How to Tell If Your Furnace Is Short-Cycling & What to Do

The chill in the air means that winter is on its way. The freezing temperatures are likely to bring discomfort to your home. Make sure that you keep your family safe and warm from frigid nights by checking your furnace. It should be in perfect working condition. Any furnace issues should be fixed immediately. Some furnace problems are easier to fix than others. However, a problem like short-cycling needs professional attention. This issue is when your furnace runs then shuts off and starts again in short intervals.

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How Can I Tell If My Furnace Is Short Cycling?

A furnace that works as it should will turn on and run until it reaches the desired temperature. After this, it will shut off while your house maintains the heat level. It will switch on once the temperatures drop, but this usually takes a while. However, a short-cycling furnace will turn on and off in quick successions. It will not reach the set temperature. This constant turning on and off will wear out the furnace. As a result, your house will still feel cold even though the furnace is running.

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Causes Of Furnace Short Cycling

Short cycling must be fixed immediately. It drastically reduces your home’s energy efficiency. Not only that, but it also damages your furnace while your house remains cold and uncomfortable. Short cycling can be due to several reasons. The right fix will depend on the cause. Listed below are a few of the reasons your furnace is short cycling:

Dirty HVAC Air Filter

A dirty furnace filter can cause short cycling. A filter that is caked by pollutants does not allow proper airflow. Therefore, the furnace is unable to cool down properly. You will notice the air coming out of the vents is hotter than it should be as well. The heat will continue to increase until the furnace automatically switches off as built-in protection. Make sure to clean washable filters and replace disposable ones on a regular basis.

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Thermostat Is In The Wrong Spot

The thermostat is equipped with sensors to determine the temperature inside your home. This allows it to regulate the furnace per what the thermostat senses indoors. If the thermostat is placed on the wrong spot, it might not work as it should. You might have put it next to a direct heat source like a heating vent. This will tamper with its sensor readings. It will think that the house has already reached the set temperature and, consequently, it shuts the furnace down. Ensure that the thermostat is located in a neutral spot that is far from anything that can affect its sensors.

Bad Furnace Flame Sensor

A bad flame sensor means that the flame will go out as soon as it is lighted. The flame sensor monitors the gas valve. This is a safety precaution that ensures raw gas does not circulate throughout your house. It shuts the valve when there is no flame. A faulty sensor closes the gas valve even when it is needed. Cleaning might do the trick, but the sensor needs to be replaced if it doesn’t. Contact a professional HVAC tech to help you.

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The Furnace Is Overheating

Your heating system has a built-in safety measure to protect it from damage. Its job is to provide heating for your home, but that does not mean that your furnace can’t overheat. Overheating is usually caused by blocked vents, dirty filters, and other furnace problems. If the furnace temperature reaches dangerous levels, the furnace will shut off automatically. This will prevent further furnace damage like a cracked heat exchanger. Fatal doses of carbon monoxide can leak through these cracks, so this safety feature is vital.

Blocked Heating Air Vents

The air vents are where heated air is distributed throughout your home. When these are blocked, the hot air gets trapped inside and overheat the furnace. The furnace will short cycle until this issue is fixed. HVAC air vents are typically controlled via the dampers. It lets you control whether a room receives warm air or not. This control mechanism helps you be more energy efficient. However, keep in mind that at least 75 percent of these events must be open at all times. Having most of your vents closed might end up overheating your furnace.

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Blocked Exhaust Vent

Make sure that your exhaust vents are always open. Check if anything is blocking them. Snow might have piled up, or a nearby shrub might have grown too large. Remove these blockages immediately. Check the exhaust vent from time to time to ensure that it is not blocked. If a dangerous animal is blocking it, call animal control to help you remove them. It is always better to be safe than to expose yourself to harm’s way.

Furnace Is Too Large

Bigger is not always better. This applies to your furnace size. You might think it will work best for your house, but excess capacity will only lead to short cycling. The furnace parts will wear out quicker, hot and cold spots will be present in your home, and you will notice an increase in your heating bills. This problem can only be fixed by replacing the too large furnace with one that is sized correctly. An HVAC technician can conduct the required calculation to ensure that you have the size, make, and model that best suits your home heating needs.

 

Conclusion

Make sure your home is ready for winter by resolving all furnace issues immediately. If you think your heating unit is short cycling, look into the possible cause using the clues above. Get professional assistance from an HVAC tech. They can help find the solution and repair it as soon as possible. This way, you get to enjoy using your heating system for a long time.

Call Skylands Energy Service For All Of Your HVAC Requirements

Skylands Energy Service provides superior HVAC services in central New Jersey. Our company hires the best trained and certified technicians. We conduct excellent heating and cooling services like furnace repairs, boiler installations, ductless system replacements, furnace maintenance, and more. Each of our friendly technicians has extensive knowledge and experience to conduct fast and accurate HVAC services.

Skylands Energy Service guarantees affordable HVAC rates in the area. Our tune-ups can improve your home comfort and energy efficiency. It will also help keep your home energy costs in check. If you are looking for an HVAC replacement unit, we can provide you with the one that best suits your needs and budget. All our work comes with a guarantee. Your satisfaction is important to us. Schedule a service appointment by calling Skylands Energy Service today. We provide free, in-home estimates.

