Managing Your HVAC System

Common Reasons Your Gas Heater May Stop Working

Few things are more alarming than waking up or walking into a home on a freezing winter day to discover that your gas heater is no longer properly warming up the house. Before you panic and begin worrying about how much it will cost to replace your heater, it is best to contact a reputable HVAC company to inspect your heater. A gas heater can stop working for a number of reasons, and in many cases, the issues causing the problem can be repaired by a professional. Some of the most common reasons a gas heater ceases to work at all include:

Heater Has Not Been Properly Maintained

A gas heater is a complicated and complex appliance that needs to be inspected and tuned up annually. If you fail to schedule regular maintenance for your heating system, it is possible for it to stop working altogether. A gas heating system may stop blowing warm air due to a dirty blower motor, clogged air filters, or because of a dirty flame sensor. Luckily, all of these issues are easy to remedy, and an HVAC professional should be able to fix the issue in a short amount of time.

Gas Level Is Not Properly Calibrated

Gas heaters require a specific amount of gas and oxygen in order to run properly, so if a heater is getting too much gas, it can cause components inside the heater to overheat and shut down. If you have recently had a new gas heater installed and it stops working unexpectedly, it is most likely due to the heater not being properly calibrated during the installation process. However, it is also possible for older gas heaters to need to be recalibrated and repaired to ensure that the proper amount of gas is flowing through the system.

Bad Blower Capacitor

All gas heaters contain a component called a blower capacitor. This cylindrical component basically acts like a battery that provides a spark of power to your heater's blower when the thermostat sends the signal for the heater to turn on. Unfortunately, just like any other battery, the blower capacitor will eventually fail, and when that happens, it may sound like your heater is running, but no warm air will be produced. Luckily, a bad capacitor can be repaired or replaced, and afterwards, your gas heater should operate as normal. However, it is important to note that you should not try to replace the capacitor on your own--it is a job best left to an HVAC professional. 

Contact a company like Nova Air Conditioning & Heating today to learn more. 


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