You touch the thermostat and your heater turns on, bringing warm, comforting air throughout your home. You still feel chilly a little while later and check the thermostat. For some reason, your home isn’t at the temperature you set it to, and the heater is off. You try turning it on again, and the same thing happens.
Your heater isn’t staying on long enough to get the job done. It could be one of several problems, so let’s talk through the most common ones and find out whether or not you’ll need heating repair in Haughton, LA.
Dirty Filters
The number one culprit of any heater malfunction: airflow. Your filter traps dirt, dust, and particles in the air because its primary job is to prevent dust buildup on the heater’s internal components. When dust builds up, it insulates your heater and causes it to overheat.
Heaters will automatically shut down when they overheat. If your heater is turning off before it’s supposed to, this could be why. Change out your air filters and try running your heater again. In the best-case scenario, this is all you’ll need. Air filters need to be changed every 30–90 days, so start keeping track of the last time your filter was changed out.
Heat Exchanger Is Overheating
Your heat exchanger can overheat even if the problem isn’t related to your air filters. The danger with heat exchangers is that they can crack from stress and leak carbon monoxide into your home.
If your heat exchanger is overheating, it could be because your furnace is actually too big. It’s sending too much heat into your heat exchanger. This issue doesn’t have a DIY fix.
Limit Switch is Dying
If your heat cycle ends almost immediately after it begins, the limit switch could be the issue. You can inspect your limit switch to find out if it’s simply tripped, but continuous tripping may be a sign that it’s on the way out and needs to be replaced.
Thermostat Needs to Be Recalibrated
Your thermostat reads the current air temperature and uses that as a signal to either turn your heater on or let it sit idle. If your thermostat isn’t detecting the temperature correctly, it could be due to a miscalibration. This is common on electronic thermostats.
If you have access to the manual that your thermostat came with, try using that to find out how to recalibrate it. If not, you may need to contact a professional to recalibrate it for you so you can make sure it’s done properly.
Diagnose and Repair Your Heating System
It’s difficult to diagnose your heating system on your own. There are so many working parts to take into account, and without professional experience, you may incorrectly diagnose a problem or think one part is failing when it’s actually just fine. With so much room for error, it’s time to contact the professionals and get this problem fixed as soon as possible.
Contact us today to diagnose the root problem behind your heater not staying on long enough, and repair it as quickly as possible.