Furnace Repair in Laurel, MD

First, make sure your thermostat is instructing your furnace to ignite.

Change the batteries if the screen is blank. If the digital screen is jumbled, the thermostat may need to be replaced.

Make sure the switch is set to “heat” rather than “off” or “cool.”

Ensure the program is set to the appropriate day and time and is set to “run.” If you’re having a hard time overriding the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and press the “hold” button. This will make the furnace to turn on if thermostat programming is causing a problem.

Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.

If your furnace hasn’t turned on within several minutes, make sure it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t start, your furnace may not have power.

If you have a smart thermostat—like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get your Wi-Fi thermostat to work, call us at 301-960-3247 for heating and cooling service.

Next, you will need to check if your breaker and furnace switch are on.

Find your house’s main electrical panel. If you don’t know where it is, search for a gray metal box in your basement, garage or closet.

Make sure your hands and feet are dry before touching the panel or breakers.

Look for the breaker labeled “furnace” or “heat,” and make sure it’s switched “on.” If the breaker has tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” position.

Using one hand, firmly switch the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” don’t try to reset it and get in touch with a professional from H&C Heating and Cooling at 301-960-3247 right away.

No matter your furnace’s age or brand, it has at least one standard wall switch located on or close to it.

Make sure the switch is flipped up in the “on” position. If it was turned off, expect your furnace to take up to five minutes to ignite. (If you don’t know where to find your furnace, check your basement, garage or utility closet. It could also be in a crawl space or attic.)

When it comes to furnace problems, a filthy, clogged air filter is frequently to blame.

If your filter is too dirty:

• Your furnace won’t stay on, or it could overheat from restricted airflow.
• Your energy bills could increase because your furnace is turning on more often.
• Your furnace could fail sooner than it should because a dirty filter causes it to work harder.
• Your furnace can be disconnected from power if an excessively dirty filter causes the breaker to trip.

Depending on what model of furnace you own, your air filter will be inside the blower compartment of your furnace, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

To replace your filter:

1. Turn off your furnace.
2. Pull out the filter and angle it toward the light. If you can’t see light through it, use a new one.
3. Add the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the furnace to avoid damage.

Flat filters should be replaced monthly, while pleated filters should last about three months. You can also use a washable filter that will last about 10 years. If you have children or pets, you may have to put in a new filter more frequently.

To make the process go more quickly in the future, use a permanent marker on your furnace housing or ductwork to show the airflow direction and filter size.

Also known as drain pans, condensate pans capture water your furnace pulls from the air.

If water is dripping out of your furnace or its pan has standing water in it, follow these steps.

• If your pan has a drain (look for a PVC pipe), check that it’s clear. If it needs to be drained, use a special pan-cleaning tablet you can buy at home improvement or hardware stores.
• If your pan has a pump, take a look at the float switch. If the switch is stuck “up” with water in the pan, contact us at 301-960-3247, because you will likely need a new pump.

If malfunctions continue, look inside your furnace’s plastic window to confirm the status of the blower motor. Depending on the model, the light could also be mounted on the outside of your furnace.

If you see anything else besides a steady, colored light or blinking green light, call us at 301-960-3247 for HVAC service. Your furnace may be emitting an error code that requires professional help.

If your furnace tries to start but shuts off without blowing heat, a dirty flame sensor could be to blame. When this takes place, your furnace will make an attempt to start three times before a safety feature turns it off for about an hour.

If you feel comfortable with opening up your furnace, cleaning your flame sensor is something you can do by yourself. Or, one of our heating service experts can do it for you.

If you want to clean the sensor yourself, you’ll need:

• A 1/4” hex screwdriver or wrench
• Piece of light grit sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth
• A dry, clean paper towel

Next:

• Disable the furnace’s power by using its wall switch or breaker. If your gas valve is not electric, you will need to shut off the gas as well.
• Take off the furnace’s front panel and follow the wire to the flame sensor.
• Unscrew the rod and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to carefully rub the metal rod.
• Wipe off the rod with a paper towel.
• Remount the sensor.
• Replace the furnace doors.
• Turn the furnace’s power back on. It might proceed through a sequence of checks before resuming usual operation. If your furnace doesn’t turn on, the sensor may need to be replaced or something else may be wrong. If this happens, call us at 301-960-3247 for heating and cooling repair assistance.

If you are using an older furnace, the pilot light could be extinguished. To relight it, find the instructions on a label on your furnace, or follow these steps.

• Look for the switch on the bottom of your furnace labeled “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
• Turn the switch to the “off” position.
• Wait at least five minutes to avoid possibly starting a fire.
• Turn the knob to “pilot.”
• Hold down the “reset” button as you bring the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
• Release the “reset” button once the pilot light is lit.

If you have followed the instructions twice and the pilot light still won’t light or stay lit, call us at 301-960-3247 for furnace service.

Try using another gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service could be turned off, or you could be out of propane.