What to Do When Your Heater Won’t Turn Off!
It’s not unusual for heating systems to have a problem every now and then. It could be as simple as a broken thermostat or an electrical issue. If your gas furnace won’t turn off, here are a couple steps you can take to get a properly working furnace again.
Examine the Air Filter
A dirty air filter causes problems for many homeowners and their HVAC system. Here’s why. It limits airflow, making your furnace work harder and run longer to satisfy your desired temperature.
This multiplies wear and tear on your furnace, as well as the likelihood of a malfunction and early failure.
It can also make your furnace get too hot and shut down for a time to cool down. Then it will keep duplicating this process when your furnace turns on. This is known as short cycling. In addition to wearing out your furnace faster, it can increase your heating bill and make your home feel unpleasant.
We recommend replacing flat filters monthly and pleated filters every three months. If you can’t remember the last time you got a new furnace filter, pull it out and hold it up to the light. If you can’t detect light through your filter, it’s too dirty and you should get a new one.
If the matter was connected to a clogged air filter, putting in a fresh filter should fix this common problem when your heat won’t turn off. If not, we recommend checking your thermostat settings next.
Check Out the Thermostat
Your thermostat runs your furnace and basically informs the unit when to turn on and off. It’s often the problem when your furnace won’t stop running.
Sometimes having the heat turn off is as easy as adjusting a wrong thermostat setting.
Make Sure Your Thermostat is Set to “Auto”.
Your thermostat has two settings, “auto” and “on,” that control your heating system’s blower motor.
“Auto” indicates the furnace blower will only operate when the furnace does.
“On” indicates the furnace blower will operate constantly. This constant air flow can help with heat circulation but will also increase your power bill and lead to wear and tear on your furnace.
If your thermostat is set to “on,” it will sound like your furnace is not shutting off, but it’s really just the furnace blower you’re hearing. Switching it to “auto” should resolve the problem. It will also help you save money on your energy costs.
Confirm Your Temperature Setting
If your thermostat won’t turn off heat, compare the temperature setting to the room temperature. If it’s higher than the room air temp, your furnace will keep running until it reaches your desired temp.
Keep in mind that if it’s extremely cold outside, your furnace will have to operate much longer than usual to keep your home warm. This is because of a large temperature difference between the cold air outside and the warm indoors.
As a check, you can try lowering the temperature to correspond with the room. Then, wait a couple of minutes. This should make the furnace shut off in a few minutes.
Put in New Batteries
If you have a programmable thermostat, it’s likely battery powered. You can try replacing the batteries to see if that resolves the problem. If it doesn’t or if there’s wiring to your electrical system, shift it to “off.”
If your furnace won’t shut off after you move it to “off,” you will need to cut the power.
Cut the Power
Thermostat appears to be working fine but your furnace still won’t turn off? There are two spots you can cut the power to your heating unit: at the breaker box and at its specific power switch.
- Head to your breaker box and locate the breaker marked “furnace.” Push the breaker switch to the right to shut off power.
- Next, look for the dedicated power switch to your heating system. It’s similar to a light switch and is located on or near your furnace. Move the switch down to shut off power.
- Your furnace should be shut off now.
If you had to switch off your system at the breaker, call us at 780-800-9047 for professional service, as you may need furnace repair.
What Causes a Furnace to Keep Running?
Occasionally fixing this problem can be as simple as changing your air filter or adjusting thermostat settings. In other instances, you might need a professional when your heater won’t shut off.
Fan Limit Switch Needs Replacing
The furnace fan limit switch regulates your furnace’s blower motor. If the switch goes out, it might sound like your furnace running nonstop, even though just the blower is running.
You might see a furnace error code if there’s an issue with the limit switch. Your furnace will communicate through a blinking red light on the front of your heating system.
Our Experts can identify and fix any issues you’re having with your furnace blower motor. Sometimes this can involve replacement parts, like the control board, faulty wiring or the fan switch itself.
Faulty Thermostat
Like other things in your home, your thermostat can break down over time and need to be replaced. If you’re due for a new one, ask us about getting a smart thermostat.
These thermostats make it easy to save energy, because they develop an energy-efficient heating and cooling schedule according to your preferences. Additionally, you’ll be able to set and monitor your thermostat from just about anywhere with your phone.
Leaky Air Ducts
Your furnace relies on ductwork to distribute hot air to vents throughout your home. If your home or ductwork is older, your furnace might be running constantly since the ductwork is leaking hot air in the attic.
Diagnosing this leaky ductwork and other airflow problems can be tricky to troubleshoot on your own, since it’s hidden behind walls and ceilings. Our Experts can help with identifying and taking care of any air duct repair service that you require.
Depend on Our Experts for All Your Furnace Repair Needs
Troubleshooting furnace problems can be annoying, especially when it affects your comfort, energy efficiency and heating bill. When it involves furnaces, there’s a reason why we say we’re Experts in our field. You can rely on our ACE-certified technicians to resolve your problem quickly and affordably. And what’s even better, we back our HVAC system repairs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one year.* Call us at 780-800-9047 to book your appointment now.
