60 years HVAC Experience in the Lafayette Community
Furnace Repair
Furnace Repair in Lafayette, LA
When your furnace won’t start, doing your own furnace repair in Lafayette, Louisiana, can feel pretty overwhelming.
Figuring out a furnace-related problem might feel like an intimidating chore when your heat won’t power on. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
There are a few speedy, inexpensive fixes you can do by yourself to skip a furnace repair call.
If your furnace won’t turn on, won’t stay on or won’t ignite, try the troubleshooting list below before?contacting an HVAC professional.
If you find you need help from a heating and cooling expert and live in Lafayette, AC Sales can help you. We can repair most types of heating systems and also provide emergency furnace repair.
If it’s time for a new heating system, we also offer furnace installation.
While you’re in touch with us, think over an annual furnace maintenance plan that may help you avoid repairs in the future. We can tell you how often your furnace should be inspected by one of our professionals.
Go through our easy guide below to get started on troubleshooting your furnace. Most of these steps don’t require mechanical skills.
Furnace Repair Checklist
1. Check the Thermostat
To start, make sure your thermostat is instructing your furnace to start.
Digital Thermostat
Replace the batteries if the screen is blank. If the digital screen is jumbled, the thermostat may need to be replaced.
Make sure the switch is set to “heat” rather than “off” or “cool.”
Ensure the program is set to the right day and time and is set to “run.” If you’re having problems overriding the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and press the “hold” button. This will force the furnace to turn on if thermostat programming is causing a problem.
Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.
If your furnace hasn’t started within a couple minutes, make sure it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t begin to run, your furnace might not have power.
Smart Thermostat
If you have a smart thermostat—like one made by Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Take a look at the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get your Wi-Fi thermostat to work, call us at (337) 234-2345 for heating and cooling service.
2. Examine Breakers and Switches
Next, you will need to check if your breaker and furnace switch are on.
Look for your house’s main electrical panel. If you aren’t sure where it is, keep an eye out for a gray metal box in your basement, garage or closet.
Make sure your hands and feet are dry before touching the panel or breakers.
Locate the breaker labeled “furnace” or “heat,” and make sure it’s switched “on.” If the breaker has tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” position.
Using one hand, firmly switch the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” leave it alone and get in touch with a professional from AC Sales at (337) 234-2345 right away.
Regardless of your furnace’s age or brand, it has at least one standard wall switch located on or close to it.
Make sure the switch is flipped up in the “on” position. If it was turned off, expect your furnace to take up to five minutes to start. (If you don’t know where to find your furnace, check your basement, garage or utility closet. It could also be in a crawl space or attic.)
3. Replace the Air Filter
When it comes to furnace breakdown, a filthy, clogged air filter is often the top culprit.
If your filter is too dirty:
- Your furnace won’t stay on, or it could overheat from reduced airflow.
- Your energy bills could go up because your furnace is turning on too often.
- Your furnace could break down prematurely because a dirty filter causes it to overwork.
- Your furnace can lose power if an excessively dirty filter causes the breaker to trip.
Depending on what model of furnace you own, your air filter is located inside the blower compartment of your furnace, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.
To replace your filter:
- Turn off your furnace.
- Pull out the filter and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see light through it, use a new one.
- Put in the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the furnace to avoid damage.
Flat filters should be replaced every month, while pleated filters should last about three months. You can also get a washable filter that will last about 10 years. If you have children or pets, you may have to replace your filter more frequently.
To make the process smoother in the future, use a permanent marker on your furnace housing or ductwork to show the airflow direction and filter size.
4. Inspect the Condensate Pan
Otherwise known as drain pans, condensate pans catch water your furnace pulls from the air.
If water is leaking out of your furnace or its pan has standing water in it, follow these steps.
- If your pan has a drain (look for a PVC pipe), check that it’s clear. If it needs to be drained, use a special pan-cleaning tablet you can buy at home improvement or hardware stores.
- If your pan contains a pump, take a look at the float switch. If the switch is stuck “up” with water in the pan, contact us at (337) 234-2345, because you will probably need a new pump.
5. Check for Furnace Error Codes
If malfunctions persist, peek inside your furnace’s plastic window to check the status of the blower motor. Depending on the model, the light could also be mounted on the outside of your furnace.
If you see anything else besides a steady, colored light or blinking green light, call us at (337) 234-2345 for HVAC service. Your furnace may be communicating an error code that needs professional assistance.
6. Clean the Flame Sensor
If your furnace tries to start but turns off without putting out heat, a dirty flame sensor could be responsible. When this occurs, your furnace will try to turn on three times before a safety feature powers it down for about an hour.
If you feel comfortable with opening up your furnace, cleaning your flame sensor is something you can do yourself. Or, one of our heating service experts can do it for you.
If you want to clean the sensor yourself, you’ll need:
- A 1/4” hex screwdriver or wrench
- Piece of light grit sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth
- A dry, clean paper towel
Next:
- Shut off the furnace’s power by using its wall switch or breaker. If your gas valve is not electric, you will need to shut off the gas as well.
- Remove the furnace’s front panel and follow the wire to the flame sensor.
- Unscrew the rod and use your sandpaper, steel wool or emery cloth to carefully rub the metal rod.
- Wipe off the rod with a paper towel.
- Remount the sensor.
- Replace the furnace doors.
- Turn the furnace’s power back on. It may go through a set of checks before resuming usual operation. If your furnace doesn’t ignite, the sensor may need to be replaced or something else could be wrong. If this happens, call us at (337) 234-2345 for heating and cooling repair assistance.
7. Relight the Pilot Light
If you have an older furnace, the pilot light could be extinguished. To relight it, find the instructions on a label on your furnace, or follow these steps.
- Find the switch on the bottom of your furnace labeled “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
- Turn the switch to the “off” position.
- Wait at least five minutes to avoid possibly starting a fire.
- Turn the knob to “pilot.”
- Push the “reset” button as you bring the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
- Release the “reset” button once the pilot light is lit.
If you have followed the instructions twice and the pilot light still won’t light or stay lit, get in touch with us at (337) 234-2345 for furnace service.
Check Your Fuel Source
Try turning on another gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service could be turned off, or you could be out of propane.
We Can Help with HVAC Repair
Followed our troubleshooting guide but your furnace still won’t work?
Call us today at (337) 234-2345 or contact us online. We’ll come out and figure out the problem.