A properly functioning furnace blower is essential for distributing warm air throughout your home. When it stops working, your furnace may turn on, but no heat will circulate, leaving your home chilly and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take before calling in a professional.
At Hess Air, we’ve been helping homeowners in Alamo and the surrounding areas stay comfortable since 1976. If your furnace blower isn’t working, don’t panic—try these simple fixes first to see if you can get it running again.
You might be asking yourself what a furnace blower fan is anyway. It is an electric blower that works with your furnace to distribute cool air so that your home can remain warm during the winter months. Dispersing the cool air allows your furnace to heat up more quickly and keeps your energy bills down. A blower fan also helps to circulate the heated air throughout the house by pushing warm air to the vents.
One of the most common signs that you have a problem with your blower fan motor or another piece of its assembly is an unusual odor or burning smell. This smell can come directly from the furnace and often will also make its way through your vents. When this blower fan stops doing its job, there can be a variety of reasons why.
Here are 8 common reasons your furnace blower motor isn’t working.
To verify if the fan is working, you can switch the fan on your thermostat to the ‘on’ position. If the fan starts running, this is an indicator that the problem is something other than the fan itself. If the blower fan does not spin, this could be an indication of a furnace blower motor failure. It is important to address this issue promptly to restore the proper functioning of your furnace and restore warmth to your home. Call in the experts at the Hess Air at (956)702-4377 to properly diagnose and fix any issues that could be causing your blower fan not to operate properly.
- If your furnace blower motor isn’t working, the first thing you will want to check is your thermostat and its settings. If the batteries in your thermostat have gone dead, it can cause your thermostat to malfunction and not properly communicate with your system. If the thermostat is properly functioning, make sure it is set to the ‘heat’ mode and that the temperature is set higher than the current temperature of the room.
- If your furnace blower fan is still not working, you will want to check to see if there are any power issues. First check the circuit breaker to make sure there are no switches that have been tripped or any blown fuses. You will also want to make sure that the furnace’s on/off switch on the unit is in the ‘on’ position.
- Another thing that can cause the furnace blower to stop working is restricted airflow. You will want to check your unit’s air filter to ensure it doesn’t need a change. The air filter collects dust, dirt, and other debris, and these things can limit the airflow and place unnecessary stress on the blower motor. You also want to make sure that the filter was inserted into your unit correctly. Check the arrows on the air filter to make sure they are pointing in the correct direction.
- Resetting the blower is the next thing to try if your furnace blower fan is still not working. To do this, you will first want to turn off the breaker connected to your furnace to make sure the power is off. Then, you will want to remove the blower cover, which is typically connected by a few screws in the front. Once the cover is removed, allow the blower to cool down to ensure it is safe to touch. If there is dirt or dust accumulated on the fan, you can use compressed air to clean it off. Once everything is cool, find the red reset button on the backside of the motor. You will want to push this button in to reset the furnace blower motor. Our HVAC technicians at the Hess Air are highly trained if you feel more comfortable with an expert taking a look. Give us a call anytime at (956)702-4377, and we’ll get someone out quickly.
- While you have the blower cover off, you will also want to inspect the motor for any visible damage or signs of wear. You can also do a visual inspection of your furnace blower’s drive belt to verify that it is not worn down or cracked and needs to be replaced. If you do see any damage to the motor or worn-out or loose components, it’s best to call on the professionals at Hess Air to handle any repairs – https://hessair.com/contact-us/
- Another thing that may cause your furnace blower motor to stop working is lack of maintenance. Routine maintenance for your HVAC equipment is crucial to extending the life of your system. We offer our HessAir Maintenance Club for affordable twice-yearly maintenance on your comfort equipment. Give us a call at (956)702-4377 or visit our website to learn more – https://hessair.com/membership-club/
- If you notice unusual noises coming from the furnace blower motor, this may point to a motor issue that a faulty capacitor could cause. You want to make sure these issues are addressed as soon as possible to ensure the proper functioning of your system. One of our HVAC experts at Hess Air can properly diagnose what is causing the motor issue and make the necessary repairs. Give us a call at (956)702-4377 anytime – we’d be happy to help!
- Another thing that may cause your furnace blower to not work is a defective control board. The control board regulates the power supply to all components of your furnace, so a defective control board can cause issues with the blower motor. One of our experts can properly diagnose and replace your defective control board – https://hessair.com/contact-us/
Sometimes the cost of fixing your current equipment may outweigh the benefit and it may be time to look at replacing your unit with a new, efficient system. Give us a call to learn more and take advantage of one of our great deals! Call us at (956)702-4377 to learn more.
If your furnace blower still isn’t working after trying these troubleshooting steps, it may be time to call in the professionals. A faulty blower motor, electrical issue, or other internal problem may require expert attention. At Hess Air, we’ve been keeping homes in Alamo warm and comfortable since 1976. Our experienced technicians can diagnose the issue and provide fast, reliable solutions to get your furnace back up and running. Contact us today to schedule a service appointment!
