Some Things That Can Go Wrong On An Electric Furnace And Leave You In The Cold
There are few things more miserable than being without heat when it's cold outside. That's why it's so important to keep your furnace in good repair. If your furnace starts making odd noises or smells like it's burning, call a repair service for help before it breaks down. Here are a few things that can malfunction on an electric furnace and the repairs that might be needed.
A Power Supply Problem
If a circuit breaker has tripped or a fuse is blown, your furnace won't have the power it needs to operate. If your furnace isn't running at all, check the electrical panel first. If the breaker has tripped, flip it back on and see if the problem is solved.
If the breaker isn't off, then check the furnace fuses next. You may need to check your owner's manual to find out where the fuses are located. If you don't feel comfortable checking the fuses, call a heating repair company for help. They can send someone to check the fuses and if one is bad, they'll make sure to put in a proper replacement.
A Heating Element Problem
Your electric furnace probably has multiple heating elements. The number varies by manufacturer. If one element goes bad, it will affect how well your furnace heats up your home. Your burners may not even kick on at all, and then your house will get cold fast.
Sometimes, a problem with the burners is due to a bad sequencer. A sequencer is responsible for turning the burners on one at a time. Otherwise, the burners will all turn on at once and trip the breaker or blow a fuse. A heating repair technician can determine if the problem is a heating element or the sequencer. Both of these parts can be replaced if they go bad.
A Circulation Problem
A blower wheel spins and pushes warm air through the ducts to heat up your house. If the wheel doesn't spin as it should, or if it doesn't spin at all, your house can't get warm. A blower wheel might have trouble spinning if it's too dirty. In that case, the heating repair technician can take the wheel out and clean it.
A bad capacitor can also cause the blower to malfunction. The capacitor supplies additional power to the motor so it can get the wheel started spinning. If the capacitor is bad, the motor might not be able to turn the wheel. The motor itself could also be bad. A heating repair technician can test these parts to see what's causing the malfunction. The motor or capacitor can be exchanged with a new part if needed.
For more information, contact a heating service near you.
