What to Do When Your Heater Won’t Turn Off!

It’s not unusual for heating systems to have a glitch once in a while. It could be as simple as a broken thermostat or an electrical problem. If your gas furnace won’t shut off, here are a couple steps you can take to get a correctly working furnace again. 

Examine the Air Filter 

A dirty air filter causes problems for numerous homeowners and their HVAC system. Here’s why. It limits airflow, forcing your furnace to work harder and run longer to satisfy your ideal temperature. 

This multiplies wear and tear on your furnace, as well as the likelihood of a malfunction and premature failure. 

It can also make your furnace get too hot and shut down for a time to cool off. Then it will keep duplicating this process when your furnace turns on. This is known as short cycling. In addition to wearing out your furnace more quickly, it can increase your heating bill and make your home feel uncomfortable. 

We recommend replacing flat filters each month and pleated filters every three months. If you can’t remember the last time you got a new furnace filter, pull it out and hold it up to the light. If you can’t detect light through your filter, it’s too dusty and you should replace it. 

If the matter was connected to a clogged air filter, putting in a fresh filter should solve this common issue when your heat won’t turn off. If not, we recommend checking your thermostat settings next. 

Check the Thermostat 

Your thermostat controls your furnace and simply tells the unit when to turn on and off. It’s usually the problem when your furnace won’t stop running. 

At times having the heat turn off is as easy as adjusting a wrong thermostat setting. 

Ensure Your Thermostat is Set to “Auto”.

Your thermostat has two settings, “auto” and “on,” that manage your heating system’s blower motor. 

“Auto” means the furnace blower will only run when the furnace does. 

“On” indicates the furnace blower will run continuously. This constant air flow can help with heat circulation but will also drive up your power bill and increase wear and tear on your furnace. 

If your thermostat is set to “on,” it will seem like your furnace is not shutting off, but it’s really just the furnace blower you’re noticing. Switching it to “auto” should solve the problem. It will also help you spend less money on your energy costs. 

Check Your Temperature Setting 

If your thermostat won’t turn off heat, check the temperature setting to the room temperature. If it’s higher than the room air temp, your furnace will keep operating until it hits your desired temp. 

Keep in mind that if it’s extremely cold outside, your furnace will have to operate much longer than normal to keep your home warm. This is due to a big temperature difference between the cold air outside and the warm indoors. 

As a test, you can try lowering the temperature to correspond with the room. Then, wait a few minutes. This should make the furnace turn off momentarily. 

Put in New Batteries 

If you have a programmable thermostat, it’s likely battery powered. You can test replacing the batteries to see if that solves the problem. If it doesn’t or if there’s wiring to your electrical system, shift it to “off.” 

If your furnace won’t shut off after you switch it to “off,” you will need to turn off the power. 

Cut the Power 

Thermostat appears to be working fine but your furnace still won’t turn off? There are two spots you can shut off the power to your heating unit: at the breaker box and at its specific power switch. 

1. Head to your breaker box and find the breaker marked “furnace.” Push the breaker switch to the right to cut power. 

2. Next, look for the specific power switch to your heating system. It looks like a light switch and can be found on or close to your furnace. Move the switch down to shut off power. 

3. Your furnace should be turned off now. 

If you had to switch off your system at the breaker, call us at 954-736-4314 for professional service, as you may require furnace repair. 

What Causes a Furnace to Keep Running? 

Occasionally fixing this problem can be as easy as changing your air filter or adjusting thermostat settings. In other situations, you might want a professional when your heater won’t turn off. 

Fan Limit Switch Needs to Be Replaced 

The furnace fan limit switch controls your furnace’s blower motor. If the switch goes bad, it might seem like your furnace running continuously, even though just the blower is running. 

You might notice a furnace error code if there’s a problem with the limit switch. Your furnace will speak using a blinking red light on the front of your heating system. 

Our Experts can identify and fix any issues you’re having with your furnace blower motor. Sometimes this can involve replacement parts, such as the control board, faulty wiring or the fan switch itself. 

Faulty Thermostat 

Like anything else in your home, your thermostat can break down over time and need to be replaced. If you’re due for a new one, ask us about getting a smart thermostat. 

These thermostats make it easy to save energy, since they develop an energy-efficient heating and cooling schedule based on your needs. Plus, you’ll be able to set and keep tabs on your thermostat from just about anyplace with your phone. 

Leaky Air Ducts 

Your furnace relies on ductwork to circulate hot air to vents throughout your home. If your home or ductwork is older, your furnace might be running all the time since the ductwork is leaking hot air in the attic. 

Identifying this leaky ductwork and other airflow issues can be challenging to troubleshoot on your own, since it’s concealed behind walls and ceilings. Our Experts can help with diagnosing and taking care of any air duct repair service that you require. 

Rely on Our Experts for All Your Furnace Repair Needs 

Troubleshooting furnace problems can be annoying, especially when it impacts your comfort, energy efficiency and heating bill. When it involves furnaces, there’s a reason why we say we’re Experts in our industry. You can rely on our ACE-certified technicians to resolve your problem quickly and affordably. And what’s even better, we stand behind our HVAC system repairs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for one year.* Contact us at 954-736-4314 to book your appointment today.