Most of us are in the thick of winter already, which means if your furnace hasn’t failed you yet, you’re in the clear, right?
WRONG.
Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to adequately maintaining your system and saving big money in the long haul (which makes a furnace tune-up well worth it if you haven’t done so this season!).
But for those who’ve recently encountered one common issue – a furnace blowing its fuse – before scheduling that tune-up, it may be due to one or more of the following reasons:
1. Dirt
If you haven’t been diligent about maintaining your furnace, all its parts will have been silently and steadily collecting debris and dust. Over time, grime from the air filter can migrate to the blower motor. This can cause the motor to overheat and burn out, which can cause the high limit to fail. When the high limit becomes coated with soot and debris, the connection will break and the limit will fail. To prevent this happening, have your furnace regularly maintained and cleaned.
2. Loose Wires
A working furnace naturally causes vibrations that can loosen internal wires. If a wire becomes loose, it can cause a short. Locating, fixing or replacing loose wiring is difficult to do by yourself. To help keep your furnace wires tight, be sure to have your furnace system regularly inspected and tuned up by Pronto.
3. Worn and/or Faulty Parts
These could include the following and may be indicated by strange noises emanating from your furnace:
- Starting Capacitor – If the capacitor that starts up the system is failing, this can cause intermittent electrical problems.
- Blower Motor – A failing blower motor draws too much power and may cause a short.
- Transformer – Your furnace needs a transformer to convert to the correct voltage to run the ignition, controls, and timers. If it’s failing, it can cause the system to short.
- Valves – When the valve is unable to open and close properly in a gas furnace, it can cause the furnace to overheat or not heat at all.
If you suspect any of the parts above may be to blame, be sure to contact an HVAC professional, like Pronto, for immediate assistance.
Trying to fix a furnace yourself can be frustrating, especially if problems occur during the winter when you need heat most. However, you can prevent such headaches with regular maintenance of your HVAC system. In the long term, this will save you money and prevent you from blowing your own fuse in frustration!
(And just in case the unthinkable does happen, rest easy – Pronto is available 365 days a year, including nights and weekends, for same day furnace repair!)
