You require your heater to operate when it’s freezing outdoors. Suppose your heat won’t turn on, whether a gas furnace or a heat pump; it signifies that it’s time to dig out the space heaters, throw on heavy coats, and face a lot of agonies. But the hardship will only last until your HVAC technician here at HVAC Alliance Expert arrives. But why isn’t your heater working? What is preventing your equipment from functioning correctly, how significant is the issue, and do you need a heating maintenance service?
As you go on and read this article, you will learn about the different reasons why your heat won’t heat on:
- Inadequate Maintenance
- Excessive Gas
- Broken Blower Capacitor
- Low Levels of Refrigerant
- Broken Starting Components (Heat Pump)
- Inducer Draft Motor Fault
- The Heat Exchanger has Been Cracked
- Poor Design and/or Installation of Ductwork Unit
So, let’s not waste any more time and look at some reasons that could explain why your heater works are failing to function properly. While there are several reasons your heat pump or furnace might not be working, these are 8 of the most common ones.
Inadequate Maintenance
During the winter, the most common reason for service requests is an absence of maintenance work. It’s a possible source of why your furnace is not turning on. And, more frequently than not, the issue is that your furnace is simply unclean:
- A clogged blower motor could cause equipment malfunction and lead to why your heat won’t turn on. The heat
exchanger will not function unless sufficient cold air flows over it to prevent it from overheating. The heat exchanger is not exposed to enough flowing air when the motor is filthy. Essentially, it will fail. - Clogged air filters restrict airflow and can aggravate issues caused by incorrect duct size. Filters should be changed every 90 days or such.
- If your flame sensor is unclean, your system will be unable to fire the burners. Since the flame sensor will not “feel” the flame, it will turn off as soon as it is turned on. The less frequently you clean the unit, the more likely a thick coating of dirt will encompass your flame sensor.
- Dirty stoves could make it difficult for your furnace to function correctly. It may still function, but not very well.
exchanger will not function unless sufficient cold air flows over it to prevent it from overheating. The heat exchanger is not exposed to enough flowing air when the motor is filthy. Essentially, it will fail.What is the solution to the problem of why isn’t my heat working? Every year, get your HVAC system cleaned by a professional. Annual maintenance compensates for itself in the long run because you won’t be dealing with the inconvenience or unpleasantness of owning a malfunctioning furnace. Maintenance additionally aids you in preventing changing costly components in the event of early equipment breakdown.
Excessive Gas
Furnace makers have specifications as to how much gas their machines should consume. You must adjust the device throughout the installation process to ensure optimum operation. Otherwise, it may cease to function at an inappropriate moment.
When it’s under 20 degrees outdoors, for instance, snow is pouring down, and the wind is roaring, your HVAC unit could end up overwhelmed.
Inadequately adjusted furnaces can use excessive amounts of gas. Once this continues for a prolonged period, it can result in two things:
- You spend too much money on gas during the winter
- The furnace gets very hot, prompting a limit switch to activate.
Whenever the second instance occurs, we receive calls, particularly on extremely cold winter days when the heater’s performance cannot maintain pace. We routinely conduct a combustion assessment throughout our annual furnace checks. It tells us if your furnace is burning up too much gas.
Broken Blower Capacitor
Have you ever taken a look at your blower capacitor? It generally resembles a large battery.
In any case, the capacitor turns on your heater whenever the thermostat instructs it. Tolerance levels exist in capacitors. If the tolerance falls below a specific range, your blower may not reach the desired RPM (Rotations Per Minute). In rare circumstances, the capacitor merely will not turn on the blower. What is the worst-case scenario? A failing capacitor causes a blower failure, an extremely expensive repair work. In either case, your heater won’t kick on due to the issue.
We constantly verify our client’s capacitor(s) tolerance levels throughout routine inspections because capacitor failure is so prevalent. If they are ever on their way to expiration, we’ll notify you that it’s time to have them replaced.
