Furnace Repair in Grand Rapids Michigan Tips

There is no ideal time for a furnace to start giving trouble. In fact, in most cases, the furnace will stop working at the worst possible time. Usually because the furnace is working overtime on those cold Michigan nights. But there are some things that you can do as a homeowner to get the furnace back working so you don’t have to spend the night in the cold. This article looks at some of those things you can do for furnace repair in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Furnace Repair in Grand Rapids Michigan Tips

Most of the tips given in this article are for home owners. If you are uncomfortable doing any of the tips mentioned then by all means, don’t do them. If you are uncertain of any of the tips as well you’ll want to get more clarification by commenting below or by contacting an HVAC repair shop. Some of the tips are also to give you heat until a properly trained technician can give you furnace repair in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Make Sure Your Furnace is On and Powered

If your furnace is not running at all, first check the thermostat to the unit. Other people in your home may have turned the furnace off or the temperature down. Ensure that all switches are set to heat and the temperature is at a desired level. If you need to move the thermostat in order for the unit to come on then set it and wait. Some furnaces have a timer system in place that will keep the unit from coming on for about 5 minutes or so. So once you turn the thermostat on you need to wait at least 5 minutes before you deem it ineffective.

If the thermostat is set correctly and everything seems to be in order then you may need to check the circuit breakers to the furnace. Even for natural gas or propane furnaces you will still have circuit breakers controlling the power to the furnace. If this power is not on the furnace will likely not work properly since it’s needed to power fans and other electrical components.

Check the circuit breakers to your furnace to see if they are on. Sometimes circuit breakers will need to be reset before turning back on. You’ll need to completely turn it off, then turn it back on. If the breaker(s) turn right back off then chances are you have an electrical problem that needs to be addressed. Do not try to turn the breakers back on after this happens. It could mean a short in the system and a technician will need to check the system.

For Propane or Natural Gas Furnaces Try These Tips

When you home has a propane or natural gas furnace then these tips will apply to you. First you’ll need to check the pilot light if it’s visible to you. On some furnaces, you can re-light a pilot without removing any panels. If your pilot light is accessible you can attempt to re-light at your own risk. However, please do not remove any panels or components.

If your gas supply is stored in a outside tank be sure to check the gauge on the tank to ensure you do have propane or natural gas to power the unit. If you have a meter connected to your home with a gas line then be sure no one has turned the valve off to your home. If you read the gauge and there is no pressure on the line you may need to call the gas company and see if they are working on the line.

What Should You Do To Get Heat When Your Furnace Stops Working

Although most furnaces don’t have a redundant system in place to give you heat there is something that you can do in many cases. It’s called emergency heat  and many of the modern systems have this in place to give you heat in case parts of the system stop working. To use emergency heat you’ll need to set the thermostat to emergency heat. If your furnace has this option it will be located on the thermostat inside the home. This setting can give you some heat until a technician can get out to your home and help you with furnace repair in Grand Rapids Michigan. It’s important to note that emergency heat should only be used for a short time and it’s not meant to be used long term. Emergency heat will also cause your furnace to use more energy than normal and it is not a very energy efficient mode of operation for the furnace.