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Why Won’t My Furnace Turn On?

Just when you think we’ve turned the corner into another beautiful Pacific Northwest fall, we get another week of 80º+ temperatures. This back and forth may have you switching between the “heat” and “cool” settings on your thermostat, finally dusting off the furnace after a summer of HVAC hibernation. But when your furnace won’t stay on, that doesn’t bode well for the upcoming winter temperatures that are only a couple of months away.

Before you spend any more time typing “my furnace won’t stay on” into the nearest search engine, make sure you’ve checked out these common furnace issues.

Things You Can Check Yourself

There are a few things you can do yourself to try and get your furnace up and running again. It may be a quick one time fix that won’t require calling in the home performance experts at Revival. But if you get through this short checklist and your furnace is still on the fritz, don’t risk it. Call the home heating pros!

Is Your Thermostat In Working Order?

Check the batteries in your thermostat. Do they need replacing? Even if the display is working, your thermostat may need a fresh set of batteries. It also could be incorrectly reading your indoor temperature, which would lead to a prematurely shutting off the furnace.

Try the Circuit Breaker

It’s possible your furnace has tripped a circuit breaker. Check your breaker box for any flipped switches, and return them to the “on” position. Attempt turning on your furnace again via your thermostat. If it trips the circuit again, there is a bigger issue with your furnace that will require the expertise of a professional.

Have You Been Replacing Your Air Filters?

If it’s been a while since you replaced the air filters for your furnace, it could be struggling to acquire the air it needs to provide your home with heat. It depends on the make and model of your heating system, but filters should be replaced around every two months. Clogged filters can also prevent your furnace from turning on, so make sure to check your filters!

Things A Pro Can Diagnose

These issues with your furnace will be much harder to spot, and should only be diagnosed with a qualified professional.

Blower Fan Issues

Though the heating elements of your furnace may be in working order, the fan that blows the hot air into your home may be malfunctioning. This could be for a number of electrical or mechanical reasons, and will require a thorough, professional check-up and service of your furnace.

Safety Switches

Your furnace should be equipped with a number of safety switches that prevent your furnace from causing any harm to your home, and your health. These preventative switches stop excessive gas leakage or flame size, and overheating of the heat exchanger. If these switches have been tripped, it is an indicator that there may be a dangerous malfunction in your furnace.

Time For A Furnace Revival? Call the Pros!

A wayward furnace should be addressed before the temperatures in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR area drop for another long winter. If your furnace has been giving you grief year after year, it may be time to replace your furnace, or convert it to a more energy efficient appliance.

Or, if the heating needs of your home are proving too much for your furnace to keep up, ask the Pacific Northwest home comfort experts at Revival about the energy efficient, easily installed benefits of a ductless heat pump to supplement your HVAC systems.

Tired of your outdated, failing furnace? Schedule your furnace upgrade before the winter hits! Revival Energy Group has got you covered, from service to installation.  Call us at

Vancouver: 360-836-5366 Portland, OR: 503-893-8243

or contact us today!