Some Glenwood Springs, Aspen, and Vail, CO homeowners can find themselves with a real head scratcher when it comes to their heating systems: They know the thermostat is working and the central air system itself is still in good shape, but for one reason or another, the house heater is not working. While it may sound odd, this is not an unusual problem. In fact, there are several reasons why this could happen and generally requires a heating system repair or, at the very least, more maintenance on your heater (for the purposes of this conversation I will use the terms heater & furnace interchangeably.).
Safety shut offs
Nearly all furnaces manufactured after the 1990s are equipped with a safety switch or safety shut off. If a problem is detected that could cause a dangerous situation, these devices shut things down, so the house heater is not working. No matter what you do to the thermostat, the furnace will never turn on until the problem is found and fixed. Some reasons these safety shut offs kick in are:
- Extremely dirty or clogged air filters
- Dirty evaporator coils
- Condensate drain pipes clogged
- Broken wires
- Damaged control board
- Dead blower motors
Nearly all these scenarios require a heating system repair by a professional technician before the furnace will start working.
Where’s the gas?
There are situations where the furnace is not getting any natural gas (or other type of fuel) to ignite. Sometimes it’s because of a sticky gas valve, a bad control board, or a problem with your gas supply (an empty tank if you have propane). If you have other gas appliances in the house and they are working properly, you’ll likely need a service call to determine why your house heater is not working.
An ounce of prevention
In this case, Climate Control is talking about maintenance. It can go a long way toward preventing the problem of your home heater not working. Our experience is homeowners often underestimate the importance and effectiveness of regular furnace maintenance. There are many benefits to seasonal tune-ups including:
- Motors spin freely without resistance
- Fuel burns cleanly without wasting gas
- The furnace doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the home comfortable
- Less work means less damage to furnace components
Add it up and maintenance means saving money on monthly utility bills, extending the life of your furnace, and reducing the likelihood you will need a heating system repair.
We are here to help
Whatever heating system you have in your Glenwood Springs, Aspen, or Vail, CO home, Climate Control Company will keep you warm during a Rocky Mountain winter, something we’ve been doing since 1956. Call us and discover why our motto is, “Comfort Driven, Colorado Style.” Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
