The furnace is one of the most important parts of a house, especially in cold areas where houses need constant heating throughout the day. But due to the strain put on them by constant usage, furnaces need proper maintenance by professional furnace repair services.

Even after taking proper care of them furnaces often break down unexpectedly or develop small problems that need to be fixed quickly. Here are some of the best furnace troubleshooting tips that you can follow to see what’s wrong and how to fix that easily.

Check the Filter Periodically

The air filter is a crucial part of your furnace. Filters of furnaces often get dirty over time by accumulating dust and dirt mixed in the air outside. A clogged filter can decrease the efficiency of the furnace or even prevent it from turning on at all.

A good way to keep the filter clean and see when it needs a replacement is by checking it periodically. Homeowners can do this easily every 30 days or so. Just turn off the furnace before reaching the filter. Now pass light from the filter and see if it lets the light through. Partial passage of light could mean that the filter needs a clean-up, or you might need to change the filter and install a new one.

Keep the Thermostat in Good Condition

Another important thing that you have to take care of as a homeowner is keeping an eye on the thermostat of the furnace and making sure it works properly. Always put the thermostat 5 degrees above the room temperature to have nice and warm indoors.

Make a habit of regularly cleaning the thermostat that is if your furnace has a mechanical type of thermostat. Use a brush or something like that to gently clean the insides of the thermostat and keep the accumulated dust out. Keep the thermostat away from any other things that might transfer their energy into it and cause a false reading.

Flame Color Should Be Accurate

The color of the flame your furnace indicates the efficiency with which it burns the fuel. Blue flame indicates the highest level of efficiency. A healthy furnace flame should have a majority blue colored flame, with a small yellowish tip. Call an expert right away if your furnace produces any other flame color. Keep the flame of your furnace healthy and make sure no fuel is being wasted.

Be Careful With the Pilot Light

Furnace flame often goes off due to several reasons. If this has happened, you have to relight the flame in order to get the furnace to work once again. Be extra careful while relighting the flame.

Turn off the gas valve some time before delighting the furnace. Make sure there is no gas leakage, and if there is a leakage, leave the house right away and call a professional to get help.

Have Everything Working Properly

Many people complain that even after getting the furnaces to work properly, they don’t get enough heat inside their rooms. This problem is usually caused by partially blocked air ducts and vents in the house. So, to avoid having an inefficient heating system in your house, inspect all the vents and ducts and make sure that they are unblocked.

See If There’s Any Electrical Fault

Electrical faults are often overlooked in the case of furnaces. So, if your furnace isn’t working properly, you should check the furnace first and see if it’s turned off. If the switch of the furnace is working properly, then the second electrical part you should inspect is the electrical panel. See if any breaker is turned off and turn it on. You can further get through various other electrical problems that your furnace might be going through. Call a professional if you don’t know the know-how of electrical systems.

It Might Be the Safety Switch

All furnaces don’t have this function, but a lot of the modern ones do have a switch that pops out if you don’t put the furnace door back properly. This is done to make sure that no one gets hurt by the working furnace parts. Some safety switches just require you to close the furnace door properly, while some might require a replacement.

Conclusively, if you can’t fix furnace yourself, use furnace services Arlington VA to get it repaired from experts.