DIY Furnace/Boiler Problem Diagnosis
There’s nothing more frustrating than waking up in the morning or coming home at the end of the day to a bitterly cold and uncomfortable home due to a broken furnace/boiler. While it is not recommended for you to try to fix the problem on your own – unless you are a trained and experienced HVAC professional – there are some things you can do on your own to attempt to diagnose the problem.
Common Furnace Problems
- Blower is continuously running: this could indicate that there is a problem with one of the switches inside of the unit. The limit switch may need to be replaced.
- Unit is noisy: if your furnace is making popping, rattling, or squeaking sounds, this could indicate that there is a mechanical problem reducing air flow, or there may be a problem with the burner.
- Furnace is constantly cycling on and off: this could indicate improper air flow, a malfunctioning thermostat, a bad flame sensor, or a clogged filter.
- Unit won’t come on at all: this could indicate an issue with the thermostat, or there may be a problem with power to the furnace, or the pilot light may be out.
- Broken thermostat: when the thermostat isn’t working like it should, it won’t be able to send the right signals to the furnace to indicate when it should switch on/off.
Common Boiler Problems
- Unit isn’t blowing out warm air: this could indicate that there is an issue with the air valves to the system, or you may have a malfunctioning thermostat.
- Boiler keeps turning on/off: this could indicate a problem with the thermostat, or air may not be circulating properly throughout the system.
- Pilot light has gone out: this may be an indication of a broken thermocouple, or a draft of cold air in the basement may be blowing the light out.
- Unit is making strange noises: this could indicate that there is a kettling problem or there is too much air in the system because of pump failure.
- Malfunctioning thermostat: when the thermostat isn’t working like normal, it won’t be able to tell the boiler when to switch on/off to keep the inside of your home warm and comfortable.
As mentioned earlier, do not try to fix the problem on your own. It is in your best interest to have a professional come to your home to take care of the issue. This is much safer, and the professional will have all the proper tools needed to diagnose and treat the problem.