When your furnace starts to fail, it can create many problems that are difficult to troubleshoot. That's why you need to understand some common problems that furnaces can face so that you can prepare for the day when the furnace acts up. By understanding these problems, you will have the info you need to move forward with a do-it-yourself (DIY) repair or to contact a professional HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) contractor.

Broken Thermostat

If your furnace has started having some odd behavior, you have probably assumed that your issue is with the actual furnace. However, problems can sometimes originate with the thermostat. For example, a thermostat may be incorrectly reporting the temperatures in your home, causing it to report a temperature that is warmer than what it really is. This, in turn, will cause the heat to not kick on. The complete opposite can also be true; it can inaccurately report a low temperature that causes the furnace to constantly run.

It is worth troubleshooting the thermostat first before you start troubleshooting the furnace. A smart thermostat could require a firmware update, and an electronic thermostat could need new batteries. There may even be wiring issues if you have pests that chewed through cables.

Mechanical Malfunction

There are several mechanical parts within the furnace that need to move for the whole system to operate. One of those parts that can fail is the blower motor. Its job is to blow all of the heat that the furnace generates through your air ducts so that it can warm your home. If the furnace is on but your home is not getting warm, check out the blower motor to see if it is moving. Fixing this part may require some assistance with tracking down the right components or making the repairs, so it is worth hiring an HVAC professional if you have narrowed it down to the blower motor not working.

Filthy Air Filter

Even if the blower motor is working, it may be struggling to push warm air through an air filter that is absolutely filthy. That's why it's so important to regularly change the filter so that the air has as clear of a path as possible to travel through. Even if that air is getting through, it's likely that the quality of the air will be reduced because of all the dust and debris it had to pass through to get to each room.

If you cannot narrow down what the problem is with your furnace, reach out to a local furnace service for assistance.