Today, we will discuss the most common causes of a furnace turning on and off frequently, and some easy, do-it-yourself troubleshooting steps that you can take to get your furnace up and running properly again. However, it is important to understand how your furnace actually works (at a basic level) before troubleshooting – here is the 101 course. If this is obstructed, it will also turn your furnace off – more on that later. In other words, turning on and off frequently is just a symptom of “short cycling.”. A “short-cycling” furnace (when your furnace keeps turning off and on) will typically only run for a minute or two (or less) before shutting off. Below, we will troubleshoot the various causes for a furnace that keeps turning on and off every few seconds. If this were the case, air would not be blowing over your heat exchangers, and your furnace would be going off on High-Limit, just as with step 1. Next, we will discuss the most likely culprit for a furnace turning on and off repeatedly – the High Limit Switch. Induced draft motor (IDM) turns on – the IDM is a small fan that blows out all of the air that is inside of your furnace, and circulates it up the exhaust flue. Contact the gas supplier on how to proceed. My air conditioner was doing the same thing in an apartment I was renting. More. In fact, in all likelihood, that’s why the furnace keeps turning on and off – it turns on normally, then for some reason, it thinks that an unsafe condition exists, and turns itself off again as a safety precaution. One of the maintenance men said I was changing the thermostat too much and that it was set too low, that I should keep it at 78 and not at 72! Share. Thought that was it but noooo. The air conditioning plays a crucial, Common Reasons Why Gas Heaters Stop Working, See all 16 posts Look, I know that most of you think that your furnace air filter is to make the air that you breath more healthy and comfortable, but this just isn’t the case. Next, let’s talk about a few safety things: A. these wires are. If you remember our introduction section above, we talked about a lot of the safety features that your furnace has. Heat Pump Installation Cost 2019 - What's a Fair Price? The order we go in is important, as this will be written in order from the most likely causes, to the least likely causes of a furnace repeatedly cycling on and off. When your furnace keeps turning on and off repeatedly, this is called “short-cycling.”  It turns on for a few seconds to a minute, then turns itself off again. Although uncommon, it is possible for your furnace to run while the blower motor is off (blower motor is the fan that circulates air around your house). It doesn't turn on again and the water at the return lines is cold. If it is clogged or leaking, then you should call an expert gas heater service to fix the problem. Try our online calculator; click the tab on the top of this page for more information. Inspect the thermocouple to determine if it is dirty or damaged in some way. We’ve had our guys called out to houses because the furnace was turning on and off three times in an hour…so, to save your time, and ours, let’s define our terms: Contrary to what you might think, however, the frequency with which your furnace turns on and off is not so much what we are concerned with. But keeps overheating. The front grill is removable, so you are easily able to open the heater and wipe or vacuum dust that accumulates inside. In short, the blower motor (the fan that moves air around your house) pushes air over your heat exchanger, which is really just a bunch of tubes that have burning fuel passing through them (making them hot, therefore heating your house). Check the air mix for the individual burner that's popping. Gas water heaters are becoming more and more popular in the latest years. Moving the temp control makes no difference, ONLY toggling the on/off switch on the thermostat will kick on the furnace. Now, you have to realize that a furnace turning on and off frequently, in itself, is a subjective matter. Step 2 Find the thermocouple, which is located next to the pilot light and looks like a small straight pipe. The heater should be checked by a trained service person before it is used again. “Why all this technical jargon, Tim? Everdure electric heaters are designed to keep you well into your comfort zone all winter. furnace keeps turning on and off repeatedly. Obviously, if you were just dumping gas into your furnace, but the gas was not being burned, this could be dangerous when the flames finally do come on! Just give me the answer.”  Hold your horses sparky – there is a method to my madness. Whether you have a high-efficiency gas heater or a conventional gas heater, the fact still remains that it can break down any time especially if it is not regularly inspected and repaired. Don’t wait, give us a call today on 1300 730 896, 5 Aug 2020 – Here is a good video on just how to do that: In the end, there are a multitude of things that can cause your a furnace to turn on and off. At All Systems Mechanical air conditioning and heating, we believe that the experience our clients have is every bit as important as the products they receive. If the air feels weak, or there is no air coming out at all, then turn the furnace off, and take a peak down the tube to see if there are any objects blocking the exhaust. If any one of these features were true, then your furnace wouldn’t even be turning on in the first place. By submitting this form, you consent to receive a call, email, or text from a We have an inground pool with a Hayward H150 electronic ignition propane gas heater. When the heater is working the water is warm at the return lines. 