{"id":2899,"date":"2024-09-23T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/?p=2899"},"modified":"2024-10-02T10:57:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-02T14:57:05","slug":"common-furnace-issues-when-you-first-turn-it-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/heating-service\/common-furnace-issues-when-you-first-turn-it-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Furnace Issues When You First Turn It On"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/beat_the_heat.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/beat_the_heat-300x200.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2829\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/beat_the_heat-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/beat_the_heat.png 433w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s officially fall, and although temperatures have been unseasonably warm, sooner or later, you\u2019ll be turning on your furnace for the first time in a while. Before you run your system for the first time, there are a few things you should do. But even if you do everything you\u2019re supposed to, you may find that your furnace is having issues right from the get-go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s go over some common furnace issues that can pop up when you use your furnace for the first time. Some are normal, while others may signal the need for <a href=\"\/heating\/furnaces\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">furnace repair in Milford, CT.<\/a> Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do This Before Turning the Furnace On&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a quick checklist of tasks to complete before switching on your gas or electric furnace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check the filter and replace it if it\u2019s dirty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check that the thermostat is working properly and is in \u201cheat\u201d mode<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and their batteries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clear the area around the furnace so there\u2019s a 3-foot area of open space surrounding it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Schedule annual furnace maintenance if you haven\u2019t done so already<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Red and blue graphic that reads: &quot;Common furnace issues you may experience: burning dust smell, ignition problems, thermostat issues, strange noises and unusual smells. Work with our team to get a diagnosis and get back to feeling comfortable.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-2904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2024-10-01-02-Common-Furnace-Issues-When-You-First-Turn-It-On.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Furnace Issues You May Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some things are expected when you turn your furnace on for the first time in the fall, but some are not normal and are cause for concern. Let\u2019s go over potential issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Burning Dust Smell<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The smell of burning dust or dirt is perfectly normal when you turn the furnace on for the first time. During months of non-use, dust accumulates on the furnace&#8217;s components and inside the ducts. If you have a gas furnace, when the furnace ignites, and when the system heats up for the first time, the dust burns off, creating that distinct odor. This odor should dissipate soon and is only a problem if the smell continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ignition Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Furnaces can also experience ignition issues, especially older models with pilot lights. A pilot light that won\u2019t stay lit or struggles to ignite is a common problem when first starting the furnace. Furnaces with electronic ignition systems can experience sensor or switch malfunctions, preventing them from turning on after a period of non-use. Give us a call if your furnace doesn\u2019t seem to be switching on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thermostat Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Is your furnace not emitting any heat? Some homeowners have difficulty switching their HVAC system from cooling to heating mode. It\u2019s often the case that the thermostat is in \u201ccooling\u201d mode when it needs to be switched to \u201cheating\u201d mode. If you haven\u2019t used the thermostat since the last heating season, the batteries may need to be replaced.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strange Noises and Unusual Smells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you hear unusual noises such as banging, rattling, or squealing when you start the furnace, these issues should be addressed quickly to avoid further damage. Other than that burning dust smell we mentioned, your furnace should not emit any other unusual smells. If you detect the odor of natural gas, turn the furnace off immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Heating and Cooling Experts Since 1959. <\/strong><a href=\"\/contact\/service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>Contact M&amp;R Mechanical Services today<\/strong><\/a><strong> for exceptional furnace repairs in Milford, CT.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s go over some common furnace issues that can pop up when you use your furnace for the first time. Some are normal but some mean you need furnace repair.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[96,92],"class_list":["post-2899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-heating-service","tag-furnace-repair","tag-milford"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2899"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2908,"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2899\/revisions\/2908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mandrmechanical.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}