he winter months are when you rely the most on your furnace to keep you and your family warm, but just like with any other appliance, things can sometimes go wrong.
Whether it’s a furnace or a heat pump, if there is a blown fuse, it should be dealt with in a timely manner. Keeping your family safe and warm is obviously your top priority, so understanding why your furnace keeps blowing a fuse in the first place and what you should do about it is highly important.
What To Check If Your Furnace Is Blowing Fuses
Don’t worry – you don’t have to be an experienced HVAC technician in order to check for reasons why your furnace fuse keeps blowing. However, if you’re not comfortable checking anything, leave it to a professional.
1. Replace Furnace Filters
Having a clean HVAC system is key to ensuring it continuously runs smoothly. All homeowners need to regularly replace their furnace filters. If you don’t, all of the excess dirt and debris that’s collected can make its way into the motor which, in turn, can cause it to overheat and burn out as the air tries to force its way through the clogged filter. Furnace filters are inexpensive and very easy to change.
2. Check For Water Leaks
A furnace water leak can happen for a couple of different reasons, one of which results from clogged tubing. High-efficiency furnaces have a cool exhaust and produce condensation inside the furnace; a by-product of natural gas burning. This condensation will flow out of a pipe and into the floor drain. If the tube or the floor drain is clogged, you’ve got yourself a furnace leak. This can also be a result of a broken condensation line.
You won’t be able to repair the water leak yourself, but you should turn off the system and clean up the water as soon as you notice it. Then, call a professional.
3. Troubleshooting Furnace Gas Valve
Failing valves can also cause blown fuses. You can check if there is a failing valve yourself by looking for the pilot light. If it’s not on, you can follow the manufacturer’s instructions on relighting it. It should be able to open and close when needed, so after a few seconds of relighting it, it should start producing enough power to stay open. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to call an expert.
If it appears to be clogged, there may be too much heat inside or blowing out of the furnace. If this is the case, you should call an expert right away. Not only can this overheat and blow fuses, but it can also cause a furnace fire.
4. Is The Thermostat Working?
If you have an electrical system and the thermostat wire touches the metal frame of the furnace, this can also cause a fuse to blow on the furnace’s control board. This is because the wires are simply producing too much power than they can handle. When the control board is involved, it’s best to leave any meddling to a professional.
5. Do Any Wires Look Loose?
You can check for loose wiring around the furnace, but internal wires could also be loose. In this case, it’ll need to be checked by HVAC technicians. Loose wiring can occur simply due to the natural vibrations of the running furnace. Once any wires become loose, they can cause a short circuit and blown fuses.
Short circuits can also occur due to electrical problems. Poorly connected wires will require help from an electrician.
You Need To Have Your Furnace Maintained Regularly
In order to prevent fuses and to keep your furnace working properly, homeowners should have their furnace looked at at least every 1-2 years and have their ducts cleaned at least every 3-5 years. Replacing the furnace’s air filter regularly is also important. It will depend on the size as to how often it should be replaced, but the general rule of thumb is to replace it every 90 days and high-quality pleated filters every 6 months. However, just remember that having pets or smoking indoors can cause the filters’ efficiency to decrease even quicker, so you may need to replace them more often.
Oftentimes, homeowners wait until the last minute to have their furnace looked at, but something like a loose wire, damaged wiring, electrical short circuit, or water leaks need immediate attention.
Schedule An Appointment To Have Your Furnace Looked At Today
A furnace blowing fuses, especially in the middle of the winter, is not a good sign and it can potentially be dangerous for your family. While it may be easy to check for reasons why your furnace keeps blowing a fuse, you can’t (and shouldn’t) attempt to fix the issues yourself. This is why you should schedule an appointment with an HVAC specialist right away to determine how to correct the issue and continue to keep your family safe and warm.
Schedule an appointment with our experts today. We help homeowners in and around Hamilton repair and maintain their HVAC systems.