HomeAnswersFive mistakes homeowners make before calling for furnace repair
Five mistakes homeowners make before calling for furnace repair
1. Resetting it repeatedly instead of reading the error
Most modern furnaces flash a diagnostic code or show one on the control board. That code tells a technician what the unit already knows. Resetting the furnace without noting the code erases the evidence and can turn a simple repair into a longer diagnostic.
2. Changing the filter after the problem, not before
A clogged filter causes overheating, short cycling, and frozen coils in cooling season. Homeowners often replace it after the furnace misbehaves and then report that the filter was new.
3. Blocking the return air
Furniture, boxes, and rugs against the return grille starve the system of air. It is the most common cause of a furnace that runs constantly and heats poorly.
4. Assuming the thermostat is innocent
A thermostat with a dead battery, a wrong schedule, or a heat pump setting on a furnace system will behave exactly like a broken furnace. Check the display and the mode before booking anything.
5. Waiting for the weekend cold snap
Every heating company in the metro books out during the first hard freeze. A Tuesday afternoon visit in October costs the same as a Saturday night visit in January, and it is easier to get.
If none of that fixes it
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