Furnace Not Working? A Nevada Homeowner's Troubleshooting Guide

No heat on a cold night in Reno or Carson City is a real problem. Here is what a technician checks and what you can safely check yourself.

Thermostat and power

Confirm the thermostat is on Heat and calling for a temperature above the room. Check the furnace power switch (it looks like a light switch near the unit) and the breaker.

The filter, again

Furnaces overheat and shut off on their limit switch when the filter is clogged. This produces the classic furnace short cycling pattern: runs a few minutes, shuts off, repeats.

Watch the ignition sequence

Turn the heat on and listen. Inducer motor spins, pressure switch clicks, igniter glows, gas valve opens, burners light, blower starts. Whichever step fails tells the technician where to look.

Flame sensor

If the burners light and then shut off after a few seconds, the flame sensor is probably dirty. This is the most common furnace repair we do in northern Nevada.

Gas smell or CO alarm

Leave the house and call the gas company or 911 first, then call us. Do not restart the furnace.

Heat pumps

If you have a heat pump and the outdoor unit is covered in ice or blowing cold, see our heat pump repair page. Defrost board and reversing valve failures are common.

Emergency heating repair

We answer no-heat calls 24/7 in Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Elko and the rest of Nevada. Call (855) 459-5498.

Need help now? Eli Air Conditioning provides AC repair, heating repair and HVAC service across Nevada, 24/7. Call (855) 459-5498.