What causes a blinking red light on furnaces?

Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical can determine whether you have a problem with your heat exchanger, gas pressure, or something else. We’re New York’s trusted source of diagnostics and repairs for all furnace models in the Albany, NY area.

Here, we discuss the most common reasons behind your furnace’s blinking red light.

Most Common Reasons You See a Blinking Red Light On Furnaces

If a red furnace light blinks or flashes, you can assume one thing right off the bat: the furnace isn’t functioning properly! An HVAC system professional will read the error code specific to your unit’s problem, but one of the following issues is likely:

A Flashing Furnace Light Can Mean You Have Igniter Failure

A professional HVAC technician can determine if your furnace light flashes because your unit has ignition issues. In a gas furnace, this component ignites your fuel so that your device can heat the air. Ignition problems can occur for several reasons, such as:

• A dirty flame sensor
• A dirty burner chamber or combustion chambers
• A faulty gas valve
• A vent blockage
• Reduced airflow from clogged furnace filters or a faulty blower motor
• Lack of a hot flame or pilot light (it looks like a yellow light)
• Flame failure from broken burners

Learn more about what heat exchangers are and how they work

A Blinking Light Can Indicate a Roll-Out Switch (High Limit Switch) Problem

Do you sometimes see a blinking red light on furnaces? Your roll-out switch provides an essential safety feature by shutting off your device when it overheats. If the high-limit switch doesn’t accurately read the internal temperature, it may shut down your device and activate the error code light.

This occurs most often when you have clogged air filters and dirt buildup.

You Could Experience a Heating System Lock Out

A lock-out is another safety feature in modern furnaces.

Your furnace has several sensors that monitor conditions within your furnace. If they sense an issue, they shut down your device. You’ll see a blinking red light.

Do You Have Thermostat Issues?

One issue homeowners often overlook in the furnace manual includes that a furnace’s blinking red light can occur when your thermostat malfunctions.

Can your thermostat not properly communicate with your heating system? It may activate your furnace’s blinking red light to show the right error code.

Related article: How high can I turn up my thermostat?

You May Have Heat Exchanger or Power Issues

You may see an error code if your furnace components aren’t receiving power correctly. Several issues can cause power problems, such as:

• Circuit board failure
• Issues with your circuit breaker box
• Loose wire connections
• Old wiring
• Frequent power surges

Do You Have Problems with Your Gas Valve?

A gas valve issue remains the most common cause of a blinking red light on furnaces. This occurs most often when the gas flowing into your furnace doesn’t have enough pressure to ignite.

Only a professional HVAC technician should handle issues with your gas supply.

Is Your Pressure Switch Malfunctioning?

Your furnace’s pressure switch shuts off power to your device when it detects unsafe pressure levels. If you have pressure switch problems, it could misread the pressure and turn off the furnace unnecessarily.

An HVAC professional can help determine if you have a malfunction or if you have increased pressure from the following complications:

• Blocked condensate drain
• Dirty air filters
• Improperly sized equipment

What Should You Do If Your Furnace Has a Blinking Red Light?

So, what should you do when you notice a blinking light on your furnace? You can perform basic diagnostics yourself to help determine the issue. Safely complete the following tasks:

• Check your recent utility bills. Do you have a decrease in your device’s energy efficiency?
• Inspect your device for clogged filters. Change them if necessary.
• Reset your thermostat. Try an extreme temperature. Does your furnace activate?
• Stay vigilant for unusual smells and sounds. The furnace may need repairs.

By performing initial troubleshooting, you can help your HVAC technician determine the source of your furnace problems.

Remember, if your furnace has problems during a period of extremely cold weather, you need it for safety. You should consider it an emergency and call for repairs immediately.

If you smell natural gas, exit your home immediately. Call for service from a safe distance.

Schedule Reliable Furnace Repairs Today

Now that you know how to handle a blinking red light on furnaces, contact Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical. Our experienced technicians can interpret the error codes on all furnace brands, including your Carrier furnace. We can efficiently return your furnace to normal operation for a competitive price.

To schedule service, call 518-545-3271.

