3 Common Heater Problems (Plus, What You Can Do About Them) -

With winter around the corner, it’s time to talk about your heating system.

Maybe it’s not the most glamorous part of your house, but it plays an important role in keeping you and your family comfortable. So the last thing you want to deal with is heating problems.

And while some heater problems require service from an expert, others you can diagnose yourself.

Keep reading to learn about 3 of the most common heating system problems and what you should do about them.

1. The Heat Comes on, But Won’t Stay On

If you find that your heat won’t stay on for more than a few seconds or minutes, it’s likely because your heating system hasn’t been properly maintained.

We get it—things get busy, and heater maintenance isn’t always on the top of your list.

When the heating system isn’t maintained, dust builds up and causes all sorts of issues. It can reduce the airflow which in turn causes the system to try to work harder to push air through.

Then, when the system is overworked it can trigger the tri-limit switches to trip. The end result is that the furnace will shut off.

When dust builds up on the burners the heating system may not light correctly either. It can even cause damage to other equipment including the pilots and flame sensors.

Lucky for you this is a pretty easy problem to fix and prevent. Take a look at the heater manual for proper maintenance tips and clean or replace the filters if needed.

You can also contact a professional service to come annually and perform any necessary maintenance.

2. Try to Turn up the Temperature but Nothing Happens

Sound familiar?

The cause of this issue is a bad thermostat. If the thermostat isn’t communicating with your furnace you can’t properly adjust the temperature.

Thermostats wear down over time, so you may need to update your thermostat to solve this issue.

Consider a digital thermostat as they tend to be more accurate and efficient. You can program the thermostat on a heating schedule and prevent the system from overworking.

3. The Furnace Won’t Come on at All

While this issue may seem alarming, it means that the igniter is bad. This could be a sign of poor maintenance and dust build-up. It could also mean your system is old or overused so the igniter went out.

You can clean the space around the igniter to see if it’s an issue of dust or debris. If not, you should contact an HVAC service to check it out.

In the future, regular maintenance will extend the life of your ignitor.