Working as a Heating Professional Can Lead to Success

Reasons Your Furnace Appliance Is Short Cycling

8 December 2022

Abbie Wade

A furnace is essential for indoor comfort when the temperatures are unbearably low. Given this, you should know that your unit runs in heating cycles where the flame raises the heat exchanger's temperature. Subsequently, the heat exchanger transfers heat to the cold air while the blower forces the hot air into your ductwork. However, your unit may malfunction and short cycle. As a result, it will not attain the set temperature, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. More so, since short cycling increases energy bills, you should engage a heater repair technician to remedy the issue. The following are the reasons this could be happening.

Defective Flame Sensor

A flame sensor detects the presence of a flame and whether it is safe for use. This prevents explosions or chances of a fire breakout. However, the combustion process produces small amounts of water, which can gradually cause the metallic sensor to corrode and rust. Additionally, dirt and soot on the sensor lead to a weak flame that goes out shortly after lighting. In the end, you will have a unit that short cycles as the flame keeps going out. Thus, you should contact a furnace repair professional to clean or replace the flame sensor for continuous combustion.

Overheating

Clogged filters cause the furnace to strain in drawing sufficient air for heating. On the other hand, a blocked exhaust vent may lead to flue gas retention in the system. You must note that clogged filters and blocked exhaust vents cause overheating in the furnace. This leads to the furnace shutting down to prevent damage to other components, such as the heat exchanger. Subsequently, the furnace will start again once it cools, which causes it to short cycle. Therefore, replacing your filters regularly and clearing obstructions in the flue pipe is best to prevent overheating.

Faulty Thermostat

If the thermostat wiring is loose, it may cause inaccurate temperature detection. This leads to the furnace switching off and on at irregular and rapid intervals. On the other hand, positioning your thermostat near a window or heat-generating appliances may cause it to malfunction. This is because the thermostat will erroneously read the temperature on these surfaces, resulting in a short cycling system.

Air Leaks

Poor insulation and insufficiently sealed windows lead to heat loss preventing the furnace from reaching the set temperature. Alternatively, leaky ducts may cause hot air to escape to the unconditioned spaces, undermining the heating output. With such conditions, the furnace will short cycle as it attempts to regulate the indoor temperature. To remedy this issue, insulate your home properly and patch the ducts to prevent heat loss.

You should know that a furnace that is short cycling will wear down much faster, making it prone to breakdowns. Therefore, you should schedule routine maintenance checks with a heater repair contractor to ensure it runs at peak performance.

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