Furnace Repair in Payson, AZ

1. Check the Thermostat

First, make sure your thermostat is telling your heater to start.

Digital Thermostat

• Change the batteries if the screen is blank. If the digital monitor is messed up, the thermostat may need to be swapped out.
• Ensure the switch is set to “heat” rather than “off” or “cool.”
• Make certain the program is showing the correct day and time and is set to “run.” If you’re having trouble overriding the setting, regulate the temperature by using the up/down arrows and holding the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to ignite if thermostat is causing trouble.
• Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees above the temperature of the room.

If your heat hasn’t started within a few minutes, make certain that it has power by moving the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t begin to run, your heater may not have power.

Smart Thermostat

If you use a smart thermostat—such as one manufactured by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for support. If you’re still unable to get your Wi-Fi thermostat to operate, contact us at 928-263-8570 for heating and cooling service.

2. Examine Breakers and Switches

Next, verify your breaker and furnace switch are on.

• Find your main electrical panel. If you have no idea where it is, look for a metallic metal box in your basement, garage or closet.
• Make sure your hands and feet are dry in advance of opening the panel or breakers.
• Look for the breaker marked “furnace” or “heat,” and double-check it’s switched “on.” If the breaker has tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” area.
• Using one hand, quickly switch the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” don't try to reset it and contact a team member from North Mechanical Heating and Cooling at 928-263-8570 immediately.

Regardless of your furnace’s age or brand, it has at minimum one ordinary wall switch located on or close to it.

• Ensure the switch is facing up in the “on” spot. If it was turned off, expect your furnace to take up to five minutes to ignite. (If you don’t know where your furnace is located, look in your basement, garage or utility closet. It might also be in a crawl space or attic.)

3. Get a New Air Filter

When it comes to heater problems, a dirty, full air filter is often the top culprit.

If your filter is too grungy:

• Your heat won’t be able to stay on, or it may get too warm from limited airflow.
• Your gas costs may increase because your heating system is turning on more often.
• Your heating system may fail sooner than it should since a dusty filter causes it to overwork.
• Your heating system might be disconnected from power if an extremely clogged filter causes the breaker to trip.

Depending on what model of heating system you use, your air filter will be in the interior of the blower compartment of your heating system, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

To swap out your filter:

• Switch off your heater.
• Pull out the filter and tilt it toward the light. If you can’t notice light through it, use a new one.
• Put in the new filter with the arrow motioning toward the heater to prevent damage.

Flat filters need to be replaced once a month, while pleated filters should last about three months. If you have children or pets, you may have to change your filter sooner.

To make the procedure smoother in the future, write with a permanent writing tool on your heating system outside or ductwork to list the airflow direction and filter size.

4. Look at the Condensate Pan

Commonly known as drain pans, condensate pans hold moisture your furnace pulls from the air.

If liquid is seeping from within your heating system or its pan has standing water in it, try these recommendations.

• If your pan has a drain (look for a PVC pipe), make sure that it isn’t full. If it should be drained, drop in a special pan-cleaning tablet you can get at home improvement or hardware stores.
• If your pan uses a pump, take a look at the float switch. If the switch is jammed “up” with water in the pan, call us at 928-263-8570, because you will possibly have to install a new pump.

5. Look for Furnace Error Codes

If malfunctions continue, peek inside your heater’s plastic window to confirm the blower motor’s status. Subject to the type, the light could also be fixed on the exterior of your heating system.

If you see anything else besides a solid, colored light or blinking green light, contact us at 928-263-8570 for HVAC service. Your furnace might be emitting an error code that needs specialized service.

6. Clean the Flame Sensor

If your furnace makes an effort to run but switches off without distributing heat, a dusty flame sensor might be to blame. When this takes place, your heating system will make an attempt to start three times before a safety device powers it down for approximately an hour.

If you feel confident with removing the panels from your heating system, cleaning your flame sensor is something you have the ability to do yourself. Or, one of our heating service professionals can do it for you.

If you are confident cleaning the sensor yourself, you require:

• A 1/4” hex screwdriver or wrench
• Piece of light grit sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth
• An unused paper towel

Next:

• Turn off the heater’s power through its wall switch or breaker. If your furnace’s gas valve isn’t electric, you must shut off the gas along with it.
• Lift off the heating system’s front panel and trace the wire to the flame sensor.
• Take off the rod and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to carefully clean the metal rod.
• Clean the rod with a paper towel.
• Put the sensor back in.
• Put the furnace doors back on.
• Turn the furnace’s power back on. It may go through a series of inspections before continuing normal running. If your heater doesn’t ignite, the sensor may need to be replaced or something else could be causing a problem. If this occurs, call us at 928-263-8570 for heating and cooling repair help.

7. Reignite the Pilot Light

If you own an outdated heater, the pilot light could be extinguished. To relight it, locate the directions on a sticker on your furnace, or follow these steps.

• Locate the toggle below your heating system labeled “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
• Turn the switch to the “off” position.
• Wait at least five minutes to prevent creating a fire.
• Turn the knob to “pilot.”
• Press the “reset” lever as you push the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
• Depress the “reset” button once the pilot light is burning.

If you have used the instructions twice and the pilot light still won’t light or stay lit, call us at 928-263-8570 for furnace service.

Examine Your Fuel Supply

Try switching on a second gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service may be switched off, or you might have run out of propane.