Whether you look forward to the stark beauty of a snowy landscape or you’re already counting down the days until spring, preparing your heating system for winter is key. It doesn’t matter whether you love winter or hate it; you need your furnace to keep your home warm and comfortable.

Learn more about the key steps you should take to make sure your furnace is ready to perform in top condition.

Perform Furnace Maintenance

Furnace maintenance involves taking several steps to keep your system running in top condition all winter long.

Replace the Furnace Filter

You should change your furnace’s air filter at least every three months and before the heating season starts. A clogged furnace doesn’t allow maximum heated air flow through the system.

Check the Vents

After replacing the air filter, one of the key steps for preparing your furnace or heat pump for winter is ensuring maximum air movement into and out of the HVAC system. Walk around your home and look at the vents. Move any items that are blocking either the supply or return air vents.

Clear the Space Around the Furnace

If you stacked boxes and other items around the furnace all summer, now is the time to move them to a new location. Storing items near the furnace while it’s running increases the risk of fire.

Clean the Interior of the Unit

The interior of the furnace and heat exchanger accumulate dust, dirt, and grime throughout the year. Removing these particles allows the moving parts inside the furnace to operate freely, ensuring maximum performance efficiency when preparing your heating system for winter.

The blower motor and other parts contain bearings that may need lubrication, too.

Test the Performance

Turn on the furnace or heat pump and make sure it delivers warm air as expected. If you hear odd noises or if the heater doesn’t seem to be responding to your settings on the thermostat, you should call our HVAC system repair team.

Reach Out for a Tune-up

Many of the maintenance steps required to prepare a furnace for winter are more complicated than homeowners can easily handle on their own. Our expert heating unit technicians can visit your home annually to do the necessary maintenance on the furnace.

Our certified furnace professionals can run diagnostic tests on your heater, looking for parts that are close to failing. We can do repairs on these parts, ensuring your furnace is ready to run in an energy-efficient and reliable manner all winter.

Our diagnostic tests can spot areas where wear is occurring, allowing us to fix them before they cause a complete breakdown.

Check the Safety Systems

Just before winter is a good time to check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If they need fresh batteries, you should change them as part of preparing your heating system for winter.

If you use a chimney, have a professional inspect and clean it to reduce the risk of a fire.

Our heating technicians can check the integrity of the natural gas lines and electrical connections. We ensure everything is ready to operate safely for you all winter.

Take Advantage of the Thermostat’s Features

As a final option for preparing your heating system for winter, you should familiarize yourself with your thermostat. You might not understand all the features that your thermostat offers that can help you keep your home more comfortable and cut down on heating costs.

The changeover from cooling to heating season is a good time to learn more about the thermostat. Some of the features of your programmable thermostat that you may want to consider using include:

• Program the furnace to shut down overnight
• Measure heating performance in real-time
• Control the thermostat from an app
• Set up different heating zones in the home

If you have a newer thermostat and a smart home system installed, you can connect the thermostat to the system. This makes it easier to control from an app.

You should also check the thermostat’s settings related to the furnace. Make sure the furnace’s temperature is exactly where you want it.

Call Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical for a Furnace Tune-up Today

If you want to ensure your furnace is ready to deliver hot, not cold, air for the upcoming winter season, the expert heating and cooling system technicians at Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical are ready to help. By letting us tune up your heating equipment, you receive benefits like lower heating bills, a longer lifespan for your furnace, and better home comfort.

To learn more about preparing your heating system for winter and the tasks we will perform for you, call (518) 545-3271.

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, Plumbing & Electrical 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, Plumbing & Electrical 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.

You probably don’t give much thought to what’s inside your furnace, at least, not until something goes wrong. What are the components of a gas furnace, and how do you know when it’s time to call for furnace repairs? Discover the answers in this guide from Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical.

Your Furnace’s Major Components Demystified

Gas furnaces feature an array of parts, and unless you’re an HVAC industry pro, it’s tough to know which part does what. Here, we break down the parts of a furnace in plain English.

