One of the most frustrating problems you may experience with your furnace is it turning on and off frequently. This is often referred to as short cycling. There are several reasons this may be happening to your furnace, nearly all of which require prompt attention from a professional.
When your furnace only runs for a few minutes at a time and shuts off, it poses numerous problems. One of the most obvious is that it results in your home feeling uncomfortable. This process will increase your energy bills so that you’re paying more for each billing cycle. It can also prematurely wear out the internal components of your furnace. This can shorten its overall lifespan and lead to more frequent breakdowns. Determining the root cause of your short cycling issue and ensuring swift repair is the key to minimizing damage and repair costs.
The most common reason that your furnace is short cycling is that the air filter is clogged with debris. While your air filter is great for catching unwanted airborne contaminants, it can be problematic when it gets too full. This issue will restrict airflow throughout your system and ducting, compromising the efficiency and safety of your unit.
As airflow gets restricted, your furnace will overheat because the air is not sufficiently moving through it. Your furnace has a built-in limit switch that will automatically shut down operation when it overheats. This is meant to protect you from experiencing equipment damage or a fire. Fortunately, this is a very easy fix, as all you need to do is replace your air filter.
Another reason your furnace may frequently cycle is due to a faulty flame sensor. Your flame sensor is a device that detects when there’s a flame on the burner. If it doesn’t detect a flame, it will shut off the fuel supply. This is to prevent a buildup of gas inside your furnace. While this is a helpful safety mechanism, it can create a problem when it malfunctions.
A furnace’s flame sensor may suffer from two issues. One is that the sensor eye gets covered in debris, causing it to falsely detect that there’s no flame. As a solution, our team can clean the sensor eye and restore functionality to your flame sensor during routine maintenance or repairs. In some instances, though, the sensor may be faulty, and we would need to replace the entire flame sensor.
Another culprit behind your short cycling issue may be an interruption in your fuel supply. If your furnace isn’t getting an adequate supply of fuel, it won’t continue to run. The issue with your low fuel supply may be due to problems with gas valves, regulators, or a lack of fuel. This is an issue that warrants a call to a professional for furnace repair.
One unsafe reason that your furnace may be frequently cycling is the presence of an electrical malfunction. Modern-day furnaces rely on control boards and sensors to function properly. There may be an issue with one of the control boards or electrical components. Other problems include thermostats misreading the temperature, randomly tripping safety switches, or ignition timing problems.
If your furnace relies on natural gas, propane, or heating oil to create heat, it has exhaust vents. These vents help the toxic fumes created by the combustion process safely vent out of your home. Unfortunately, if that exhaust vent pipe gets blocked, it can restrict airflow for your furnace. Items like leaves, twigs, bird nests, and even snow can all restrict the flow of exhaust out of your furnace.
When this happens, your furnace’s limit switch will automatically turn your furnace off to prevent further damage. This can cause your furnace to turn on briefly and then immediately shut off as a safety precaution. It’s necessary to clear any debris out of your exhaust vent so that your furnace can vent properly.
Koch & White Heating and Cooling provides expert furnace repair service for homeowners in the Ann Arbor, MI area. We can also assist with all your furnace maintenance, installation, and replacement needs. Call our office at Koch & White Heating and Cooling today.
