Common Reasons for a Faulty Furnace
When your furnace is working correctly, it automatically turns on and off to keep your indoor air temperature comfortable. However, the average heating system only turns on and off 3-6 times in an hour. If your furnace is turning on and off more than this, it’s most likely due to short cycling. The good news is, it can be fixed. The bad news is, if short cycling is left unaddressed it could cause permanent damage to your furnace and higher heat bills. Take a look at the most common reasons your furnace is turning on and off:
1) Dirty air filter
A dirty air filter restricts air from getting into your furnace which can cause it to overheat and shut down. This is the most common cause of short cycling but the good news is, checking the air filter first is the easiest and cheapest solution you can do yourself.
2) Thermostat issues
If your thermostat isn’t working properly or is placed near a heat source it can cause short cycling. If your thermostat is placed near a heat source (heat register, direct sunlight, etc.) the sensor thinks your home is too warm and turns off the furnace. The good news is, you can contact residential furnace repair specialists at Capital Heating & Cooling to repair, replace or easily relocate your thermostat.
3) Furnace is too big for your home
Unfortunately this is the worst case scenario since there’s not much you can do but get a new, correctly sized furnace. First, contact Capital Heating & Cooling to come to your home and perform a heat load calculation to see if your furnace is oversized or not. If your furnace is too big for your home, it heats your home too quickly then shuts off. When the temperature drops down, the process repeats until finally the furnace breaks down.
If you’ve recently had your furnace installed and find that it was sized incorrectly, contact the HVAC company that installed it to see about any guarantees they have. Your HVAC equipment is always protected with the Capital Guarantees.