• Control board: The control board, or control system, does exactly what it sounds like. This part is the “brains” of your gas furnace, and it consists of electrical controls and a thermostat. The thermostat tells the furnace when to kick on by sending electrical signals to the unit.
• Pilot light or electronic ignition: Older furnaces have pilot lights, while newer models usually have an electric hot surface igniter that glows red-hot when it’s time for the furnace to kick on. Whichever system your furnace has, it’s responsible for igniting the gas and starting the combustion process.
• Burner: The burner’s role is to take natural gas from your gas line and turn that gas into fire that provides heat to your home. You’ll find your burner, naturally, in the burner chamber.
• Blower motor: Blower motors are responsible for transferring heat from the furnace throughout your home. Working together with the blower fan, the blower motor transfers heat by pushing heated air through your home’s ducts. High-efficiency furnaces may have a variable blower that allows you to control the speed of the fan.
• Flame sensor: The flame sensor recognizes when there’s a fire in the burner chamber and opens the gas valve, allowing gas to flow until the air reaches the desired temperature. If the sensor’s flame rollout switch doesn’t detect a heat source, it will close the gas valve.
• Combustion chamber: This chamber holds fire-producing components, including the pilot light or electric ignition.
• Heat exchanger: When your furnace runs, it produces combustion gasses which pass through the heat exchanger. Hot metal heats the air circulating around the heat exchanger, and with the help of the draft inducer motor, gasses travel through your exhaust vents and outside of your home via the vent pipe. Without proper ventilation and a working inducer motor, exhaust gas wouldn’t be able to leave your house.
• Pressure switch: The pressure switch is a safety feature that sits near the motor. If it detects negative pressure, it shuts the heating system down to prevent back-drafting.
• Secondary heat exchanger: After leaving the main heat exchanger, flue gas travels into the secondary heat exchanger. Here, water vapor forms, and the liquid adds more heat to the air.
• Air filter: Because the parts of your furnace burn fuel, you’ll need a high-quality air filter for your furnace system. Filters are responsible for trapping soot, dust, pet dander, and other debris. The higher the filter’s MERV rating, the better it is at filtering contaminants.
• Carbon monoxide detectors: Carbon monoxide is always a risk with gas furnaces and space heaters, so you’ll need a detector to alert you if it recognizes this dangerous gas drifting through your home.

How Regular Maintenance Keeps Your Furnace Components in Great Shape

Now that you know the answer to the question, “What are the components of a gas furnace?” it’s time to discuss the many benefits of furnace maintenance for furnace components. Here are the perks you’ll get when you schedule maintenance for gas furnaces:

• Efficient heating: Tired of high heating bills? With furnace system maintenance, you could slash your heating costs by hundreds annually. Our maintenance crew inspects and tests your furnace to ensure it’s running in top condition for peak energy efficiency.
• Fresh air: A dirty, poorly maintained furnace pushes contaminant-laden air throughout your home. With a well-maintained furnace, you’ll enjoy clean, fresh-smelling air that’s free of gasses and soot.
• Beat the winter chill: If your home’s internal temperature is starting to dip despite the furnace running nonstop, your furnace needs maintenance right away. Hire us for maintenance and stay cozy when temperatures plummet this winter.
• Maintain your warranty: Your new HVAC system probably came with a warranty, but without regular maintenance, the manufacturer might refuse to cover repairs. Don’t risk it; call for maintenance today.

How To Know if Your Furnace’s Components Need Repairs

Does your furnace blow cool air instead of warm and refuse to complete the heating cycle? Maybe the heating unit won’t turn on at all. Here’s how to tell if it’s time to call the pros for furnace system repairs.

• The furnace won’t turn on: If your furnace won’t start in the middle of a New York winter, you’ll definitely want to call a repair crew ASAP. The problem may be something simple, like a faulty thermostat, or something more complex, such as an issue with the flame sensor.
• The furnace won’t blow warm air: Does your furnace blow cool or lukewarm air? A broken blower motor or cracked heat exchanger may be to blame. Heat exchangers aren’t cheap to repair, but it’s still less expensive than buying a new furnace.
• The furnace makes scary noises: If your furnace is working properly, you shouldn’t hear anything from it but a gentle hum. Banging, grinding, or screeching noises indicate that something is amiss. If you don’t fix the problem, your furnace might provide inefficient heating or stop working altogether.
• You smell something bad when passing by the unit: Your furnace and air conditioning system shouldn’t smell bad when it runs. If you smell mold, a rotting stench, or gas, call a pro right away.

