Furnace Repair in Wausau, WI

To begin, make sure your thermostat is signaling your furnace to ignite.

Swap out the batteries if the screen is blank. If the digital screen is jumbled, the thermostat may need to be replaced.

Make sure the switch is set to “heat” instead of “off” or “cool.”

Ensure the program is showing the appropriate day and time and is set to “run.” If you’re having trouble overriding the program, set the temperature by using the up/down arrows and press the “hold” button. This will cause the furnace to turn on if thermostat programming is causing a problem.

Increase the temperature setting to 5 degrees warmer than the room temperature.

If your furnace hasn’t started within several minutes, make sure it has power by toggling the fan switch from “auto” to “on.” If the fan doesn’t begin to run, your furnace might not have power.

If you have a smart thermostat—like one made by Lennox, Nest, Ecobee, Lux, Honeywell or Bosch—troubleshooting is very model-specific. Check the manufacturer’s website for help. If you still can’t get your Wi-Fi thermostat to work, call us at 715-301-0727 for heating and cooling service.

Next, you will need to check if your breaker and furnace switch are on.

Look for your house’s main electrical panel. If you have no idea where it is, search for a gray metal box in your basement, garage or closet.

Make sure your hands and feet are dry before touching the panel or breakers.

Look for the breaker labeled “furnace” or “heat,” and make sure it’s switched “on.” If the breaker has tripped, it will be in the middle or “off” position.

Using one hand, firmly switch the breaker to the “on” position. If the breaker immediately trips and pops back to “off,” leave it alone and get in touch with a professional from Gilray Heating and Cooling at 715-301-0727 right away.

It doesn’t matter how old your furnace is or what brand it is, it has at least one standard wall switch located on or by it.

Make sure the switch is flipped up in the “on” position. If it was turned off, anticipate your furnace could take up to five minutes to start. (If you don’t know where to find your furnace, check your basement, garage or utility closet. It could also be in a crawl space or attic.)

When it comes to furnace problems, a dirty, clogged air filter is regularly the top offender.

If your filter is too dirty:

• Your furnace won’t keep heating your home, or it could overheat from limited airflow.
• Your energy bills could increase because your furnace is turning on too often.
• Your furnace could break down prematurely because a dirty filter causes it to work harder.
• Your furnace can be disconnected from power if an extremely dirty filter causes the breaker to trip.

Depending on what make of furnace you use, your air filter is located inside the blower compartment of your furnace, an attached filter case or wall-mounted return air grille.

To replace your filter:

1. Turn off your furnace.
2. Take out the filter and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see light through it, get a new one.
3. Install the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the furnace to avoid damage.

Flat filters should be replaced every month, while pleated filters should last about three months. You can also get a washable filter that will last about 10 years. If you have children or pets, you may have to put in a new filter more frequently.

To make the process go more quickly in the future, use a permanent marker on your furnace housing or ductwork to list the airflow direction and filter size.

Commonly known as drain pans, condensate pans capture water your furnace removes from the air.

If water is leaking out of your furnace or its pan has standing water in it, follow these steps.

• If your pan has a drain (look for a PVC pipe), check that it isn’t full. If it needs to be drained, use a special pan-cleaning tablet you can get at home improvement or hardware stores.
• If your pan has a pump, check the float switch. If the switch is stuck “up” with standing water in the pan, contact us at 715-301-0727, because you will likely need a new pump.

If malfunctions persist, peek inside your furnace’s plastic window to verify the status of the blower motor. Depending on the model, the light could also be attached on the outside of your furnace.

If you see anything else besides a steady, colored light or blinking green light, call us at 715-301-0727 for HVAC service. Your furnace may be communicating an error code that requires professional assistance.

If you have an older furnace, the pilot light could be turned off. To relight it, find the instructions on a label on your furnace, or follow these steps.

• Look for the switch on the bottom of your furnace labeled “pilot,” “on” and “off.”
• Turn the switch to the “off” position.
• Wait at least five minutes to avoid possibly starting a fire.
• Turn the knob to “pilot.”
• Push the “reset” button as you bring the flame of a long lighter to the pilot light opening.
• Release the “reset” button once the pilot light is lit.

If you have followed the instructions twice and the pilot light still won’t light or stay lit, get in touch with us at 715-301-0727 for furnace service.

Try using another gas appliance. If it doesn’t work, your natural gas service could be turned off, or you could be out of propane.