During the cold winter, our furnaces are working overtime anyway, so it is important to know whether your furnace is short cycling or not. This is a fairly common problem that homeowners experience. When a furnace is short cycling, essentially it is overheating. You can tell when your furnace is short cycling because it will turn on and off frequently, sometimes producing little to no heat. This can be a frustrating issue to deal with, especially in the middle of a cold winter night.
In St. Louis and the surrounding areas, if you think your furnace is short cycling, give us a call at Galmiche & Sons at 314-993-1110. We have decades of experience in the heating & air conditioning industry and can fix any problem.
Potential Reasons Your Furnace is Short Cycling
A lot of times, when a furnace is short cycling, it can be remedied quite easily. If you notice your furnace turning on and off frequently, be on the lookout for these possible causes:
- Malfunctioning Flame Sensor – The flame sensor is built to keep gas from filling your home in case of a lack of ignition. If the sensor is bad, it will shut off the gas valve, killing the heater. Remove the cover and listen for the flames to ignite if you find that it runs but does not fire up, this could be your issue.
- Dirty Filter – If your furnace is short cycling, it could be due to a clogged or dirty filter. This can lead to overheating, which shuts your furnace off after just a few minutes. Check and change your furnace filters regularly.
- Blocked Exhaust Vent – Exhaust vents will frequently get block by bird nests, snow, or leaves. This leads to short cycling and can be dangerous as it can allow carbon monoxide in through your vents. Check your exhaust vent for a blockage.
- Poor Thermostat Location – A poorly placed thermostat could be the reason your furnace is short cycling. If your thermostat is directly above a heat vent or in direct sunlight often, it will reach its set heat point much faster and shut off your furnace. Place your thermostat in a central location away from heat and sun.
- Overheating – Furnaces that are overheating and shutting down could be experience major issues. If you think this is the problem, it is imperative that you call your HVAC company to have them come take a look.
Consider the Size of Your Furnace
Finally, oversized furnaces are more common than you would think, and they can cause more problems than people often realize. If your home experiences large temperature swings, short cycles, and expensive energy bills, it is likely that your furnace is too large. Reach out to HVAC provider to have them do an assessment on your unit, as often, the solution to an oversized furnace is a full system replacement.
If You Think Your Furnace is Short Cycling, Give Us a Call
Worrying about whether you furnace is working correctly is frustrating. Let Galmiche & Sons put your mind at ease. In St. Louis and the surrounding areas, our heating & air conditioning team is standing by to help. Give us a call at 314-993-1110.