Has Your Furnace Stopped Working? Call the Pros at Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical

Still wondering, “What are the components of a gas furnace?” Our experts at Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical are happy to explain more about your furnace’s inner workings. When you need repairs for your furnace or air conditioning system, you can count on us to do the job right.

Call (518) 545-3271 to schedule your HVAC service today.

Do you rely on your furnace to get you safely and comfortably through those cold winter months? When you prioritize scheduling a furnace tune-up with Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, you’ll have confidence it will last throughout the coldest parts of the season. With friendly and expert technicians, we find a solution to every problem.

Everything Included in Furnace Tune-Ups

What happens when you schedule a tune-up for your HVAC system? The HVAC technician will take the following steps to ensure your system makes it through the entire heating season.

Inspecting the Furnace

The first part of an annual furnace tune-up is inspecting the entire system, not just the furnace. To keep your furnace running smoothly, the technician will inspect the following components:

• Heat exchanger: The heat exchanger is an essential part of your heating system that warms the air that passes over it. A cracked heat exchanger can cause serious problems like carbon monoxide leaks and skyrocketing energy bills.
• Ductwork: Your venting system distributes warm air throughout your home. A heating tune-up ensures the vents are not blocked and delivers the air evenly to each room.
• Fire hazards: The HVAC technician will inspect your system for a gas leak or curtains or furniture that could cause a fire around the furnace cabinet.
• Air filter: When your air filter clogs, it can cause a furnace breakdown or raise utility bills. The technician will replace your filter.
• Ignition: Gas furnaces use pilot lights, so one essential part of heating system tune-ups includes confirming it doesn’t have any issues.
• Electrical connections: Loose or corroded electrical connections can prevent your heating system from working. Any furnace tune-up and inspection must include checking these elements.

The above is just a small sampling of what the inspection includes. They’ll also look at the furnace’s blower motor, gas valve, gas pressure, and more.

Cleaning the Heat Exchanger and More

After inspecting your HVAC system, the next step for furnace maintenance includes cleaning any dirty components. Buildup often becomes most severe on the heat exchanger, air filter, the blower motor, and your home’s air supply ducts. Cleaning these components avoids more costly repairs in the future and maintains the energy efficiency of your furnace system.

Lubricating Various Components

When homeowners use their heating systems frequently, wear and tear can reduce the lubrication, eventually causing friction that can damage various components. When the technician lubricates during routine maintenance, you’ll save money in the long term.

Calibrating the Controls

If the technician finds your thermostat doesn’t work correctly, they can often recalibrate it rather than completely replace it.

Testing the System

After heating maintenance, the technician will test the system and ensure the heat pump, furnace, thermostat, and other components all perform in peak condition.

Signs You Need a Heating System or Furnace Inspection

How do you know when heat pumps could benefit from repairs or if you need a furnace tune-up?

Rising Heating Bills

If you notice your energy bills increasing, you have an early sign you need a maintenance tune-up. When a heat pump or furnace experiences wear and tear, it uses more fuel to produce heat. If tune-ups or repairs don’t fix the issue, the technician may suggest a new furnace.

Safety Issues

Do you have a carbon monoxide detector beeping or smell a gas leak? You need an immediate furnace tune-up to avoid serious complications for your home. Prioritize your safety by getting out of the house, then call for help.

Poor Performance

Regular maintenance should help you avoid poor performance during most of the winter. However, if your furnace works overtime during extreme temperatures, you’ll likely need a tune-up.