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How To Tell If An Ignitor On A Gas Furnace Is Working

A common repair with a gas furnace is when the gas furnace ignitor not working. When you recognize that the ignitor of your gas furnace is starting to malfunction, you can avoid a lot of stress. You can also decide if you can deal with the problem on your own or if you need to call in a skilled HVAC professional.

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How To Recognize When Your Gas Furnace Ignitor Is Not Functioning Properly

The workings of the ignitor of a gas furnace are not common knowledge. This article offers an explanation of how to recognize furnace ignitor troubles. Furthermore, this article shares pointers for recognizing when it is time to rely on a professional HVAC technician.

Ignition Systems On Gas Furnaces

Older furnaces relied on pilot lights to ignite the gas that burned to warm your home. The pilot light was always lit. When it was time for the furnace to start a heat cycle, valves opened and released and exposed gas to the pilot light. It ignited, burned, and brought heat to the home. Unfortunately, everything relied on the pilot light. If the pilot light went out, there was no way to ignite the gas coming through the valves. Consequently, the home would have no heat.

Today’s furnaces rely on electronic ignitors. These systems can be divided into two groups: pilot systems that are intermittent or ignition systems that rely on a hot surface.

A spark in the intermittent pilot system turns on the pilot light, as opposed to the old pilot light that burned continually. There is a sensor connected to the gas valves that can detect when the pilot is lit. When detected, the valves open, the burner is lit, and heat is produced. The hot surface system ignition sends electricity to the area of the burners. Once the electricity has heated up the area to a specified temperature, the gas is released to the burner and lit.

One advantage of these newer systems is that the pilot light is turned off after the furnace is running. Not having a pilot that is continually lit means more efficient operation.

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Failure Of The Furnace’s Electronic Ignition

If the electronic ignition doesn’t light, the burners cannot light, and there is no heat. Electronic ignition failure in a gas furnace means a furnace that cannot do its job.

A problem that is similar is the delayed ignition. If you hear a bang before the ignition, you can be pretty sure that you are dealing with delayed ignition. However, a delayed ignition carries a danger. Gases can accumulate if the ignitor fails repeatedly. This calls for immediate professional help from your HVAC company.

In either scenario, the end result is the same- no heat.

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Reasons For Furnace Ignitor Failure

Some of the more commonly encountered reasons for furnace ignitor failure include:

A Furnace Ignitor That Is Damaged

An ignitor will not last the life of your furnace. They wear out and/or become damaged. A certified HVAC technician can determine the condition of the gas furnace ignitor and know if it needs a replacement. To determine this, the professional must remove the panel to access the ignitor and assess the amount of damage. This process includes removing the wires to the ignitor and using a tool called a multimeter to test it.

Incorrect Ignitor Installed In The Furnace

Common sense dictates that ignition failure is an expected result of an ignitor that has the wrong voltage for the job at hand.

A Malfunctioning Limit Switch On The Furnace

All furnaces have a limit switch. This switch keeps the temperatures from reaching an unsafe level. A filter clogged with dirt may make the switch think temperatures are getting too high. Consequently, it may turn the ignitor off before it should. There are also various mechanical issues that can inhibit the ignitor.

Power Surges

Power surges can burn out the furnace ignitor. This is most likely to happen with the filaments that carry the warming electricity in the hot surface ignitor.

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Tips For Troubleshooting The Electronic Ignitor On Your Furnace

A little basic knowledge can help a homeowner with furnace troubleshooting. It will give you an idea of what the problem could be and help you communicate more effectively with a professional. Here are some basic troubleshooting ideas:

Check The Source Of Power

Check out the power source and determine if the circuit breaker has been tripped. It could be that simple.

Reset The Furnace Ignitor

Before attempting to reset the ignitor, make sure the power source for it has been turned off by flipping the circuit switch. Find the burner door on the furnace and look behind it to find the ignitor. Turn it to “OFF” and wait for five minutes. After you wait, turn it back on and return the door to the burner. It is important to make sure the switch on the door is properly engaged. By flipping the circuit switch back on, you will reconnect to the power source, and hopefully, the furnace will work properly.

Get In Touch With A Professional HVAC Company

It is tempting to try and save a few dollars with a DIY home furnace repair. However, when it comes to HVAC repairs, resist the urge. An untrained repair can cause costly damage, can postpone the comfort of a home, can add to stress levels, and even cause a threat to the health of loved ones.

There are many unknowns in furnace repair. Consider the furnace ignitor. Replacing an old ignitor may seem relatively easy, but there are details the amateur is not aware of. Even tasks that seem simple require a level of expertise. Naturally, enough basic knowledge of your furnace’s functioning will allow you to communicate effectively with your local HVAC company. It is good to arm yourself with a little information.

Allow a skilled technician, trained in HVAC repair, to set your mind at ease. Contact your local HVAC professionals for timely and quality furnace repair.

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Call Skylands Energy Service For All Of Your Furnace Repair Requirements

When looking for an excellent HVAC system repair company, do not hesitate to contact Skylands Energy Service. We will be happy to assist you. We provide free, no-obligation, in-home consultations.

Skylands Energy Service hires only the best licensed and certified HVAC technicians. Our services include HVAC maintenance, installations, repairs, and replacements. Rest assured that we can fix your HVAC system correctly and on time. All our heating and cooling services are affordable. When you need to replace your current system, we can help you find the best one that suits your needs and budget. Schedule an appointment by calling us today.

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