Did you notice your furnace is not working as effectively as it is used to? The problem may be linked to the air filters. When the air filter gets too dirty and distilled, your furnace may become a shadow of itself; increasing energy consumption, the air becomes unhealthy; the heating is not as efficient as before, and so on.

When you notice any of these or other signs, it is crucial to check your furnace filter.

Changing your air filter at least every three months may prevent damage that may require expensive furnace repair.

Families with members or pets that have sensitive respiratory health should change their furnace filters more often.

Below is a simple guide on how to check and repair a furnace filter:

• Ensure the thermostat and furnace are turned off.
• Detach the filter found inside the furnace or at the intake of your furnace. A furnace filter looks like a grater placed on a flat surface.
• Then run a thorough check on it is using a torchlight or hold it against a bulb. Check if the light passes through.
• If the light cannot pass through the filter, then it's time to replace it with a new one.
• Replace the new filter with its arrows pointing outward towards airflow.

If the above tips are difficult to handle, get the service of an emergency furnace technician to handle the repair.

Blocked furnace flues prevent the heating system from warming up the home properly.

Aside from damage and huge furnace repair costs, blocked furnace flues can also cause carbon dioxide build-up in your home.

When you notice any of the signs of a blocked vent, check and unclog all furnace outlets.

Ensure that furniture is not standing in the way, or frost blocking the outlets. Anything from rags to handheld vacuum cleaners can do the trick.

The thermostat is simply your furnace control board. It collects and analysis the temperature of the rooms after which it triggers the heating system to start-up and shut down.

A few signs that your thermostat may be faulty is:

• The furnace no longer comes on when the temperature is so low;
• Furnace stays on at high degree;

Before getting an expert to repair your furnace, try troubleshooting the thermostat by:

• Increasing the temperature above 4 degrees. A faulty thermostat won't regulate this.
• Get a new pair of thermostat batteries.
• Check if other heat sources are interfering with the thermostat reading.
• Check if your programmed settings are still intact.
• For an electromechanical thermostat, cleaning the contact plate and coils with a soft brush will help.

If you have done all the above and the problem persists, then the issue might be your furnace power system. Here are a few tips to help repair furnace power outage:

Furnace Switch Check

When you are accustomed to leaving your furnace on, checking the switch will be the last thing on your mind. But if you are living with someone, it is advisable to check if the power switch tripped off.

Circuit Breaker check

Your HVAC circuit breaker or that of your building have tons of reason to trip off. If the circuit breaker is tripped off, try flipping it off and on, which in most cases settles the problem.

If the problem continues, other tissues to look at include electrical faults, moisture, and burns. When you see any of these, call in an HVAC certified electrician for repairs.

Furnace Fuse Check

You may not see the circuit breaker off, but sometimes, the fuse may have an issue. Some minor faults that affect furnace fuses include rust and melt.

When you notice discoloration or melt, get an electrician to repair and replace the affected fuse immediately.

An efficiently working furnace flame reeks of blue color, and with finely dispersed flame.

When you notice a different flame color, it shows that there is a problem with the mechanism that burns fuel. First, try vacuuming and cleaning the burner. If the problem persists, get the service of an HVAC certified professional who will repair it. You can escape heavy repair costs by opting for preventive maintenance of your burner.

Other reasons you may have a complete flame outage include ignition faults, clogs, and debris.

Reset the ignition by turning the furnace switch off and on.

When the above fails the resolve the problem, we recommend calling the attention of an HVAC professional to handle the further repair or get the attention of the gas agent if you perceive gas.

Modern furnaces come with a safety mechanism installed on the door. This ensures that the fan and burner do not function when the door is open. When there is any fault with the door or access panel, the safety switch gets a wrong signal, then trips and stays off, thereby preventing the furnace from working.

Simply opening and closing the door properly may fix this problem. However, when the problem persists, the service of an HVAC professional is to repair the furnace safety switch or for the installation of a new panel.

You have seen that you can get your furnace working each time by adhering to these simple DIY furnace repair tips. It is important to note that these 6 common furnace faults and how to fix them should not replace the requisite maintenance that an HVAC professional must carry that out from time to time.

To avoid huge safety hazards, carrying out preventive furnace maintenance is important and must not be downplayed.