Your furnace keeps your family cozy during the frigid winter months, so it’s annoying when something is wrong. One routine complaint is a furnace that endlessly switches on and shuts back off again. This issue is called short cycling. It stresses your heating system and might lead to costly repairs or even early failure.
Short cycling can be caused by for varying reasons. Before you book furnace repair, research the likely causes and how to take care of the situation.
1. Filthy Air Filter
The HVAC filter traps airborne dust, hair and other debris that could wreak havoc on furnace. If you don’t replace the filter often enough, it can eventually be Filthy and reduce the airflow. When this takes place, a safety device switches off the furnace to stop getting too hot. Inspect the filter, and if it’s dirty, replace it. From here on out, change the filter every 30 to 90 days to prevent your furnace from short cycling.
2. Blocked Air Vents
A dirty filter isn’t the only thing that can reduce airflow and overheat your furnace. Walk around your residence and look for shut or obstructed air vents. For proper system balance and performance, keep all registers open, even in unused rooms.
3. Dirty Blower Wheel
The furnace blower uses blades that distribute air through the ductwork. If they are covered in dirt, the air won’t flow correctly, causing overheating and short cycling. Routinely changing the filter is the best way to avoid a dirty blower wheel. If the blades are already dirty, book furnace maintenance to have them cleaned.
4. Faulty Thermostat
Inspect your thermostat next. This is the brain of your HVAC system and gives the furnace instructions on what to do. Ensure the thermostat is set to heating mode and auto fan with the desired temperature shown on the screen. Try changing the batteries. Also, check whether the thermostat is in full sunlight or near a heat source that could influence the temperature reading. If you rely on a smart thermostat, visit the manufacturer’s site for troubleshooting instructions.
5. Soot-Covered Flame Sensor
The flame sensor switches off the gas valve when no burner flame is present. The sensor can’t sense the flame if it’s sooty, so the gas switches off sooner and the furnace turns off. Leave the work of fixing a faulty flame sensor to a pro like Service Experts.
6. Oversized Furnace
When it includes heating and cooling equipment, bigger isn’t always right. An oversized system heats up your house too rapidly, causing uncomfortable temperature changes and short cycling. The only way to take care of this situation is to do new furnace installation.
If you try the resolutions we went over here and nothing has changed, it’s time to contact the pros at Service Experts. We’ll examine the situation, pinpoint the cause, and perform the necessary repair. Our goal is to bring back indoor comfort, energy efficiency and reliable furnace performance for the rest of the season. And our work is backed by Service Experts Guarantee.* For more information about furnace short cycling, or to book HVAC repair, give us a call at (866) 963-7996 now!
—
*Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. Service Experts Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.
