The Twin Cities metro area can get pretty frigid during the winter season, so if your heating system leaves you cold at night, getting it running quickly is a priority. Doing a little troubleshooting can help you accomplish this if your problem turns out to be a simple one.
Of course, you’ll need to know what sort of problems to look for and where to look for them. Here are three areas to check when you’re troubleshooting heating systems.
- Check your thermostat and power supply – Make sure your thermostat is set properly, then turn it up to see if your system kicks on. If not, check the power supply. Then, locate circuit breakers for the system, switching them off and back on again. If your thermostat uses batteries, change them. Lastly, make sure the furnace access door is closed properly, since most have a safety switch that will cut power if it’s not.
- Check your air filters – Dirty air filters are a common cause of heating system malfunctions, so checking yours is the next step in troubleshooting heating problems. If it looks soiled, replace it.
- Check your igniter or pilot light – If your system runs on gas or propane, it will have either an electronic igniter or a pilot light to light the burner when the thermostat calls for heat. You can check an igniter by shutting off the gas reset valve, waiting five minutes, then turning it back on. If the igniter doesn’t work after resetting it, it likely needs to be replaced. If your system uses a pilot light, make sure it has a flame. If not, follow the instructions to re-light it.
Of course, if you’re not comfortable with any of these tasks, it’s better to call your HVAC specialist. If you have any questions or need help troubleshooting a heating system in your home, please contact Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the home comfort needs of homeowners throughout the Twin Cities metro area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heating systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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