Why Has Your Electric Furnace Lost Its Heating Power?

Electric furnaces are generally very reliable, but they can suffer from mechanical problems from time to time. If your electric furnace is suffering from a malfunction, you may notice that it loses its ability to heat your home as quickly and efficiently as it once did.

If your electric furnace appears to be functioning normally but has noticeably lost some of its heating power, you should call in a professional furnace repair service to diagnose and repair your furnace as quickly as possible. Here are some of the most common reasons why electric furnaces lose their heating power:

Clogged Air Filter

All types of forced air furnaces, including electric furnaces, are fitted with filters that prevent dust and dirt from reaching vital components. If your furnace's filter has not been cleaned or replaced for some time, it may be clogged with debris, preventing heated air from passing through the furnace's ducting and into your home.

If you notice that less hot air than usual is coming from your furnace's duct vents, you should inspect and clean the furnace's filter. If you know where your furnace's air filter is located, you can perform this task yourself relatively easily. If you are unsure where your furnace's filter is located, or you don't know how to remove it safely, call a furnace repair service to help.

Thermostat Problems

The thermostat that is connected to your electric furnace is responsible for activating the furnace when temperatures drop too low. If one or more of your thermostats are malfunctioning, they may not be sending the correct signals to the furnace itself, causing it to produce less heat than you need to keep your home comfortable.

This can be a particularly troublesome issue if you have a modern, modulating furnace. These furnaces run in a low power mode when you only need to adjust the temperature in your home by a few degrees. If your thermostats are faulty, a modulating furnace may become 'stuck' in low power mode, even when you need more heating power to quickly heat up a cold room.

The circuitry and electrical wiring contained within a furnace thermostat are complex, and thermostat problems should only be tackled by professional furnace repair services, equipped with electronic diagnosis equipment. If your thermostats have been badly damaged by moisture, recent remodeling work, or other causes, they may need to be replaced.

Malfunctioning Sequencers

Electric furnaces rely on several electrical heating elements, but when you activate an electric furnace, these heating elements do not activate at the same time. Instead, a device called a sequencer activates each heating element individually after a set period of time, which helps to prevent power surges and overheating.

if your furnace has a faulty sequencer, it may be causing some of the heating elements to remain inactive for too long, or fail to activate them at all. Fortunately, malfunctioning sequencers can be replaced quickly and inexpensively by a furnace repair service.