Furnace Repair in Jefferson City, MO
Furnaces here run from October through April. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Cole County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Seven months of work, most of it on cold nights
Your furnace runs from October through April here, close to seven months of the year. On nights that average 25°F, it has to cycle on and off again and again just to hold the house steady. Every one of those starts puts wear on the igniter and the other parts that get the burner lit, and that wear is what leads to a furnace that won't fire on a cold morning.
Most homes in Cole County heat with electricity, and the area has seen its share of winter storms and damaging wind over the past ten years. When the power drops, the furnace stops with it. Some come back on by themselves once power returns. Others need a hand to get going again, and that is often when a homeowner finds out something inside was already worn down.
- 7 months
- October through April, your furnace is on duty
- 25°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 4 winter storms
- in ten years, the nights a failure hurts most
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Most often the thermostat is set wrong, a switch got bumped off, or the furnace isn't getting power. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and above room temperature, and check the breaker for the furnace. If the furnace has a standing pilot, make sure that's still lit. When none of that fixes it, the problem is likely something inside the furnace that needs a contractor to look at, like a failed igniter or a safety switch that's tripped.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- A furnace blowing cold air usually means it's still in the startup cycle, the filter is clogged, or the flame isn't lighting even though the blower is running. On startup, cold air blows for a short time while the burners heat up before warm air reaches the vents. If that's not it, a dirty filter blocks airflow and can cause the furnace to shut the burners off while the fan keeps running. If the fan runs but you never feel warm air at all, the burners likely aren't igniting, and that needs a contractor to diagnose.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- This usually comes down to the thermocouple, a draft, or a dirty pilot assembly. The thermocouple is a small sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it wears out or sits out of position, the gas valve shuts the pilot off as a safety measure. A draft near the furnace can also blow the flame out, and dirt or soot on the pilot opening can keep it from burning steady. Relighting it yourself is fine to try, but if it keeps going out, the part causing it needs to be replaced by a contractor.