Gas furnaces are the main heating source for many homes in America and Canada. They provide forced air heat that keeps you nice and toasty in the cold winter. Gas water heaters are also used in many homes. Sometimes the appliances have problems and need a quick fix to get them going again. There are things the average person can do to resolve these issues to restore heat or hot water. These things are often simple to make the quick fix and not complicated. However, there are some things that I would recommend the average person do to make a call to a service company for a repair. There is a lot to this and I'll try to separate what you can do and what you should not do but instead make that call for gas furnace repair or water heater repair. After all, safety comes first especially with a gas appliance. We'll answer questions like, "why does my pilot light keep going out" and "why does my gas furnace stay on too long".

 Safety and Gas Appliances

First of all, if you have a gas appliance in your home you should have a carbon monoxide detector. This device, the carbon monoxide detector, should be checked at least once a year to make sure it functions as described in the manual. That is imperative for anyone who owns a gas appliance and it  could save your life. Next, you want to have annual maintenance done by a professional to give it a once over mechanical and safety check. By doing this, many problems can be avoided over the heating season. Basic diagnostic checks can be made. This service should also include cleaning of things such as a flame sensor or thermocouple/pilot light that could malfunction over the heating season because they become fouled. Maintenance can enhance safety so this is important.

Basic Gas Furnace Repair and Troubleshooting

Basic gas furnace troubleshooting and repair doesn't require a lot of skill. It is simply making basic checks to ensure nothing simple is wrong. Here is a list of things you need to check if your gas furnace stops working:

• Check the power - some appliances including gas furnaces have a power switch that looks like a regular wall switch. By code, this switch should be clearly marked and the wall plate should be red. Some people mistake this switch for a light switch and turn it off haphazardly. It should be close to your gas furnace and if it is off the furnace has no power. Make sure it is on. Also, check the circuit breakers in the main panel. If they are tripped reset them. If they trip again then you need to call for service. It means you have a serious electrical problem inside the furnace that will require a repair. So make sure you check the power switches and breakers.
• Check the thermostat - of course this is basic but I have responded to service calls where the customer had it set incorrectly. Once it was set to heat the set point turned up above room temperature everything ran fine. Make sure it is set to heat and the set point is above room temperature.
• Check your air filters - yes this can cause serious issues for a gas furnace. It impedes air flow and causes the heat exchanger to operate at higher than average temperatures. This causes a temperature limit witch to open and kill the burners. Without the burners you will have no heat. Set up a regular maintenance schedule for air filters and change them. 
• Check your supply vents - yes supply vents closed off has the same effect as a dirty air filter. Closed supply vents impedes air flow and creates the same problem described above with dirty air filters. 
• Check the gas supply - Whether you have propane or natural gas the gas supply is important. If it is turned off your gas furnace will not work. If you have natural gas check the meter. Most meters have a gas shut off valve on them. Sometimes the gas company will turn off your gas because they detected a leak. Sometimes they will notify you and sometimes they will not. If you have propane check the tank. It should have a gauge that will tell you the level. Additionally, by code, there is a gas valve near the furnace. Check this valve to make sure it is open and no one accidentally closed it. 
• Check the flash codes - modern gas furnaces have a control board in the furnace. Usually there is a small opening with a site glass in it. If you look through the site glass you can see a red or green flashing light. It could be another color or a mix of colors that flash. This gives out codes for something that is wrong with the furnace. Gas furnace flash codes can be a normal flash or if something is wrong it will be an abnormal flash. The board is smart and detects problems. A list of flash codes is found on the furnace panel or in your owners manual. Many times, if it is an abnormal flash, you will have to call for service. However, at least you will have an idea of what the problem is. 
• Check the pilot light - if you have an older gas furnace or water heater they can use a pilot light to light the main burners. Check the pilot to make sure it is lit. Sometimes the pilot light goes out and needs to be relighted. Simply follow the instructions on the gas valve or near the appliance to relight the pilot light.

As you can tell there are many things that one can check to avoid calling a furnace repair service. These are simple checks that many people overlook and end up paying the repair service to find. Other problems you will have to depend on the furnace repair service. Things such as a bad fan motor, a bad thermocouple, or a bad gas valve or other main component. The furnace repair service should have the parts or can get quickly to restore your hearing system. The technician will also have all the right tools to complete the job quickly and efficiently. As mentioned above, many of any major repairs can be avoided by regular maintenance. Happy heating!!!