What to Do When Your Heater Wont Turn Off

It’s not unusual for heating systems to have a problem every now and then. It could be as simple as a bad thermostat or an electrical issue. If your gas furnace won’t shut off, here are a couple steps you can take to get a correctly working furnace again.

A dirty air filter causes issues for numerous homeowners and their HVAC system. Here’s why. It restricts airflow, making your furnace 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 breakdown and premature failure.

It can also make your furnace get too hot and shut down for a time to cool down. Then it will keep duplicating this process when your furnace switches on. This is called short cycling. In addition to wearing out your furnace faster, it can drive up your heating bill and make your home feel uncomfortable.

We encourage replacing flat filters each month and pleated filters every three months. If you can’t remember the last time you replaced your furnace filter, pull it out and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see 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 clean filter should fix this common problem when your heat won’t turn off. If not, we recommend checking your thermostat settings next.

Your thermostat runs your furnace and simply informs the unit when to turn on and off. It’s often the problem when your furnace won’t stop running.

Sometimes having the heat turn off is as simple as adjusting a wrong thermostat setting.

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

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

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

If your thermostat is switched to “on,” it will sound like your furnace is not turning off, but it’s really just the furnace blower you’re hearing. Changing it to “auto” should solve the problem. It will also help you spend less money on your energy costs.

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

Remember that if it’s very cold outside, your furnace will have to operate much longer than usual to keep your home cozy. This is because of a large temperature difference between the cold air outside and the warm indoors.

As a check, you can try lowering the temperature to correspond with the room. Then, wait a couple of minutes. This should make the furnace shut off in a few minutes.

If you use a programmable thermostat, it’s probably battery powered. You can test putting in new batteries to see if that resolves the issue. If it doesn’t or if there’s wiring to your electrical system, switch it to “off.”

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

Thermostat seems to be working fine but your furnace still won’t shut 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. Go to your breaker box and find the breaker labeled “furnace.” Move the breaker switch to the right to cut power.
2. Next, look for the specific power switch to your heating system. It’s similar to a light switch and is located on or near your furnace. Move the switch down to shut off power.
3. Your furnace should be shut off now.

If you had to switch off your system at the breaker, call or text  us at (304) 490-5555 professional service, as you may need furnace repair.

Sometimes fixing this problem can be as simple as replacing your air filter or changing thermostat settings. In other instances, you might need a professional when your heater won’t shut off.

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

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

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

Like other things in your home, your thermostat can break down as time passes and need to be replaced. If it’s time 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.

Your furnace uses ductwork to circulate hot air to vents throughout your home. If your home or ductwork is older, your furnace might be running constantly because the ductwork is leaking hot air in the attic.

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

Troubleshooting furnace problems can be annoying, particularly when it affects your comfort, energy efficiency and heating bill. When it comes to 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.* Call or text  us at (304) 490-5555 to book your appointment now.