Why Does My Furnace Keep Blowing Fuses?

Feb 18, 2020

Does your home’s furnace keep blowing fuses? While a fuse blowing or breaker tripping might not seem like a big deal, other then the annoyance of having to fix it over and over, often there are reasons behind why an HVAC system or a furnace keeps blowing its fuses and tripping your breaker. Sometimes these reasons are serious. To explore some of these issues behind a furnace that blows fuses, we at Grove City Heating & Air put together the following.

Reasons Your Furnace Might Be Blowing Fuses in Grove City, Ohio

Short Circuits, Wiring

One likely culprit for a furnace blowing a lot of fuses is because of damaged wiring, or because of a short circuit. When the wires are insecure or connected poorly, it will make your furnace short circuit. If you check the wiring in your home to see if this is the reason, remember safety first. Often, this is a job for a professional.  If you’ve never had a professional over to look at your furnace, don’t worry. This is an easy, affordable and painless process that we at Grove City Heating & Air would be delighted to do. Our contact information is below.

Thermostat Shorts

Is your thermostat surrounded by a metal frame? If so, this could be the problem. Metal framed thermostats are known to blow fuses if the wiring inside comes close to, or touches, the metal. Additionally, metal frames can create issues with the voltage, making it too high for the wires to handle. If the wires are incapable of maintaining the voltage, it can blow the control board, and prevent the draft inducer from starting. When this happens, your furnace will remain off until it gets fixed.

Air Filter Needs to be Replaced

To support a clean and efficient furnace, and prevent fuses from blowing, you have to check your furnace’s air filter at a minimum of every one to three months. Depending on the size of your home and what’s inside, it might need to be replaced every time you check it. If you don’t, the dust, dirt, and debris that tends to build up inside your unit will block up the blower motor, which could cause it to shut down. When the blower motor is clogged up, it can cause fuses to blow because it has to work harder to try to run. The fuse is also trying to run itself, and because it isn’t able, this raises the likelihood of a furnace fire. To keep your family safe and warm, and to stop fuses from blowing, change your furnace’s air filter regularly, and have one of our friendly technicians come out to clean out your unit at least once every year. 

Water Leakages

Having an old water leak in your unit is not unusual. However, if you don’t resolve it, it can cause damage to your unit. That’s why we tell homeowners if they notice any leaks to give us a call so a professional can check them. All too often, homeowners wait to see if the leak grows worse while hoping it improves. Regrettably, they seldom go away on their own, and if you wait too long, the problem usually gets worse and leads to more substantial and more expensive problems than simply blowing fuses. So if there’s any problem with leaking from your furnace, don’t delay calling us. It won’t get any better. And water contact can lead to a short circuit and blown fuses.

Valve Failure 

Valve failure is another culprit for blown fuses. Failing valves only regard homeowners with gas-powered furnaces. If this applies to you, make sure your safety valve is able to open and close freely when needed. If blocked up, the failing valve could be forcing too much heat out or holding too much heat inside. If this happens, it can overheat, which is a fire hazard. Because of this, it is vital to keep dust out of your furnace to keep your home and family safe.

 

Need Further Furnace Fuse Assistance?

Dealing with blown fuses can be a hassle, especially if you don’t know the ins and outs of your HVAC system. If you need any additional assistance, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call Grove City Heating & Air today at 614-490-7540, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!