What to Do When Your Heater Won’t Turn Off!
It’s not unusual for heating systems to have a problem once in a while. It could be as simple as a broken thermostat or an electrical issue. If your gas furnace won’t turn off, here are a few steps you can take to get a properly working furnace again.
Check the Air Filter
A dirty air filter creates issues for many homeowners and their HVAC system. Here’s why. It restricts 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 odds of a malfunction and early failure.
It can also make your furnace overheat and shut down for a time to cool off. Then it will keep duplicating this process when your furnace switches on. This is called short cycling. In addition to wearing out your furnace faster, it can drive up your heating bill and make your home feel unpleasant.
We encourage replacing flat filters once a month and pleated filters every three months. If you can’t remember the last time you got a new furnace filter, remove it and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see light through your filter, it’s too dusty and you should get a new one.
If the matter was linked to a clogged air filter, putting in a clean filter should solve this common issue when your heat won’t turn off. If not, we recommend checking your thermostat settings next.
Check the Thermostat
Your thermostat controls your furnace and basically informs the unit when to turn on and off. It’s usually the problem when your furnace won’t stop running.
Sometimes having the heat turn off is as easy as changing an incorrect thermostat setting.
Ensure Your Thermostat is Set to “Auto”.
Your thermostat has two settings, “auto” and “on,” that control your heating system’s blower motor.
“Auto” means the furnace blower will only operate when the furnace does.
“On” means the furnace blower will run continuously. 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 seem like your furnace is not shutting off, but it’s really just the furnace blower you’re hearing. Switching it to “auto” should solve 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 hits your desired temp.
Remember that if it’s very cold outside, your furnace will have to run 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 setting to match the room. Then, wait a few minutes. This should make the furnace turn off momentarily.
Put in Fresh Batteries
If you have a programmable thermostat, it’s likely battery powered. You can test putting in new batteries to see if that solves 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.
Turn Off the Power
Thermostat appears to be working fine but your furnace still won’t shut off? There are two spots you can shut off the power to your heating unit: at the breaker box and at its specific power switch.
- Go to your breaker box and locate the breaker labeled “furnace.” Move the breaker switch to the right to shut off power.
- Next, search for the dedicated power switch to your heating system. It looks like a light switch and is located on or close to your furnace. Push the switch down to shut off power.
- Your furnace should be shut off now.
If you had to turn off your system at the breaker, call us at 204-800-0613 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 changing thermostat settings. In other situations, you might want a professional when your heater won’t turn off.
Fan Limit Switch Needs to Be Replaced
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 notice a furnace error code if there’s a problem with the limit switch. Your furnace will speak through a flashing red light on the front of your heating system.
Our Experts can diagnose and fix any issues you’re having with your furnace blower motor. Sometimes this can involve replacement parts, such as the control board, faulty wiring or the fan switch itself.
Defective Thermostat
Like anything else in your home, your thermostat can break down as time passes and need to be replaced. If it’s time for a new one, ask us about installing a smart thermostat.
These thermostats make it easy to save energy, since they develop an energy-efficient heating and cooling schedule according to your preferences. Additionally, you’ll be able to adjust and monitor your thermostat from just about anywhere with your phone.
Leaky Air Ducts
Your furnace relies on ductwork to circulate hot air to vents throughout your home. If your home or ductwork is older, your furnace might be operating all the time since the ductwork is leaking hot air in the attic.
Diagnosing this leaky ductwork and other airflow problems can be tricky to resolve on your own, since it’s concealed behind walls and ceilings. Our Experts can help with identifying and handling any air duct repair service that you require.
Depend on Our Experts for All Your Furnace Repair Needs
Troubleshooting furnace problems can be inconvenient, particularly 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 count on our ACE-certified technicians to resolve your problem quickly and affordably. And what’s even better, we stand behind our HVAC system repairs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one year.* Contact us at 204-800-0613 to book your appointment now.
