Every time your thermostat calls for heat, the furnace runs a fixed checklist. The inducer motor starts and proves draft by closing a pressure switch, the hot surface igniter heats up, the gas valve opens, the burners light, and the flame sensor confirms there is fire. Only after all of that does the blower begin sending warm air into the house. Finding the step that fails is most of the job. Around Newark, CA, the usual failure points are a flame sensor fouled with oxide, an igniter cracked by years of heating and cooling, a pressure switch that stays open because of a weak inducer or a clogged condensate trap on a high-efficiency unit, and control boards with burned relays. Any one of them halts the startup, and from the hallway they all look alike.
When the AC quits in summer, see AC Repair.
Signs You Need Furnace Repair in Newark
The sooner you notice these red flags, the easier and cheaper the fix. These are the signals our technicians see most often:
- The blower runs constantly but the air never warms
- Grinding or high-pitched squeals from the blower
- Burners light, run a few seconds, then shut down repeatedly
- Water, rust stains, or black soot around the flue or cabinet
- A pilot or burner flame that is lazy yellow instead of crisp blue
- Clicking and a glowing igniter with no burner flame
- A furnace that shuts off every few minutes before the house warms up
- Booming or banging at light-off from delayed ignition
Don't Wait for a Total Failure
Most HVAC failures start small, a weak capacitor, a squealing blower, a system that runs a little longer each week. Don't wait, call (510) 201-4778 and we'll take a look right away.
