Even though we’ve had a warmer than average winter here in East Tennessee, we’re still having the occasional blast of winter air, causing people to crank those furnaces up one more time. Any time there’s an increase in usage we receive an increase in calls for service on units that just aren’t performing properly. One common call during cold weather is for furnaces that just won’t shut off which, as nice as that can sound on a cold winter’s day, could be a big issue. However, before you pick up the phone, here’s a few simple steps you can take to ensure that there’s an actual problem with the unit, and that a service call is going to be necessary.
First, let’s determine what’s actually happening: is the air handler not turning off, or is the furnace itself not shutting down? You can determine this by feeling the air that’s blowing from the vent. If it’s cold, that means that your furnace is not running but the air handler is still blowing air. If the air is hot, obviously, the furnace is on.
If the air is cold, the first suspect is the thermostat. Check to make sure the fan is set to AUTO, and not to ON, which would cause it to run continuously. If it is indeed set to AUTO, trying turning the thermostat off. If the air handler still doesn’t stop, there’s most likely a problem with the thermostat itself, with the fan’s relay switch, or the pilot light has gone out. If the pilot light is out, you can attempt to relight it but, if that doesn’t work, or if it’s one of the other two potential issues, you can click HERE to get in touch with us for either issue, and we’ll be happy to come help!
If the air that the furnace is blowing is hot, that means that the furnace burners aren’t turning off. Two very common causes are that the thermostat is set too high, or the filters being dirty. Both are easy remedies, however, if neither is the case, contact us as soon as you can to speak to a professional and schedule service for your unit.
Sometimes, no matter what, an expert is needed to properly diagnose and service a malfunctioning furnace. If you find yourself in that position, we’d love to help! Click HERE or call 865-938-1005 to get in touch with us today!