Your furnace keeps your home cozy during the harsh winter months, so it’s frustrating when something is wrong. One routine issue is a furnace that continuously kicks on and turns off all the time. This issue is known as short cycling. It strains your heating system and may lead to costly repairs or even premature replacement.
Short cycling can happen for several reasons. Before you book furnace repair, read about the possible causes and how to resolve the situation.
1. Dirty Air Filter
The HVAC filter catches airborne dust, hair and other pollutants that could wreak havoc on furnace. If you don’t change the filter regularly, it can get clogged and reduce the airflow. When this happens, a safety mechanism shuts off the furnace to avoid getting too hot. Pull Out the filter, and if it’s dirty, get a new one. From here on out, replace the filter every 30 to 90 days to keep your furnace from short cycling.
2. Clogged Air Vents
A dirty filter isn’t the only trouble that can restrict airflow and overheat your furnace. Walk around your residence and check for shut or blocked air vents. For adequate system balance and performance, keep all registers open, even in unused rooms.
3. Dirty Blower Wheel
The furnace blower has blades that move air through the ductwork. If they are covered in dirt, the air won’t move correctly, creating overheating and short cycling. Regularly replacing the filter is the easiest approach to prevent a dirty blower wheel. If the blades are already dirty, schedule furnace maintenance to have them cleaned.
4. Faulty Thermostat
Inspect your thermostat next. This is the core of your HVAC system and tells the furnace what to do. Make sure the thermostat is on heating mode and auto fan with the desired temperature showing on the screen. Try changing the batteries. Also, check whether the thermostat is in direct sunlight or near a heat source that could impact the temperature reading. If you use a smart thermostat, visit the manufacturer’s site for troubleshooting instructions.
5. Sooty Flame Sensor
The flame sensor is responsible for turning off the gas valve when no burner flame going. The sensor can’t sense the flame if it’s covered in soot, so the gas turns off prematurely and the furnace turns off. Leave the work of repairing a dirty flame sensor to a pro like Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning.
6. Oversized Furnace
When it includes home comfort equipment, larger isn’t always right. An oversized system warms up your residence too fast, creating unpleasant temperature changes and short cycling. The only way to fix this issue is to do new furnace installation.
If you attempt the fixes we covered here and nothing has changed, it’s time to reach the Experts at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ll take a look at the situation, diagnose the cause, and do the necessary repair. Our priority is to reintroduce indoor comfort, energy efficiency and reliable furnace performance for all season long. And our work is supported by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for a year.* For more info about furnace short cycling, or to book HVAC repair, give us a call at 866-397-3787 today!
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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.