner running to your unit. Just doing that equals gas running through your system.

Check if you have oil if you use the oil furnace. And if it’s forced air, ensure the vents are open. While the return vents are not obstructed. By furniture or curtains.

For your furnace to work efficiently, ensure you replace the filter every three months.

There is nothing more frustrating than a hot summer malfunctioning air conditioner. Just not blowing cold air anymore.

Sometimes your system may freeze up, overheat or constantly cycle. Especially if you prefer your temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s.

This could be caused by low airflow. Even with your air filter unclogged and doing its job correctly. If the air isn’t blowing over the evaporator coil, none of the heat is absorbed.

Instead, the home gets hotter and hotter. While the refrigerant in the coil has no heat to absorb. It will not warm up.

As a result, the coil will get colder. Expand Every Time your AC cycles, it eventually freezes up and stops working.

The best solution to this problem is to use a high-quality air filter. As mentioned, it should be changed at least every 3 months.

If your home has an additional media filter within the ductwork. Which is thicker and changed less often. Don’t forget about it. For it gets clogged up too.

Also, opt for variable speed HVAC systems. Because they give room to oversize the system and compensate for those extra hot days.

If the total amount of the refrigerant is lower than it should be. The pressure in the system becomes lower. Which, in turn, makes the remaining refrigerant get colder.

Hence freezing up your system. And causing the furnace not to blow cold air.

On that same note, always check the condenser coil for dirt and debris. Because the dirt can act as insulation. Which makes it difficult for the condenser coil to exchange heat.

Clean it out at least once or twice a year. With a garden hose, it makes the work easier.

To conclude, whenever the heater in your house is not working. Always check the air filter. It will help you figure out what the problem is.