If you’ve noticed that your furnace is running constantly or frequently turning on and off—which is known as short cycling—there could be a number of things wrong with it. Some are serious, while others are not.
Some of the most common causes of a furnace running frequently are:
Outdoor Temperature
The most obvious cause of your furnace running frequently is the temperature outside. If temperatures are exceptionally cold and your house is poorly insulated, your furnace will naturally have to work harder to keep your home warm.
The best way to correct this problem is to better insulate your home to protect against the outdoor temperatures more effectively. We recommend insulation with a grade of at least R-30 in the attic.
Fan Settings
If your furnace fan is running non-stop without any interruption, be sure to check your fan setting. If you have mistakenly switched the fan setting from “Auto” to “On,” then this is the source of your problem. When on “Auto,” your fan only runs when the furnace is producing heat, but when in the “On” position, the fan will continue to run whether your system is producing heat or not.
It is important to note that having the fan on at all times is not necessarily a bad thing. Having the fan run constantly can actually help keep the temperature even throughout the home.
Temperature Settings
If you have the temperature set too high, your furnace will run more frequently than it should. If this is your problem, it should be fairly obvious, as your house might be unusually hot! If you are finding that you have to keep the temperature setting high to keep your home comfortable, your system could be too small for your home or your home could be poorly insulated.
System Size
If your heating system was not properly sized at the time of installation, or if you have added to your home since having your furnace installed, it may be too small to properly heat your home. This will lead to your system running more frequently while delivering less than optimal results.
If this is your problem, you should have your furnace system replaced with one that can adequately heat your home. This will not only improve home comfort but also decrease your energy bills.
Fan Limit Switch
If you are unfamiliar with the fan limit switch, it is the device responsible for turning the blower assembly on and off. If this piece of your furnace is faulty or broken, it may not tell the blower to turn on or off properly. This can lead to your blowing running non-stop.
First check to make sure that your fan setting is not on the “On” setting. If it is not, contact us for furnace repair. Unlike the other possible causes listed here, this problem requires the assistance of a professional furnace repair technician.
Furnace Repair in Scranton, PA
If your furnace is running frequently and you need furnace repair in Scranton, PA, contact the furnace repair experts at T.E. Spall & Son today! Our heating and cooling technicians will run a diagnostic test on your furnace to determine the cause of your problem and fix the problem right the first time—on schedule and on budget—and usually on the same trip to your home!
