Are you worried that your furnace isn't quite working up to its potential? Just like any other piece of machinery, furnaces can break down and not work properly. If you're concerned that your furnace isn't providing you with the level of warmth and comfort you're used to, you can try to do some basic troubleshooting. If you can't identify the problem, contact a heating professional to come to your home and see what's wrong.

Missing Maintenance

The most important thing you can do to keep your furnace running efficiently is to properly maintain it. This includes such jobs as changing or cleaning the filter regularly, vacuuming or dusting the furnace, keeping the air vents clean and having the furnace professionally serviced at least once a year. If you haven't been doing these things, you will probably need to have your furnace professionally cleaned to get it running well again.

Pilot Lights

If you have a gas furnace, check to make sure that the pilot light is on. Pilot lights can go out easily and sometimes it is a while before anyone notices. This is a simple fix.

Breakers

If you have an electric furnace, make sure the breaker that supplies power to the furnace is on. Especially in the winter, it's easy for circuits to get overloaded from all the extra demand and throw the breaker. Like the pilot light, this could be a very easy solution to fix, although you may need to relocate some of your electrical devices to prevent it from happening again. If it continues to happen, contact an electrician.

Problems with Airflow

If your heater is getting warm but the air isn't moving through the home, you could have a problem with a number of different parts of the furnace. Check your belts, bearings and the fan motor to see if one of these parts is the culprit. Belts should be snug-fitting and free of cracks. Just like the belts in your car, they do get worn out and occasionally need replacing. Another indication that the problem is in the belt is a squealing noise when the furnace powers up. Contact your owner's guide to see if you can replace these parts on your own or if you should hire a professional.

Thermostat

The other place to check where problems frequently occur is the thermostat. It could simply be that the thermostat is set to the wrong temperature. It could also be that no power is getting to the thermostat or that the thermostat itself is broken. If the thermostat is set correctly, check the power source. To replace a broken thermostat, call a professional.