I came home from work one night and my furnace stopped working. No sound no heat nothing. Could you tell me what could be wrong. Maybe could it be the fuse or thermastat?
2007-01-18 05:35:35 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Could be SEVERAL different things going on.
Check your fuses.
Turn your thermostat off and then on again. (Oh... and check the batteries in the T'stat if it takes them.)
How old is your furnace??? Older ones have a pilot light. Is it out?
Newer ones don't have a pilot light. They have what is called a "Hot Surface Ignitor" it glows like a toaster element. This could be cracked.
Also, newer furnaces have a circuit board in them. If you see a little tiny window anywhere on the furnace, look in that window and see if there are any lights blinking. Count those those blinks and after wards, remove the door panel and there should be a list of "light blinking codes" that will tell you what is actually happening.
Could be a dirty flame sensor. It's a little metal rod that sits directly in front of the last burner that fires up. If there is carbon build-up on it, it is not "sensing" the flame and, (on most furnaces), it will try to light 3 times, and then put the furnace on lockout for a few hours.
Go to your furnace and see if there is a on/off light switch by the furnace. If so, turn it off, (count to five), then turn it back on. This will reset your circuit board.
If you here the flames come on and then go off again after only a few seconds... The flame sensor is most likely the problem. It needs to be taken out and cleaned with some very fine sandpaper until it's nice and shiny again. Put it back in and it should work o.k.
If when you turn it back on, you hear the little "inducer motor" start up and after about 30 to 40 seconds later, you don't see the glow of the Hot Surface Ignitor, or don't hear the flames come on at all... Then the Hot Surface Ignitor is most likely cracked and you will need a new one.
Hope it's something that easy and CHEAP to fix and not like a circuit board going out or anything major.
Good Luck!
2007-01-18 06:01:34 · answer #1 · answered by Matty A 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To answer this we need to know: Is it gas, electric, wood, oil, etc., Is it central in a closet or big and in your basement. It it is electric look for you household breaker box and find the switch that is marked 40 or higher and in the off or half way positon, It there is a red marker on the switch that is it and you have to switch to off then back to on. This could also work on a natural gas furnace. The problem is that it may start the central unit but the reason it switched off is still there. There is a short in something or the motor has a problem a central man will have to check.
2007-01-18 13:53:05 · answer #2 · answered by Barchoo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check the breaker, make sure it is on. Turn the thermostat up, if you hear a click, it's probably ok. If the thermo is ok, most likely, the thermocouple is bad (if it's a gas furnace). Call an HVAC tech to replace. Shouldn't be more than $50 or so. Good luck.
2007-01-18 13:50:05 · answer #3 · answered by tim r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would help to know what type it is (I'll assume gas?)
Most common would likely be the thermopile if its an older model with a pilot light... which is that little thing on a wire that the pilot lite hits that tells the control that its lit, if the pilot goes out or the thermopile is bad it shuts the unit down and you have to relight the pilot and or replace the thermopile (cheap part)
There are several other possibilities as well, depending on the unit (bad electronic ignitor if its that type.. flame sensors etc etc)
2007-01-18 13:46:59 · answer #4 · answered by darchangel_3 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
check your circuit breaker/fuse panel to see if there is an issue there.
yes, also check your thermostat, especially if a programmable type.
there are few different scenario's, if the system is gas/fuel oil fired or an electric system.
if you have limited knowledge / experience beyond checking the earlier mentioned items, then stop after those steps and call a service technician.
2007-01-18 13:48:31 · answer #5 · answered by Good Guy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
without more info. the only thing i can tell you is to try shutting off the breaker for maybe 5 mins and see if it resets it self. make sure the switch on the thermostat didnt get switched to off or a/c
2007-01-18 13:46:02 · answer #6 · answered by mongo862001 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not Enough Info.
2007-01-18 16:00:33 · answer #7 · answered by bob r 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