When your furnace won’t start, doing your own furnace repair in Sacramento, California, can feel pretty overwhelming.
Figuring out a furnace-related problem might feel like a complicated task when your heat won’t work. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
There are a few fast, inexpensive fixes you can do by yourself to avoid a furnace repair call.
If your furnace won’t turn on, won’t stay on or won’t ignite, try the troubleshooting list below before contacting an HVAC professional.
If you find you need help from a heating and cooling pro and live in Sacramento, Bishop’s HVAC can assist you. We can repair most types of heating systems and also provide emergency furnace repair.
If it’s time for a new heating system, we also do furnace installation.
While you’re in touch with us, think about a regular furnace maintenance plan that could help you avoid breakdowns in the future. We can tell you how often your furnace should be checked by one of our Certified Pros.
Go through our easy guide below to start troubleshooting your furnace. Most of these steps don’t require mechanical skills.
Furnace Repair Checklist
1. Check the Thermostat
First, make sure your thermostat is instructing your furnace to start.
Digital Thermostat
Change the batteries if the screen is blank. If the digital screen is jumbled, the thermostat may need to be replaced.
Make sure the switch is set to “heat” rather than “off” or “cool.”
Ensure the program is displaying the appropriate day and time and is set to “run.” If you’re having trouble overriding the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and press the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to turn on if thermostat programming is causing an issue.
Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.
If your furnace hasn’t turned on within few minutes, make sure it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t start, your furnace could be without power.
Smart Thermostat
If you have a smart thermostat—like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get your Wi-Fi thermostat to work, call us at 916-591-6889 for heating and cooling service.
2. Examine Breakers and Switches
Next, you will need to check if your breaker and furnace switch are on.
Find your house’s main electrical panel. If you have no idea where it is, search for a gray metal box in your basement, garage or closet.
Make sure your hands and feet are dry before touching the panel or breakers.
Look for the breaker labeled “furnace” or “heat,” and make sure it’s switched “on.” If the breaker has tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” position.
Using one hand, firmly switch the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” don’t try to reset it and get in touch with a professional from Bishop’s HVAC at 916-591-6889 right away.
It doesn’t matter how old your furnace is or what brand it is, it has at least one standard wall switch located on or by it.
Make sure the switch is flipped up in the “on” position. If it was turned off, expect your furnace to take up to five minutes to turn on. (If you don’t know where to find your furnace, check your basement, garage or utility closet. It could also be in a crawl space or attic.)
3. Replace the Air Filter
When it comes to furnace issues, a filthy, clogged air filter is frequently to blame.
