Furnace Repair in New Castle That You Can Depend On
When your furnace won’t start, doing your own furnace repair in New Castle, Pennsylvania, can feel pretty overwhelming.
Troubleshooting your furnace might feel like an overwhelming job when your heat won’t power on. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
There are a few fast, reasonable fixes you can do on your own to prevent 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 getting in touch with an HVAC professional.
If you find you need help from a heating and cooling expert and live in New Castle, Central Heating & Plumbing can assist you. We can repair most brands of heating systems and also provide emergency furnace repair.
If it’s time for a new heating system, we also offer furnace installation.
While you’re talking with us, think over a routine furnace maintenance plan that may help you avoid repairs in the future. We can tell you how frequently your furnace should be inspected by one of our NATE-certified professionals.
Go through our easy guide below to get to work on troubleshooting your furnace. Most of these steps don’t require mechanical abilities.
Furnace Repair Checklist
1. Check the Thermostat
First, make sure your thermostat is instructing your furnace to turn on.
Digital Thermostat
Replace 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” instead of “off” or “cool.”
Ensure the program is set to the appropriate day and time and is set to “run.” If you’re having a hard time overriding the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and press the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to ignite if thermostat programming is causing a problem.
Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.
If your furnace hasn’t kicked on within several minutes, make sure it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t run, your furnace might not have 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 724-401-1843 for heating and cooling service.
2. Examine Breaks 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 don’t know 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 call a professional from Central Heating & Plumbing at 724-401-1843 right away.
No matter your furnace’s age or brand, it has at least one standard wall switch located on or close to it.
Make sure the switch is flipped up in the “on” position. If it was turned off, anticipate your furnace could take up to five minutes to ignite. (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 dirty, clogged air filter is often the top offender.
If your filter is too dirty:
- Your furnace won’t stay on, or it could overheat from reduced airflow.
- Your energy bills could go up because your furnace is turning on too often.
- Your furnace could fail sooner than it should because a dirty filter causes it to work overtime.
- Your furnace can be disconnected from power if an overly dirty filter causes the breaker to trip.
Depending on what model of furnace you use, your air filter is located inside the blower compartment of your furnace, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
To replace your filter:
- Turn off your furnace.
- Remove the filter and tilt it toward the light. If you can’t see light through it, get a new one.
- Add the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the furnace to avoid damage.
Flat filters should be replaced monthly, while pleated filters should last about three months. You can also buy a washable filter that will last about 10 years. If you have children or pets, you may have to put in a new filter more often.
To make the process go more quickly in the future, use a permanent marker on your furnace housing or ductwork to list the airflow direction and filter size.
4. Inspect the Condensate Pan
Also known as drain pans, condensate pans hold water your furnace draws from the air.
If water is seeping out of your furnace or its pan has standing water in it, follow these steps.
- If your pan has a drain (look for a PVC pipe), check that it isn’t clogged. If it needs to be drained, use a special pan-cleaning tablet you can buy at home improvement or hardware stores.
- If your pan has a pump, check the float switch. If the switch is stuck “up” with liquid in the pan, contact us at 724-401-1843, because you will probably need a new pump.
5. Check for Furnace Error Codes
If malfunctions continue, peek inside your furnace’s plastic window to check the status of the blower motor. Depending on the model, the light could also be mounted on the outside of your furnace.
If you see anything except a steady, colored light or blinking green light, call us at 724-401-1843 for HVAC service. Your furnace may be giving an error code that needs professional assistance.
6. Clean the Flame Sensor
If your furnace tries to start but switches off without putting out heat, a dirty flame sensor could be responsible. When this happens, your furnace will attempt to start three times before a safety feature powers it down for about an hour.
If you feel comfortable with opening up your furnace, cleaning your flame sensor is something you can do by yourself. Or, one of our heating service professionals can do it for you.
If you want to clean the sensor yourself, you’ll need:
- A 1/4” hex screwdriver or wrench
- Piece of light grit sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth
- A dry, clean paper towel
Next:
- Disable the furnace’s power by using its wall switch or breaker. If your gas valve is not electric, you will need to shut off the gas as well.
- Take off the furnace’s front panel and trace the wire to the flame sensor.
- Unscrew the rod and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to lightly rub the metal rod.
- Wipe off the rod with a paper towel.
- Remount the sensor.
- Replace the furnace doors.
- Turn the furnace’s power back on. It may proceed through a sequence of checks before proceeding with normal operation. If your furnace doesn’t ignite, the sensor may need to be replaced or something else could be wrong. If this happens, get in touch with us at 724-401-1843 for heating and cooling repair assistance.
7. Relight the Pilot Light
If you own an older furnace, the pilot light could be extinguished. To relight it, find the instructions on a label on your furnace, or follow these steps.
- Look for the switch on the bottom of your furnace labeled “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
- Turn the switch to the “off” position.
- Wait at least five minutes to avoid possibly creating a fire.
- Turn the knob to “pilot.”
- Push the “reset” button as you bring the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
- Release the “reset” button once the pilot light is lit.
If you have followed the instructions twice and the pilot light still won’t light or stay lit, get in touch with us at 724-401-1843 for furnace service.
