Most homeowners are surprised when they turn on their furnaces after months of dormancy and find out that they are not heating the house the way they are required to. They discover that the furnace is not responding to their temperature commands input in the thermostat.
This problem can make you wonder, “Why is my furnace not keeping up with the thermostat?” More so in cold seasons where you need all the warmth you can get. To discover why your furnace can’t keep up with cold temps (what is wrong with your furnace), visit this site.
So, what are the reasons why your furnace can’t keep up with the thermostat? Continue reading to learn:
Your thermostat is very old
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There are several reasons why your furnace can’t keep up with the thermostat. So don’t be rushed to conclude that it is because your furnace is faulty and spend money on costly replacements of your furnace equipment. Sometimes it could be simply that your thermostat has outlived its use.
When thermostats grow old, they lose their effectiveness in measuring the right temperature and signaling the furnace when it achieves the set temperature. So when the furnace receives the wrong signal, it fails to perform its duty of attaining the desired temperature.
A dirty or broken sensor
A dirty or faulty sensor intercepts a thermostat’s signals to the furnace. And this results in the furnace producing the wrong temperature.
This is why you should schedule regular furnace maintenance to ensure that it is clean of all debris, repaired in case of damage, and in excellent working condition.
Dirty filter
The dirt and debris in furnace filters block efficient airflow. And this interferes with the usual heating cycle of the furnace, preventing the furnace from sufficiently heating up enough air. When the air has been warmed up, the blocked filters also prevent the warmed air from being blown back into the rooms.
So, however much the thermostat signals that the temperature hasn’t been achieved, the furnace can’t do much about this.
Overheating furnace
An overheating furnace is not only dangerous (leads to carbon monoxide poisoning) but is also inefficient in warming your home.
Once a furnace overheats, it frequently turns off and on in short bursts, making it ineffective in heating up the air. So, even if the thermostat signals for a temperature increase, the overheating furnace will prematurely turn off before completing the heating cycle.
Once your furnace overheats, don’t wait for it to fail to warm your house sufficiently. Check and clean your furnace filters and vents. If they are in great condition, contact your HVAC technician for help.
Wrong furnace size for your house
Incorrect furnace sizing is another reason why your furnace can’t keep up with the thermostat.
A furnace that is too small for your house will not be able to achieve the warm temperatures set on your thermostat. This is because it can only warm-up smaller amounts of air per heating cycle, making it impossible to sufficiently warm a big house or many rooms.
On the other hand, a furnace that is too big for your house easily heats up the space near the thermostat very quickly. When this happens, the thermostat receives the signal that the set temperature has been reached, making the furnace shut off.
Faulty blower or belt
Sometimes, the problem may not be with your furnace or thermostat. Instead, the issue could be with the blower. It may have a worn-out belt or insufficient lubrication. Once the blower is faulty, you won’t get the adequate warmth you need.
You can tell a broken blower by the high-pitched sounds your furnace makes. To rectify this blower problem, contact your HVAC system repair service.
The thermostat is wrong for the furnace
To gain the maximum heating efficiency of your furnace, you need to ensure that you install the right thermostat for your heating system. Most furnace systems work hand-in-hand with specific types or models of thermostats. This means that your thermostat should match your furnace in terms of capacity and capability.
Installing the wrong thermostat for your heating system results in miscommunication between your thermostat and the furnace. And this results in your furnace failing to meet your set temperature.
Consult an HVAC professional for the correct thermostat to avoid this problem.
Tripped circuit breaker
Your furnace can’t keep up with the thermostat because of a tripped circuit breaker.
Sometimes the circuit breaker to the heater can trip unexpectedly, preventing the furnace from heating your home. Apart from the circuit breaker getting tripped, you may accidentally turn off the switch on your furnace, turning it off unknowingly.
So, you will set a higher temperature on the thermostat and wait for your house to become warm in vain.
Faulty wiring
The thermostat is connected to your heating system by wires. So, if the cables become loose, broken, aged, or damaged, this breaks the connection between your furnace and thermostat. This means that the thermostat commands are not reaching the furnace, resulting in uncoordinated heat output.
So, if you notice that your furnace is not keeping up with the thermostat, inspect the wiring thoroughly, and tighten or replace any wires where needed.
Your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger
Older furnaces that are irregularly maintained develop problems like rust and cracks that worsen with time.
The heat exchanger contracts and expands with the alternating commands of lower and higher temperatures, developing cracks as time passes. And this damages them, affecting the smooth operation of the furnace.
Irregular furnace maintenance
Regular maintenance makes the furnace more efficient in its operation. On the other hand, irregular furnace maintenance results in the system becoming sluggish, making it unable to immediately respond to the thermostat’s instructions like it’s supposed to. And this makes it slower to do its job of heating your home in time.
Conclusion
You can prevent these issues by contracting a professional HVAC company or technician to regularly service and maintain your heating system (furnace) and thermostat.
Doing this will ensure the smooth and coordinated operation of your heating system.
