The weather has turned cold, you just tried turning on your gas furnace, and no heat is coming from the furnace. If you are looking to do a little trouble shooting yourself and potentially even fix the issue, we have a great check list below. Checking a few things first to trouble shoot the heating issue can definitely save you money and increase the knowledge of your furnace.

1. Be sure to check that the thermostat for your heater is not set too low? This may sound like a simple thing but if the thermostat is not set higher than the current room temperature the furnace will not turn on.
2. Next check that the furnace’s power switch is turned on; it should be located next to or inside the furnace cabinet. If it isn’t on, turn it on and wait a few minutes for the furnace to start.
3. Have you looked to see if your circuit breaker was tripped (turned to the off position). If the breaker to the furnace is set to the “off” position reset it to “on”.   If the circuit blows again you may have a short in the electrical system that provides power to the furnace. Call a contractor if this appears to be the issue. If you see that a fuse is blown, replace the fuse.
4. The pilot light could have gone out or the gas valve could have been shut off. Make sure the gas valve is in the open position. If the pilot light is out, see our guide for lighting a gas pilot furnace.
5. Another option to check is if the furnace motor overloaded. Find a “Reset” button near the furnace housing and press it. If nothing happens, wait 30 minutes for the motor to cool, and then try pressing the “Reset” button again.
6. Still no luck getting the furnace started? It may be a problem with the thermostat. Check out our guide for trouble shooting a faulty thermostat.
7. If none of the above have helped you solve the heating repair issue, call your local heating contractor!