My Furnace Won’t Start

“I tried to turn my furnace on today and it wont start” is the average service call this time of year.
It is the start of our heating season here in Northern New York and we have just had our first cold snap in mid October. As a result, a lot of customers have turned their heating systems on for the first time to find that it is not working,or not working properly. Many are scrambling to get their system cleaned and are having to wait due to a flooded service schedule. Unfortunately most people don’t really think about their heating systems until it doesn’t work. This can cost the homeowner expensive repair bills in emergency service calls. To avoid these situations, your system should be cleaned and serviced well before the heating season. A cleaning and tuning service normally costs less than an actual emergency service call, sometimes hundreds less. On an annual clean and service, the Technician will clean all the components of the system from the burner(s) right through to the exhaust. This will ensure that your system runs clean and efficient. He or She will then check individual safety controls, burner efficiency, distribution components (forced air or hot water systems), and operations.
The best time to schedule this service is right after you shut the heat off for the summer. In doing so you will be “putting the system away clean”. After the heating season, the exhaust and heat exchanger may have a corrosive mixture of by products of combustion left behind to eat away at the units interior. If cleaned right after it’s final use, the lifespan of the unit may be prolonged. When this service is performed by a reputable service company, your system will be ready when it is time for use. If for some reason it does not start, there are a few things a homeowner can check before calling for that start up service call. First, make sure that the power is turned on to the system. There are a few places to check for this starting at the breaker or fuse panel for the home. Check to make sure that the fuse is not blown or the breaker is not tripped and in the “on” position. Next, there may be a switch at the unit or a labeled emergency switch located at the top of the stairs. You may have one or both of these switches and should also be in the “on” position. Finally, check to make sure that your thermostat is set in the heat mode and the temperature setting is higher than the actual room temperature. When this proceedure is complete, the system should be operating.
After having your system properly serviced and have performed these simple steps, your system should be ready for use when you need it.