Low Levels of Refrigerant
Using a heat pump to heat your household? If you are, the refrigerant level may get dangerously low. When this happens, your heat strips could turn on more regularly than you wish. And, as we all understand, heat strips can result in high utility costs, which is certainly not good.
If you see your heat strips turning on more frequently, it may be time to raise your refrigerant charge. If the level remains too low for an extended time, the compressor may overheat and malfunction.
It is far less expensive to recharge the refrigerant (and repair any leakage) than to change the compressor (and endure cold days without heat). In certain circumstances, changing the system with a newer, R-410A refrigerant could be more cost-efficient.
Whatever the case, it’s important to keep tabs on the condition of your heater’s heat strip.
Broken Starting Components (Heat Pump)
While we’re talking about heat pumps, let’s accept that any number of parts of your heater can fail for a variety of reasons. Particularly, faulty starting components can prohibit your blower (indoor unit) or outdoor device from correctly beginning. The system will not heat your home, and you’ll have to fix the faulty components.
Furthermore, regular maintenance and examination can assist you in identifying issues with all these components before they stop functioning. You’ll save money on future repairs.
Inducer Draft Motor Fault
This little engine, also referred to as a “draft inducer,” operates to aid in emptying the heat exchanger of excess gas from a previous cycle. It helps to expel any gasses created throughout the furnace’s combustion action.
In any case, when it fails, you must change it, or you might find that the heat is not working in the house. When we change a draft inducer, we also collect flue gas samples to evaluate the effectiveness of your burners and the condition of the heat exchanger that you own.
The Heat Exchanger has Been Cracked
Admittedly, a cracked heat exchanger does not necessarily result in furnace failure – at least not immediately. Still, we’d want to bring it up because:
- It can affect your system’s efficiency, which you may detect if it becomes serious enough.
- Cracked heat exchangers might indicate a different problem that might force your heater to fail, such as insufficient airflow caused by unclean parts.
- This is a very serious issue to have. If your heat exchanger is fractured, you must replace it.
The trouble concerning heat exchangers is that they carry carbon monoxide (CO) with them. The CO leaks out only when they get fractured. CO could make you quite ill, and it can be deadly in severe situations. The final message is that you should always change a damaged heat exchanger or supplant your heater if it is beyond repair.
Poor Design and/or Installation of Ductwork Unit
Sometimes, the issue isn’t your heater whatsoever. It’s your ductwork. The design and installation of efficient ducting is a significant task. Regrettably, when it comes to duct sizing and installation, many technicians and HVAC contractors take shortcuts or rely on “rules of thumb” rather than precise and mathematical measurements. If you’re fortunate, you’ll have ductwork that’s roughly the appropriate size and has been installed appropriately. The system may not perform at its best, but it will function.
But once they truly screw up – and they eventually do – you’ll never have adequate ventilation throughout your household. It may not be easy to keep comfortable, and your heater will short cycle more often. It may potentially overheat over time, too, before it eventually fails.
The remedy is to replace whatever HVAC system elements broke and, to the greatest degree possible, restructure your ductwork. Otherwise, individuals may get the same issue once again like having a heater not blowing hot air.
Additional Notes
Overall, evaluating your HVAC unit, or getting heating maintenance work, once a year is more cost-effective than replacing a costly component later. A furnace that is in good working order guarantees a comfortable winter with no HVAC issues. It’s also more convenient for patrons because they won’t have to worry about their heater suddenly malfunctioning during the winter.
It’s always important to take care of our appliances, especially our HVAC units or systems so that they can serve us well. The adage goes, “Take care of your appliances, and they’ll take care of you,” and it certainly rings true.
Time to Contact Our Services
Should you wish to avoid future HVAC unit failure, our service agreements have an annual heat pump, furnace, or heat pump examination. You can avail of our HVAC services by giving us a call or filling out our online form. One of our representatives will get back to you as soon as possible and further assist you.
Service agreements may elevate you to the status of a priority customer. When you sign a service agreement with HVAC Alliance Expert, we prioritize you at the top of our list anytime a service call comes in.
