When your furnace quits on a cold, winter day or night, it is understandable to be concerned. But before you call your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) company for furnace repair in Charlotte, there are a few simple things to check first. Avoid the hassle and save yourself some money by trying these easy troubleshooting tips.
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Check your thermostat batteries.
You may not even know that your thermostat requires batteries, but some do. There is usually a low battery indicator of some type, either a message or an icon that is displayed on the screen of your digital thermostat. If you see the low battery message or if your digital thermostat screen is blank, your thermostat battery needs to be replaced. If the battery is dead, the thermostat can’t tell the furnace that your home is in need of heat. When this message can’t get through, the furnace will not turn on. Thermostat batteries are easy to replace. You do not need a heating or cooling technician to perform this task. If you do see the low battery indicator, replace your thermostat battery before it dies completely so you don’t wake up in the cold.
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Be sure your thermostat is set to heat.
Kids, guests, or well-meaning family members may have accidentally flipped this switch from heat to cool or even to the off position. This may seem silly, but there have been calls made to us when this was the only problem. Also, check the temperature setting. If the desired indoor temperature has been set lower than the current temperature in the room, the furnace will not come on.
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Make sure the power switch to the furnace is in the on position.
Some furnaces have a switch, much like a light switch, that turns the power on and off to your heating and cooling unit. These are there for convenience, so that when technicians want to work on the unit, they can simply flip the switch and cut all power to the system. If this switch gets flipped accidentally, the furnace won’t come on because it isn’t getting any power. Because the switch looks similar to a light switch, it is common for the switch to get flipped by someone who is unaware. Before requesting a technician, check to see if the power switch is in the on position. If this has been mistakenly flipped, consider labeling it so that this is less likely to happen in the future.
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Check for a tripped circuit breaker.
When a circuit is overloaded (drawing too many amps of electricity) it will flip and shut off power for safety purposes. It is typical for your heating and air conditioning system to be on its own circuit breaker, but there may be a few other appliances on the same circuit. If too many electrical appliances are in use at once, it could cause a circuit breaker to trip. Circuit breakers sometimes trip during thunder and lightning storms. It can also be due to your power company. Check inside your electrical box for a circuit breaker switch that is flipped the opposite way as the other switches. If your breakers are labeled, lucky you. Flip the circuit breaker to the off and then on position and see if your furnace comes back on. If your circuit breaker trips repeatedly, you will probably want to call your furnace repair company for assistance.
Call Patterson Heating and Air Conditioning for furnace repair in Charlotte
If you have tried the above solutions and none of these get your furnace running again, it’s time to call Patterson Heating and Air Conditioning. Since 1946 we have been providing furnace repair in Charlotte and the surrounding area. Our knowledgeable, experienced technicians will repair your furnace and restore your home to a warm and comfortable state. Schedule an appointment or call (704) 288-4535.
