Furnace Not Working

Is Your Furnace Not Working Correctly in Ottawa or the Ottawa Valley?

There is nothing worse than your furnace deciding to not work when you need it most! These costly breakdowns generally occur during a cold snap or in the middle of the night (Murphy’s Law!). Waking up to a cold home is never a fun experience but here at Airzone HVAC Services we believe providing our customers with 24 hour emergency service for peace of mind.

Below is a handy list of things you can do as a homeowner when your furnace is not working! With all of these tips it is important to reset your furnace by flipping your furnace switch on and off to give the unit a chance to reset. Please note that this general advice is provided for information purposes only. We ALWAYS recommend that you call a professional HVAC company to perform furnace maintenance and repairs.

Check The Furnace Switch

Did you know that by code all furnaces must have a kill-switch installed prior to the actual unit? It is very common that someone accidentally hits this switch which is why it is important that it is labelled on the furnace and that the homeowner is aware of its location.

We encourage you to speak to our technicians during your next furnace maintenance visit about the location of the kill-switch so that you are aware of its state (on/off).

Where Might The Kill-Switch Be Located?

Here are the most common locations where the switch might be in Ottawa and the Valley:

Ceiling of the mechanical room (usually close to the entrance)
Staircase – Check around the staircase as you enter the basement and also check the ceiling area of the staircase

Check Your Thermostat

Is your thermostat set correctly and operating as it should? We see so many people using smart thermostats these days. As we all know too well smart technology is not always as smart as it should be! Sometimes things can happen where a thermostat is turned off or accidentally set to cool during heating season.

If your furnace is not working one of the first things you should try is making sure the system is set to ON. Next make sure it is set to HEAT. If both of these settings are correct then go ahead and turn up the temperature in the home to see if the system starts or is blowing warm air.

Many thermostats are powered by batteries, these may be dead. This is another common reason your furnace is not working
If the screen is blank this is telling you there is no power and perhaps the furnace switch is off or the breaker has been tripped
Ensure there is no dust or debris behind the thermostat by gently removing the cover and blowing on the components

Click Here For Emergency Furnace Service Info

Check The Vent Pipes

If you have a high efficiency gas furnace in your home that is not working, it may be due to clogged vent pipes

You will notice two plastic pipes exiting the unit (either white or black in colour depending on the age of the system)
One of these pipes is carrying exhaust fumes, while the other pulls fresh air into the furnace
With the amount of snow we receive in Ottawa, there is a chance that snow has accumulated and clogged the intake pipe causing the furnace to shut off
If this is the case, shovel around vent pipes, ensure piping is clear and unobstructed and reset furnace at switch

Check The Breaker / Gas Line

There are many reasons your furnace breaker may be in the off position, this can range from someone unintentionally flipping it to the off position to a power surge. We have also seen customers accidentally turn off their gas line resulting in no gas going to the furnace.

Carefully inspect breaker panel and if the furnace breaker is in the off position, simply flipping back to on can cause the furnace to reset
Inspect your gas valve and ensure it is on

Check The Filter

Believe it or not out most common nuisance call when a furnace is not working correctly is a dirty filter. The furnace filter is placed so that air is pulled from the mechanical room into the furnace unit. Your filter will be located directly beside the furnace (or inside of the furnace cabinet in certain models). As this air is pulled in it passes through the filter which removes particulates and other airborne contaminants. A dirty filter forces the furnace to work harder to pull air through and can lead to an inoperable heater due to the increased load. If your furnace is not working correctly we recommend replacing your furnace filter right away.

How Often To Chance a Furnace Filter:

The typical one inch filters should be changed every 2-3 months. In Ottawa we regularly install performance 4-5″ filters. If you have a 4-5 inch media filter we recommend changing it twice a year.

Check The Furnace Door Switch

Most gas furnaces have a switch on the front door panel that acts as a safety switch for the unit. We recommend that you do the following:

If the door of the furnace has been removed for any reason confirm that it is back in its proper position and is initiating the switch which allows the furnace to get power

Check Your Vents and Registers

If you look at your home as a human body, the furnace is the heart and the ductwork system is the veins and arteries. Just like in the human body, clogged veins can cause the heart to struggle. If your furnace is not working, it may be due to ductwork restricting airflow.

Ensure all vents in the home are open, any dampers are in the open position and that all registers are free of obstruction

Routine Furnace Maintenance

One of the best ways to create peace of mind for yourself and your family is to receive an annual maintenance on your furnace. Here are the major benefits performing routine furnace maintenance offers:

Catch any future service calls before your furnace is not working!
Ensure the system is running safely and efficiently
Ensure all warranties are kept intact
Afford you priority servicing from your provider when you sign up for a recurring maintenance plan

AirZone is standing by offering routine maintenance and 24 hour emergency service! Learn more about our furnace repairs and maintenance by visiting the following page:

Click Here For Annual Furnace Maintenance Info

Furnace Not Working Summary

We sincerely hope that the information contained above was useful to you! At AirZone HVAC Services we understand how important it is to have a working furnace in Ottawa and the Valley. In fact, a non functioning furnace quickly can turn into an emergency situation during our cold winters if no other heat source is available. Our goal as a two generation family company is to treat our customers with the same family values we push to our children. This includes honest and straightforward advice and actually backing up what we promise. The last thing we want for anyone is to be cold in their home which is why we provide free advice on our website.

If you are in need of furnace repair services we would be honored if you would consider us! AirZone HVAC Services has an in house team of furnace technicians who are extremely proficient in furnace repairs and installations. We work on all brands of furnace and are able to get warrantied part from all major manufacturers (if applicable). We also carry a complete lineup of high efficiency furnaces if the need arises with fast installation services offered to Ottawa and the Valley. Contact us today to see why we are a different type of company!

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