My Furnace Doesn’t Keep My Home at a Desired Temperature

Do you feel like you’re constantly playing with your thermostat to control the temperature in your home? Do you turn it up to try and get warm, only to overheat quickly and scramble to turn it back down? Your heating system has a problem.

And while it may or may not be a problem with your furnace, there are other things that could cause this problem too. By looking at a few things before you call in a repair person, you might be able to fix the problem yourself.

Thermostat

The first place to look is at your thermostat. Is this a new problem, or is it something you’ve dealt with for years? If it’s new, it might be a broken thermostat causing a problem. If the thermostat isn’t reading the right temperature in your home, it can tell the furnace to shut off before your house is warmed. Monitor the temperature of the air next to your thermostat for a day to determine if it is reading it correctly.

Blower

The furnace operates by using a blower fan to circulate warm air throughout your home. It operates throughout the cycle, turning off a minute or two after the cycle to ensure all warmed air is pushed out and into your rooms. If it stays on longer, it may be pushing cooler air, which can cause an uneven temperature throughout your home. This may be caused by a problem with the blower fan, an improper delay setting, or a problem with its controls.

Size

Size matters. If your furnace isn’t sized properly for your home’s needs, it’s not working as efficiently as it should. If it’s too small, it will constantly work to try and keep up with demand. If it’s too small, it will heat the air too quickly and cycle off before the system is ready. This means it will raise the temperature near the thermostat quicker than other parts of your home, causing cold and hot spots throughout your home.

Of course, there may be other reasons your furnace isn’t working properly. It could be a pilot light that isn’t working, a condensation pump that’s filled, or a faulty gas valve. The only way to determine what is the problem is with a maintenance call from a professional.