If your furnace is repeatedly turning on for short bursts of time and shutting off before your home reaches the desired temperature, it’s a furnace short-cycling issue. During a short cycling problem, the heating and resting cycles of your furnace can be too short to maintain the required temperature. If you are facing a furnace short cycling issue, here are some ways to try fixing it on your own. Let’s get started.
1. Clean or Replace the Air Filter
A dirty air filter is one of the most common reasons behind a short cycling furnace. The problem occurs when the air filter is clogged with dirt, and it won’t allow air to pass through the heat exchanger. As a result, the high-limit switch inside the furnace gets overheated, shutting off the furnace altogether. The furnace starts again once the switch cools down, but it shuts off again when the switch gets overheated due to a lack of proper airflow. Clean/replace your furnace filter to see if that works. Also, clean or replace the filter regularly to prevent short cycling because of a dirty air filter.
2. Check the Thermostat
If your filter is clean or you recently replaced it, chances are that a malfunctioning thermostat might be the reason why your furnace is shutting down prematurely. First, check the settings to see if the issue is with the thermostat. Also, replace the thermostat batteries and see if that works. The issue might also occur when the thermostat is located near a heat register, a space heater or if it is exposed to direct sunlight. Call a heating repair in Tehachapi and have the thermostat’s location changed if that’s causing the problem.
3. Clean the Flame Sensor
A dirty flame sensor might also lead to a short-cycling furnace problem. Flame sensors tend to get dirty over time, and as a result, they cannot detect flames, leading to ignition related problems. So it is essential to clean them regularly. One good thing is cleaning a dirty flame sensor is easy, and all you have to do is shut down the furnace, remove the sensor using a socket wrench or hex driver, and scrub the sensor with steel wool or sandpaper. This will help get rid of the soot or the dust that’s accumulated, and your furnace should work properly again.
These were some of the easy ways to try fixing a short cycling furnace issue. If it didn’t work for you, get in touch with us at Holders Air Conditioning & Heating. We deal with all sorts of furnace issues ranging from heating installation to heating repair to heating replacement in Shafter, CA, and nearby areas. To schedule an appointment, call us at 661-864-1925.
