Let’s say your furnace or heat pump isn’t working as it should. Before you call anyone over, the best thing you can do as a homeowner is reset the system. All this means is shutting off the power, checking certain components in the system, and then restoring power to it.
For Your Furnace
Note that most furnaces, even gas furnaces, have some electrical component to them. The vital first step, then, is to cut off the electricity to your furnace. There should be a light switch for this. The next step is to go to the circuit box and flip the breaker off to the furnace.
After a few minutes’ wait, find the removable front panel to your furnace and take it off to start a basic inspection. Check to see if:
- The air filter is dirty
- The pilot light needs to be relit
- The oil needs refilling (in an oil furnace)
After that, put the front panel back in place, flip on the breaker, wait 10 minutes for the furnace to “reboot,” and turn on the electrical switch. Once you hear the fan and motor (it takes less than a minute), you can start the system.
For Your Heat Pump
Some heat pumps make resetting easy for you since the outdoor unit comes with its own manual “reset” button. Just push it down for several seconds after shutting off the power to the system. If yours doesn’t have it, then the procedure is similar to that for furnaces: turn off the power, followed by the breakers for the indoor and outdoor unit. Inspect the system if necessary. Afterward, turn on the breakers and the power.
Over 45 Years of Experience
Comphel Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. has been maintaining and repairing furnaces and heat pumps in Sonora since 1975, so if a reset doesn’t do the trick of fixing your heating system, you can have us come over for an inspection and a free estimate of the cost of the solution. Working on air conditioning units are no problem as well, as we provide repair, maintenance, and installation services for all HVAC products. Call us today for more information.