Check Your Fuel Source
Try using another gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service could be turned off, or you could be out of propane.
Professional Furnace Maintenance in New Castle, PA
You furnace usually stops working when it’s the most inconvenient. Like the middle of the coldest night of the season. Or during a severe storm. Then you’re up a creek with expenses for furnace repairs that you probably weren’t prepared for.
Much like going to the mechanic or visiting the dentist, furnace systems require annual tune-ups. That’s why we provide furnace maintenance in New Castle, Pennsylvania. It may help you escape unexpected expenses and keep your unit running smoothly throughout the heating season.
That’s because our heating and cooling experts will closely examine your system during routine maintenance, potentially spotting problems before they start. Pro service has the ability to also make your furnace run more successfully, helping you cut more on heating bills.
Call us at 724-401-1843 today to schedule your furnace maintenance appointment.
3 Advantages of Regular Furnace Service
Heating service gives a multitude of benefits for your system and home. Here’s three of the most significant ones.
1. Keeps Your Residence Safe
Most furnaces need natural gas to generate heat, and the heat exchanger performs an essential role in the process. If this bit is broken, carbon monoxide could flow into your home. This dangerous gas can be lethal in large concentrations.
We’ll take a close look at the heat exchanger, as well as burners and valves to see to it that your residence is safe.
2. Limits Chances for Malfunction
Having your furnace quit in the middle of winter isn’t great. Particularly when you find out it could have been prevented.
Making sure you have covered furnace service means our professionals can inspect your system and make sure everything’s running like it should. That way, you could be able to avoid costly fixes in the future. Since we’re taking a close look at your unit, we can also help you determine when it’s time for new furnace installation.
3. Maintains Furnace Efficiency
Routine tune-ups not only keep debris off your system. They play an important part in keeping your unit working at maximum performance throughout the coldest months of the year.
What Does Furnace Service Involve?
Keeping gas heating systems in effective working order might feel hard, but we make it easy with our regular tune-ups for heating systems.
Our technicians’ work includes the following:
Looking Over Internal Parts
We’ll confirm critical components, like the blower motor, heat exchanger and burners, to parts they’re clean and working correctly.
Inspecting Electrical Connections
We’ll make certain sure your furnace’s electrical pieces are running correctly and that there’s no loose connections.
Verifying Airflow
We’ll make sure there aren’t any issues that may affect your furnace’s operation or lessen your comfort.
Checking Overall Furnace Operation
We’ll take a look at controls and safety devices to ensure your furnace is operating safely and efficiently.
Stress-Free Furnace Installation in New Castle, PA
Switching on your aging furnace for the first time can seem like a gamble. Will it start without a problem and work smoothly the entire season? Or will it fail all of a sudden on the day a blizzard rolls in?
Furnace installation in New Castle, Pennsylvania, is hassle-free when you call the heating and cooling professionals at Central Heating & Plumbing. We sell and service all sorts of equipment to satisfy your comfort and budget preferences, such as energy-efficient and high-efficiency furnaces that should help keep utility costs low.
Call us at 724-401-1843 today to get started with replacing your furnace.
Do I Need To Repair or Replace My Furnace?
While it’s impossible to predict precisely when your furnace will break down, there are some signs that a furnace needs to be replaced.
The Age of the Furnace
Heaters usually last about 12–17 years. If yours is 15 years old (or more), you have an increased chance of breaking down. You should start the process for replacement by researching new furnaces ahead of time.
Frequent Repairs
You should think about HVAC installation if yours needs repairs more consistently.
Increased Energy Bills
Old furnaces won’t be as efficient. If you’ve put off preventative furnace maintenance, you risk losing additional furnace efficiency and dealing with steeper energy costs.
Spotty Heating
An older HVAC system can struggle to properly heat your home. Leaky ductwork and a dirty furnace filter can also stir up trouble.
Three Benefits of a New Furnace
While furnace installation may seem intimidating, new furnaces include new features outdated systems can’t contend with. Additionally, you can sit back and relax knowing you won’t need to replace your system for years to come.
A new furnace can offer:
1. Better Efficiency
New furnaces are extremely reliable and offer higher efficiency ratings than equipment from 20 years ago.
2. Quieter Operation
A newer furnace includes the latest in quiet operation technology. You might not notice when it turns on.
3. Peace of Mind
Modern HVAC technology ensures your heating will live longer and run with better energy efficiency. With one of our service agreements, you’ll never forget an important yearly tune-up again.
We Can Help with HVAC Repair
Followed our troubleshooting guide but your furnace still won’t work?
Call us today at 724-401-1843 or contact us online. We’ll come out and figure out the problem.
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About Central Heating & Plumbing
At Central Heating & Plumbing, making your home cozy is our highest priority. That’s why we offer lasting HVAC units and quality work in New Castle. Our professionals are educated in a wide range of services, so you can have confidence in your results. They’ll give the support you need, whether it’s putting in an up-to-date HVAC system or servicing and inspecting your current system. We’re available to help with all of your needs, so get in touch with us at (724) 458-6980 or contact us online to schedule an appointment right away.
925 Moravia Street
New Castle, PA, 16101
804 W. Main Street
Grove City, PA 16127
1010 E. State Street
Sharon, PA 16146
