We understand that doing repairs around the house on your own is an excellent way to save money. This doesn’t apply to all parts of the house, however! Some jobs require professional training and tools to do correctly. In the case of a gas furnace, the repairs not only need trained technicians to do the work accurately but also to do the work safely.
Simply put: it is dangerous for anyone who is not licensed to work on gas appliances to attempt to repair any device hooked up to a gas main, and that includes a household gas furnace. In most jurisdictions, non-licensed work is illegal, since it can create a general danger to the neighborhood if there’s a fire. Even amateur furnace work that appears to have gotten the job done may mask a slow problem that will result in toxic carbon monoxide entering the house. Amateur DIY efforts are not worth it! For furnace repair in Levittown, PA, only call experts like our technicians.
On the other hand … you aren’t helpless!
Now that we’ve offered a stern advisory against trying to make any repairs to your malfunctioning gas furnace by yourself, you do have some options to check on your furnace’s status. Basic troubleshooting steps can often uncover a simple cause for the furnace problems and you won’t need to call for professionals. These aren’t “repairs,” since you won’t be opening up the furnace and getting out the tools. Here are some troubleshooting tips for a gas furnace that’s not working right.
- Check the gas valves: If the furnace is struggling to turn on, there may not be enough gas flowing to the burners. Check the gas valves to see that they are fully open. One may have become stuck.
- Check for tripped circuit breakers: A gas furnace may burn natural gas, but it also uses electricity to run multiple components. If the furnace overwhelms its circuit, it will trip the circuit breaker and prevent the furnace from working. Check your home’s electrical panel to see if there are tripped breakers and reset them. (If the problem continues, you’ll need to call for a professional.)
- Secure the front panel of the furnace: As a safety precaution, furnaces will not run if their front panel is open. Make sure that the panel on your furnace is securely shut, as a loose panel could be the reason the furnace isn’t working.
- Examine the thermostat: Sometimes the problem with a furnace really is as simple as the wrong settings on the thermostat. Someone in the house may have adjusted the thermostat without your knowledge, or a different program may have activated that’s causing the furnace to behave oddly.
- Change a dirty furnace filter: The furnace will struggle and may overheat and shut down if it had a congested filter. The filter should be changed every 1 to 3 months, and if yours is overdue, it may be why you’ve got furnace trouble.
When troubleshooting won’t solve the problem, you can reach the Dowd Mechanical team 24/7 for repairs that will restore your furnace.
Contact Dowd Mechanical Heating & Air Conditioning when you need great furnace repair. A Degree Above the Rest!
