Why Won’t My Furnace in Bel Air, MD, Stay On?

A furnace should heat the average home in Bel Air, MD, with cycles of 10 to 15 minutes. As much, it should cycle two to three times in an hour. Anything shorter or more frequent is a bad sign. Furnaces that don’t stay on can have issues like a dirty flame sensor, an uncalibrated thermostat or perhaps a bad motor.

Dirt Build-Up

The first thing to know is that short-cycling furnaces are often overheating and shutting down early as a safety measure. One common cause of overheating in furnaces is dirt build-up.

First, make sure you’re changing the air filter in the return vent every three months. Excessive dirt and debris there can obstruct airflow and overheat the motor. Also, have a maintenance service technician check for rust build-up on the flame sensors.

Faulty Thermostat

Short-cycling can be the result of minor issues, too, such as a thermostat with low batteries or uncalibrated sensors. Such thermostats may mistakenly think the indoor temperature is higher than it is, shutting the furnace off prematurely.

Failing Blower Motor

If your motor fails, the furnace will produce warm air. But it won’t go away, which means rapid overheating and shutdown. Replacing a motor can be a costly step. In this case, you should consider opting for a heating replacement and investing in a new model.

Oversized Furnace

Another possibility is that you have a furnace whose blowing capacity is too large for your home. Oversized furnaces heat homes too quickly and create lots of energy waste. A complete furnace replacement may be the only solution to this issue.

Contact Hughes Mechanical, LLC today if you live in Bel Air, MD, and have a short-cycling furnace that needs repairs. Though we’re a Rheem Pro Partner and a dealer in Lennox and Mitsubishi Electric products, we service furnaces of all makes and models.

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