2 min read, 14 Jul 2020 – Most gas heaters have a lifespan of around 15-20 years. But it is – after all, this is about a furnace that keeps turning on and off, isn’t it? HVAC Installation Cost 2019 - What's a Fair Price for a New Heating and Air Conditioning Installation? Unflued gas heaters must have a stated minimum room volume to ensure they aren't used in a room that's too small, where their waste gas output might be at too high a level. Although this is definitely an ancillary benefit, the primary reason for a furnace air filter is to keep the internal components of your HVAC system (including the furnace), clean. Page 4 The heater can be switched off automatically using the Sleep Timer. Many thermostats have a “Cool/Heat Off” switch or button. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described … Normally, your gas furnace should cycle on and off 3-8 times hourly, maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. If you are low on gas or if the gas is not able to effectively power the heater, then the heating system will not work. The Everdure gas heater monitors the level of oxygen in the room and if the level becomes low, the heater will automatically shut off so the oxygen level can restore itself. Why would this be a problem? At the set temperature, these gas heaters are still using the minimum (Low) MJ/h as per below: Dynamo 15 Low: 6 MJ/h High: 15 MJ/h Output: 3.8 kW. Be an Insider, and Get Your HVAC-Facts Report Before You Talk to a Contractor. If it’s too cold, it touches the two wires together that turn the furnace on until it isn’t cold anymore. Those of you who have read our articles, know that we are a small, U.S. Veteran-Owned heating and air conditioning company in California, and pride ourselves on giving straight, honest answers; we are straight-shooters, and this will be no different. So, the easiest way to test if your thermostat is bad, is to take it out of the equation. Furnace Won’t Turn Off; Why Your Furnace Keeps Turning On and Off. But let’s put that information to use. Naval Aviator 2005-2015. Share. Hi there, We have a gas wall heater and we have been having episodes (typically at night) where the thermostat shows the temperature is below the desired temperature and the unit ignites (turns on) and runs for a couple minutes and then shuts off for about 30-45 seconds, then turns on again, runs for a couple minutes, and then turns off again. The main reasons that a gas water heater automatically shuts off are because the pilot light goes out, the pilot light can’t start, or there are problems with the gas supply. Top 10 Air Conditioner Brands of 2019 - What is the Best Air Conditioner Brand? No, it won’t burn your house down (I don’t think…), but nevertheless, you should be changing your air filters every three months at a minimum, and more often in dry, arid climates where there is a lot of dust in the air. We value your privacy. What may be happening is that your aux heat is turning on when your thermostat falls to 68, but then it turns off when it reaches 70, but the heat pump stays on trying to get the house up to 71. Top 10 Heat Pump Brands of 2019 - Which is the Best Heat Pump Brand? The heater won't operate properly if the pilot flickers, is too weak or goes out, and the cause could also be blockages in the pilot tube. Turns On and Off Rapidly. Remove the face plate of your thermostat. If that is the case then you should call reputable gas heater service to fix the problem. Carefully, touch the WHITE wire to the RED wire and hold them together for a few minutes (5 minutes). If you’ve read some of my other articles, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of checking the simplest problems first. Look at the sides or bottom and see if there are any clips required to remove the front of your thermostat. After all, what does “frequently” mean? Dirty or blocked gas burner orifices in part or all of the burner or burner ring. Why Is My Air Conditioner Freezing Up? Frequency of start-ups is not the same as short-cycling, which is actually characterized by how long the furnace runs for when it does turn on. Whereas, a properly functioning furnace will run for several minutes per cycle. Check the thermostat to see if it is OFF. One of the reasons why your gas heater has stopped working is because the thermostat is off or is not well set. NOTE: the best way to touch the two wires together is with a set of alligator clips. In this section, we will go through our troubleshooting process step-by-step, addressing when a furnace keeps turning on and off frequently. If that is the case then turn it ON and set it on heat mode (at least 5 degrees above room temperature). Sounds odd, but this is how they actually work. If the thermostat runs on batteries, then you may need to change the batteries. This is because of their energy efficiency and affordable price. Your furnace has a multitude of safety features, and this is very likely the cause of your furnace turning on and off, so don’t get too upset – it’s better than starting a fire. If the heating system won't turn OFF, that is if heat keeps being delivered even when you don't want it, set the thermostat to its lowest temperature setting and wait three to five minutes. The third reason of why your propane heater keeps shutting off can be a blocked up gas valve orifice. 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