Furnace Repair and Heating Repair North New Jersey
Experience fast, reliable, and affordable HVAC services from a trusted family-owned business. From same-day repairs to energy-efficient upgrades, we’re here to keep your home cozy and worry-free.
When your furnace won’t start, tackling the problem yourself can feel pretty overwhelming. Fixing your furnace might feel like a daunting process when your heat won’t power on, but it doesn’t have to be. There are several fast, low-cost fixes you can do by yourself to avoid a furnace repair call. If your furnace won’t turn on, won’t stay on or won’t ignite, try the troubleshooting list below before contacting an HVAC professional. If you find you need help from a heating and cooling pro and live in Sussex County, Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc. can help you. We can repair most makes of heating systems and also provide emergency furnace repair.
If you’re ready for a new heating system, we also do furnace installation. Join our comfort club and avoid expensive repairs in the future. We can tell you how often your furnace should be examined by one of our NATE-certified professionals. Use our easy guide below to get started on troubleshooting your furnace. Most of these steps don’t require mechanical know-how.
1. Check the Thermostat
To begin, make sure your thermostat is instructing your furnace to start
Digital Thermostat
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 problems overriding the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and press the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to ignite if the thermostat programming is causing a problem.
Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.
If your furnace hasn’t kicked on within a couple minutes, make sure it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t run, your furnace could be without power.
Smart Thermostat
If you have a smart thermostat—like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get your Smart thermostat to work, call us at 973-270-9244 for heating and cooling service.
2. Examine Breakers and Switches
Next, you will need to check if your breaker and furnace switches are on.
Look for your house’s main electrical panel. If you have no idea where it is, look 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.
Locate 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.
Firmly switch the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” leave it alone and get in touch with a professional from Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Inc. at 973-270-9244 right away.
3. Replace the Air Filter
When it comes to furnace issues, a dirty, clogged air filter is often the top culprit.
If your filter is too dirty:
- Your furnace won’t be able to 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 stop working prematurely because a dirty filter causes it to work overtime.
- Your furnace can be cut off 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:
- Turn off your furnace.
- Remove the filter and tilt it toward the light. If you can’t see light through it, replace it.
- Put in the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the furnace to avoid damage.
Flat filters should be replaced once a month, while pleated filters should last about three months. You can also get 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 often.
To make the process go more quickly in the future, use a permanent marker on your furnace housing or ductwork to indicate the airflow direction and filter size.
4. Inspect the Condensate Pan
Otherwise known as drain pans, condensate pans catch water your furnace draws from the air.
If water is leaking 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 isn’t full. If it needs to be drained, use a special pan-cleaning tablet you can purchase at home improvement or hardware stores.
- If your pan contains a pump, check the float switch. If the switch is stuck “up” with liquid in the pan, contact us at 973-270-9244, because you will possibly need a new pump.
5. Check for Furnace Error Codes
If malfunctions keep on happening, look inside your furnace’s plastic window to verify the status of the blower motor. Depending on the model, the light could also be attached on the outside of your furnace.
If you see anything other than a steady, colored light or blinking green light, call us at 973-270-9244 for HVAC service. Your furnace may be communicating an error code that needs professional service.
6. Clean the Flame Sensor
If your furnace tries to start but shuts off without putting out heat, a dirty flame sensor could be at fault. When this takes place, your furnace will attempt to ignite 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:
- Shut off 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.
- Remove the furnace’s front panel and track the wire to the flame sensor.
- Unscrew the flame sensor and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to gently rub the flame sensor.
- Wipe off the flame sensor with a paper towel.
- Remount the sensor.
- Replace the furnace doors.
- Turn the furnace’s power back on. It might go through a series of checks before resuming regular operation. If your furnace doesn’t start, the sensor may need to be replaced or something else might be wrong. If this happens, contact us at 973-270-9244 for heating and cooling repair assistance.
7. Relight the Pilot Light
To begin, make sure your thermostat is instructing your furnace to start
Digital Thermostat
If you have an older furnace, the pilot light could be out. To relight it, find the instructions on a label on your furnace, or follow these steps.
- Locate 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, get in touch with us at 973-270-9244 for furnace service.
Check Your Fuel Source
Try turning on another gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service could be turned off, or you could be out of propane.
What Our Customers Are Saying
Need HVAC Service? Get Expert Help Now!
We Can Help with HVAC Repair Followed our troubleshooting guide but your furnace still won’t work?
Call us today at 973-270-9244 or contact us online. We’ll come out and figure out the problem.
- 15 Mill Street, Branchville, NJ 07826
- 973-270-9244
- info@willcohvac.com
Request Service