Why Does My Furnace Keep Shutting Down?
Running your heater in Arizona is not going to be a daily occurrence, at least not for much of the year. That being said, if you think that you can squeak by without a great heater installed in your home, you really need to think again. The professional heating technicians on our team are here to tell you that, when temperatures do drop, it doesn’t matter how long they drop for. You deserve to be comfortable in your home at all times. That simply won’t be the case if your furnace is malfunctioning.
One common issue that homeowners run into with their furnaces is short cycling. This is the event in which a heater starts up, but runs only briefly before cycling back down. It may not seem like the biggest problem in the world, especially if the system is still heating your home effectively despite the erratic behavior. However, short cycling can have a number of negative consequences for your furnace, and may result in the need for serious furnace repairs in Tucson if it is not addressed in a timely fashion.
What Causes Short Cycling to Occur?
As is the case with so many heating problems, there are a number of issues that could be behind your system’s short cycling. The good news is that not all of them are terribly serious. However, it is still important that the situation is resolved promptly, so that further damage is not done.
If your system is short cycling, one of the first things to check is the air filter. If your air filter is very dirty, it is going to create more airflow resistance than it should. That can lead to the system overheating as it tries to force air through that clogged air filter. As a result, it may cycle down in order to protect itself from damage.
You could also have a malfunctioning component in the system, particularly the thermocouple (also known as the flame sensor). The function of the thermocouple is to stem the flow of gas to the system if safe combustion temperatures are not sensed. If your thermocouple is not registering the temperature accurately, it may be shutting down the system unnecessarily. Of course, you could also have unsafe combustion temperatures, which is a whole other problem!
Another potential cause of your short cycling furnace is a malfunctioning thermostat. If the thermostat is registering temperatures in the house inaccurately, then it may be signaling for the system to shut down before comfortable temperatures are really reached. Replacing a thermostat is not a major service, but it is one that you need to hire a professional in order to have completed properly.
When the time comes to repair a short cycling furnace, or to resolve any other issues that you may be having with your heater, give Goettl Air Conditioning Tucson a call. We have the skill and experience necessary to guarantee a job well done. With our help, you’ll be able to live in the comfort that we know you deserve.
G-O-E-T-T-L it’ll keep you cool, but it’s hard to spell.
