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Why Your Furnace Won’t Turn Off

Image of Amanda Triolo - CEO of Grasshopper
Amanda August, CEO of Grasshopper Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
Published December 13, 2024

When cold winter weather is invading your region, you need your furnace to heat your home and deliver energy efficiency. If you are wondering why your furnace won’t turn off, it’s time to reach out to professional repair technicians for help with diagnosing the issue.

Learn more about why your heating system won’t stop running and how our heating technicians can solve this problem.

Common Reasons for a Constantly Running Furnace

Even though it might feel warm and toasty in the home when the furnace is running constantly during extremely cold weather, this signifies a significant problem with the unit. Several different reasons may explain the reason for a constantly running furnace. You can consider these troubleshooting steps to try to diagnose the problem when the furnace is constantly running.

Broken Thermostat

If your thermostat is not measuring temperature properly or is sending incorrect signals to the furnace, it might never shut down. 

Check the settings on the thermostat controls to make sure someone didn’t turn it to a high temperature setting. Use a separate thermometer to measure the actual temperature in the house and compare it to the desired temperature measurement on the thermostat settings.

Thermostats typically last about 10 years. If you have an older thermostat, it may be time for a replacement.

Clogged Air Filter

If you have a clogged air filter inside the gas furnace, it inhibits the ability of the system to move air. A lack of air movement causes the heating system to work harder, which could lead to parts inside the heating unit breaking down prematurely.

The dirty air filter may block the movement of heated air throughout the home, leading to cold spots in different rooms.

You should change a dirty filter every three months in the HVAC system at a minimum.

Wrong Size of Furnace

If you moved into a home with an existing furnace that will not shut off, it’s possible that the furnace is too small. It simply cannot move enough hot air throughout the square footage of the home to reach the thermostat’s temperature setting.

If you recently expanded your home’s size through remodeling, figuring out why your furnace won’t turn off might relate to the now larger home.

The only way to fix this issue is replacing the existing furnace with a larger capacity unit.

Furnace Blower Motor Issues

If the heat pump or furnace blower is not functioning properly, it may inhibit the furnace’s ability to circulate air through the system. The thermostat might not send a signal to the furnace to shut off because the warm air is not moving through the home properly.

A professional Clifton Park furnace repair company can investigate this problem and fix it.

Loss of Heat Outdoors

If you do not have the proper level of insulation inside the home, it’s possible that the furnace simply cannot keep up during extremely cold weather. The home is not holding the heat inside like it should because of the issue with insulation.

Perhaps someone left open windows or doors in the home, and cold air is entering the home at a fast rate. Walk through the home and check for broken windows and open doors.

Consequences When a Furnace Won’t Turn Off

Typically, a furnace will run up to 15 minutes per heating cycle before shutting down for a few minutes. It can then start the new heating cycle.

When the furnace doesn’t shut off, it’s still delivering heat to the home. You might choose to ignore this issue because the furnace is still running.

However, the furnace cannot continue to operate this way without suffering a failure at some point.

Some of the problems you might experience when the furnace will not shut down include:

  • Higher energy bills
  • Home that’s too warm
  • Shorter furnace lifespan
  • Potential fire hazard
  • Increased risk of carbon monoxide exposure
  • Furnace breakdown

All these problems show the importance of having repairs done as quickly as possible to the HVAC system when your furnace won’t turn off.

Let Grasshopper Heating & Cooling Help You Understand Why Your Furnace Won’t Turn Off — and Fix It

Don’t continue to put up with a furnace that wants to run continuously. Let our experts diagnose why your furnace won’t turn off and do something about it. 

Our professional HVAC technicians at Grasshopper Heating & Cooling are ready to help with all your heating system needs. We do not cut corners when repairing and maintaining your furnace. To set up an appointment or to learn how we can help you with your furnace problem, call us today at (518) 545-3271.


Image of Amanda Triolo - CEO of Grasshopper
Amanda August

Amanda August is the CEO of Grasshopper Heating & Cooling, a rapidly growing HVAC company based in Albany, New York. She leads by focusing on creating opportunities that positively impact both employees and customers.


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