Furnace Problems: Why Does My Furnace Start And Stop Again?

A Broken Furnace In Billings, MT? No Way!

During the cold winter months, Billings homeowners know that having a furnace is essential to keep your family safe and comfortable.

Even as the weather starts to turn to cooler temperatures, you may notice some ongoing furnace problems.

Whether your furnace is blowing lukewarm air, of you notice that your furnace blow keeps running, there is nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night to a cold house.

Even if you enjoy a cooler house, you could be experiencing home furnace issues if your HVAC unit is working poorly or not working at all.

We want to help you identify what is causing your HVAC problems and help you troubleshoot some common problems.

It is important to note that you should work with a local comfort heating Billings MT expert to address ongoing issues to ensure your home and family are safe and comfortable this winter.

Why Does My Furnace Start And Stop Again?

A furnace that repeatedly turns off and on again is “short cycling.” You may hear the motor starting and stopping as your furnace keeps turning on and off.

This behavior is caused by something cutting short each furnace cycle since your furnace is being forced into a short cycle to keep your home the temperature set on your thermostat.

A furnace that is sized properly for your home should start and stop 3-8 times in an hour. However, your furnace blower is not meant to turn on and off too frequently.

Serious furnace problems can lead to malfunctioning, and cause furnace repairs if your furnace keeps starting and stopping.
There are several factors that can lead to your furnace starts then stops frequently. The most common issues that can cause your furnace to stop and start again are:

• Thermostat Issues: Your thermostat is what determines the temperature of your home, and this component can be the leading cause of a furnace starting and stopping frequently. If your thermostat is placed in a poor location or the area near the thermostat experiences temperature fluctuations like near windows, doors, or a fireplace, your furnace will react to the different temperatures.
• Restricted Airflow: Your furnace draws in air from your home and then cycles the warm air back into your home. If your intake vents and exhaust vents are blocked or airflow is restricted, then you could experience short cycling. Be sure to ensure that chairs, bookshelves, and decorations are removed from your room vents.
• Flame Sensor Failure: A flame rod is used in your furnace to heat passing air before the air is sent back to your home. You should check with a local home heating and cooling specialist to ensure your flame rod is working properly.
• Furnace Overheating: Your furnace has a safety feature to prevent it from overheating and causing a fire. Your furnace could be short cycling if the furnace components are overheating. If this is the cause, you should talk to a local Billings HVAC expert to ensure your home and family are safe.
• Dirty Air Filter: Since your furnace pulls air before processing in the heat exchanger, you need to make sure your air filter is clear to allow air through. A dirty or clogged air filter will prevent your furnace from getting enough air to run efficiently.

If your furnace is starting and stopping frequently then you should talk to a local HVAC professional to come by and take a look.

Why Does My Furnace Blower Keep Running?

When your thermostat is set to AUTO, your furnace fan will only blow in the middle of your heating cycle.

It is not normal to have furnace turns on and off constantly, because having the furnace fan constantly running will start consuming lots of energy and running up your energy bill and lead to components breaking down.

If your thermostat fan and temperature settings are correct, then you may have a bigger issue causing your furnace fan to constantly run.

A few of the most common causes that lead to a furnace continually running are:

• Check Thermostat Fan Setting: The first thing you should check to determine why your furnace blower motor is constantly running is to ensure your thermostat is set properly. Make sure your fan is set to off or auto, because this setting limits your furnace cycling.
• Check Thermostat Temperature: If your thermostat’s fan setting is correct, then you should check the thermostat’s temperature setting. Your furnace will continue to run if you have your thermostat set at a high temperature because the HVAC system will continue to work to get your home’s indoor temperature to the level set on your thermostat.
• The Fan’s Limit Switch: You may have a manual override on your fan control, and this could be causing your furnace blower to run all the time. You should check with a knowledgeable HVAC system specialist to look at your components to see if this is the source of your furnace issue.
• Wires Shorted Out In The Thermostat: Another factor to consider if your furnace blower constantly blows is that the wires in your thermostat may have shorted out and preventing the furnace from communicating with the thermostat. As a result, your thermostat could be disconnected from your furnace and this is leading to the constant blowing.
• Fan’s Limit Switch Shorted: Another issue with wiring that can cause your furnace fan to blow all the time is seen in your fan’s limit switch. If these wires are shorted out, you will need to have them repaired or replaced.

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