When the furnace quits on the first cold night of fall, the cause is sometimes simple. Here’s what you can safely check yourself, what to leave to a technician, and what a service call costs.
Safety first
If you smell gas, leave the house right away and call your gas utility from outside. If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, get everyone outside and call 911. Don’t try to restart the furnace.
7 things to check
- Thermostat. Make sure it’s set to Heat, set a few degrees above the room temperature, and has fresh batteries if it uses them.
- Furnace power switch. Most furnaces have a switch that looks like a light switch on or near the unit. Make sure it’s on.
- Circuit breaker. Check whether the furnace breaker has tripped. Reset it once. If it trips again, call us.
- Furnace door. The panel over the blower has a safety switch. If the panel isn’t fully closed, the furnace won’t run.
- Air filter. A clogged filter can make the furnace overheat and shut itself off. Replace it if it’s dirty.
- Outside vent pipes. High-efficiency furnaces vent through white PVC pipes on an outside wall. Clear any leaves, snow or nests blocking them.
- Condensate drain. High-efficiency furnaces make water. If the drain line or condensate pump is clogged or full, the furnace can shut down.
If your furnace has a small window with a blinking light, write down the pattern before you call. It helps the technician find the problem.
When to call instead
- The furnace runs but blows cold air.
- It starts and stops over and over.
- You notice a burning smell (beyond the dusty smell the first time it runs each fall), or banging, rattling or whistling.
- The breaker trips again after one reset.
- It’s 15 to 20 years old or more and keeps needing repairs.
Our older posts on signs your furnace is having problems and starting your furnace for the first time each year cover more of these.
What a service call costs
A service call is $110, or $175 after hours, and covers the trip to your home. Diagnostic work and any repairs are added on top, and you approve the price before we start. Members of our ESA maintenance plan pay $0 for service calls. We can come out any day and any time, subject to on-call technician availability.
If a repair doesn’t make sense on an older furnace, we’ll tell you. Replacement estimates are free, and we credit your service call and diagnostic fees toward a new furnace. See what a new furnace costs in Monroe.
Need help now? Call (734) 587-3184, or learn more about furnace repair and emergency heating service. We’re a Rheem Pro Partner, and we can source and service virtually any brand. J&K Heating & Cooling is licensed (MI #7109194) and family-owned in Monroe since 1986, serving Monroe County and Downriver.