Poor performance includes the following problems:

• A lack of heat in your home, such as lukewarm air
• A different temperature in each room in your home
• Requiring more time to reach your desired temperature
• An increase in respiratory issues or allergies
• High humidity levels in your home
• A furnace that doesn’t turn on or that turns on and off quickly
• Concerning smells or noises that come from your device

Schedule Furnace Maintenance With Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical Today

When you need a furnace tune-up, you won’t find a better option than Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical. We’re your comprehensive HVAC service provider, which means we can also keep your cooling system and air conditioning unit in peak condition. We remain available 24/7 for rapid emergency response.

To book an appointment, call (518) 545-3271 today.

If you hear a loud noise coming from your heating system, reach out to an HVAC contractor for furnace repair services. This guide from the experts at Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical reveals how to pinpoint a failing furnace sound and the heating issue you’re likely dealing with as a result. Knowing this information can help you detect and resolve furnace problems quickly.

Loud Noises That Signal Furnace Problems

It’s not uncommon to hear certain furnace noises, including humming or clicking noises. However, some sounds can indicate broken components that can affect your heat cycle. To safeguard vital parts like your heat exchanger and blower wheel, check out the five furnace noises you shouldn’t ignore.

Whistling Sounds

Furnace whistling noises aren’t just irritating, but they can also cost you a lot of money as you continue to heat your home. The whistling sound usually stems from minor leaks in the air ducts, which causes heat to escape through the vents rather than fill your home. Routine maintenance can make sure your ductwork stays in good condition instead of releasing heat that forces the furnace to work harder.

Screeching Sounds

If you hear a high-pitched squealing noise, some of the furnace’s moving parts, such as the fan belts, may require lubrication. Addressing this problem quickly can prevent further damage to the system, so don’t ignore the loud noise you hear.

Scraping Sounds

Ask an expert, “What does a failing furnace sound like?” and they’ll tell you to pay attention to any scraping or grinding noises. This distinct sound might indicate loose parts or issues with your blower motor. The best thing to do if you hear this or other furnace noises is to shut down your system and let a professional inspect it.

Buzzing or Rattling Sounds

A rattling sound coming from your furnace might mean you have faulty shaft bearings or other loose components. Continuing to run the heater will cause the rattling noises to worsen and risk your system shutting down entirely.

Banging Sounds

If you turn on your heater and notice a delayed ignition followed by a loud banging noise, you likely have gas buildup within your furnace. Call a licensed HVAC repair company near you to inspect the system and rule out other concerns.

Common Furnace Issues Requiring Repairs

Understanding failing furnace sounds will signal that it’s time to call for repairs. What types of issues can you expect a technician to fix? Below is a breakdown of furnace problems that lead to hearing abnormal noises from your system.

Faulty Blower Motor and Blower Wheel

If you tell a repair technician that you hear grinding noises coming from your heater, they’ll likely check the fan motor and blower wheel first. These components can wreak havoc on your system when they’re not in excellent condition and leave you dealing with:

• Loud sounds
• Limited airflow
• High energy costs

Depending on the age of your system, you might need to replace the unit rather than repair the faulty components.

Cracked Heat Exchanger

The furnace’s ignition system becomes an issue if you hear popping or banging noises. Dirty burners cause these sounds, which can ultimately be loud enough to damage the heat exchanger. If this happens, your combustion chamber has trouble operating safely since carbon monoxide and other toxic fumes can escape through the cracks in the heat exchanger, putting your household in harm’s way.

Having a carbon monoxide detector in your home can keep you safe if gases start to escape from your furnace. Evacuate the house immediately and have a qualified technician address all furnace safety and performance concerns.

Clogged Air Filter

You might not think that dirty air filters are a cause for furnace repair. However, clogged filters can result in costly repairs since they promote restricted airflow and hurt the indoor air quality. This ends up leading to problems that affect the entire furnace.

Contact Our HVAC Experts for Professional Heating Repairs

Knowing what a failing furnace sounds like can help you determine when it’s time to call for help. If you hear noises coming from your furnace, reach out to Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical for assistance. We can restore your system’s heating cycle and prevent it from making strange noises again.

Our technicians also specialize in air conditioning repairs and are ready to help if warm air flows through your vents instead of cool, comfortable air. Call Grasshopper Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical at (518) 545-3271 to request your furnace repair service today.