The Most Common Heating Problems and How to Fix Them

While winters in Montgomery, Alabama tend to be quite mild, we still experience chilly lows that make a heating system necessary in each home. We may not use our furnaces as often as those who live up north, but even so it is possible to run into system malfunctions. To help you avoid becoming stuck without heat due to a furnace or heat pump issue, Hans Heating & Air reviews the most common heating problems and how to fix them.

1. Heater Won’t Turn Off

One of the most common heating problems and often the easiest to fix is a furnace or heat pump that won’t turn off when you expect it to. If it appears that your heating system runs around the clock, this issue is often caused by a simple incorrect thermostat setting.

Generally, the system’s fan should be set to AUTO, allowing it to run only when the furnace or heat pump cycles. If the fan is mistakenly set to ON, it will run all the time, with heating and without it. The noise of the blower fan and cooler air coming out the vents often leads homeowners to believe it’s the gas furnace or heat pump running and that there is a problem because no heat is coming from the vents.

If you have a heating system that seems to run all the time, first check your thermostat to see the current fan settings. If the fan is set to ON, switch it to AUTO. This should stop the fan from running absent a heating cycle.

When you check the fan settings on the thermostat, if the fan is correctly set to AUTO, a thermostat wiring issue may be keeping the fan running constantly. Remove the faceplate of the thermostat, and check that all wiring is properly connected to the appropriate terminals. Make sure these connections are snug, and use a screwdriver to tighten connections as needed. Replace the faceplate, reset the thermostat, and see if the fan turns off.

If your system fan continues to run, the thermostat may be due for replacement or a blower issue could be at play. These are issues for your HVAC technician to handle, so call for repairs.

2. Cool Air from Vents

Many of the most common heating problems involve lukewarm to cool air coming from vents or a lack of heating. There can be many causes for these most common heating problems, which we rundown below:

• Check the thermostat’s fan settings as outlined above, as a constantly running fan could be pushing cool air through your vents.
• On the thermostat, make sure HEAT mode is selected, not COOL. You could be running your home’s cooling system instead of the heater by accident.
• Dirty air filters can restrict air movement through the system, limiting the heat that comes out of your vents. Check the filter, and replace it if it is dirty. Be sure to change the air filter on a regular basis throughout the year.
• If you have an older furnace with a pilot light, check to see that the pilot is lit. If it goes out, the furnace will not ignite fuel and no heat will be produced, though the blower may continue to run and push air out of your vents. Relight the pilot if needed following the manufacturer’s directions – if it does not stay lit, call for furnace repairs.
• Make sure your heating system has access to fuel. Check gas valves on lines leading into the unit and make sure they are not closed. If you use an oil or propane furnace, make sure your tank has enough fuel – it may be time to schedule a refill.
• Duct leaks may be causing heat loss as warm air travels to your living areas. Call your HVAC technician to assess your air ducts and perform duct sealing if needed, as ducts are often in inaccessible locations of the home and difficult to inspect yourself.

Fix the Most Common Heating Problems with Hans

Hans Heating & Air fixes the most common heating problems that are unable to be resolved with some simple troubleshooting. If you experience any of the most common heating problems mentioned above and you can’t fix it yourself, contact us today to schedule heating repair service.