Your furnace keeps your house comfortable during the frigid winter months, so it’s annoying when something is off. One routine complaint is a furnace that continually turns on and shuts back off over and over. This problem is referred to as short cycling. It strains your heating system and could lead to pricey repairs or even early replacement.
Short cycling can be the result of for a few reasons. Before you schedule furnace repair, review the possible causes and how to take care of the issue.
1. Dirty Air Filter
The HVAC filter traps airborne dust, hair and other substances that could wreak havoc on furnace. If you don’t replace the filter frequently, it can become clogged and decrease the airflow. When this takes place, a safety device turns off the furnace to stop overheating. Inspect the filter, and if it’s dirty, replace it. From here on out, install a new filter every 30 to 90 days to prevent your furnace from short cycling.
2. Clogged Air Vents
A dirty filter isn’t the only thing that can reduce airflow and overheat your furnace. Walk around your home and look for shut or blocked air vents. For adequate system balance and performance, keep all registers open, even in unoccupied rooms.
3. Dirty Blower Wheel
The furnace blower uses blades that push air through the ductwork. If they are covered in dirt, the air won’t travel correctly, causing overheating and short cycling. Regularly changing the filter is the best method to prevent a dirty blower wheel. If the blades are already dirty, request furnace maintenance to have them cleaned.
4. Faulty Thermostat
Examine your thermostat next. This is the cortex of your HVAC system and tells the furnace what to do. Double-check the thermostat is set to heating mode and auto fan with the desired temperature shown on the screen. Try putting in new batteries. Also, check whether the thermostat is in direct sunlight or near a heat source that could influence the temperature reading. If you use a smart thermostat, visit the manufacturer’s site for troubleshooting tips.
5. Sooty Flame Sensor
The flame sensor is responsible for turning off the gas valve when no burner flame going. The sensor can’t find the flame if it’s sooty, so the gas switches off sooner and the furnace shuts down. Leave the work of repairing a sooty flame sensor to an Expert like Eveready Service Experts .
6. Oversized Furnace
When it comes to home comfort equipment, oversized isn’t always right. A larger system adds warmth to your residence too rapidly, causing unpleasant temperature changes and short cycling. The only way to resolve this problem is to do new furnace installation.
If you try the fixes we covered here and you’re still having issues, it’s time to call in the professionals at Eveready Service Experts . We’ll examine the situation, figure out the cause, and do the necessary work. Our priority is to reintroduce indoor comfort, energy efficiency and reliable furnace performance for the remainder of the season. And our repairs are supported by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more information about furnace short cycling, or to book HVAC repair, reach us at 804-548-4480 now!
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*Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.