Furnace Repair Guide
Furnace Repair in Wichita, KS: Common Problems and Fixes
A furnace that worked fine last winter can fail on the first cold night of the season — usually because of something small that got overlooked over the summer. Here’s what tends to go wrong and what to do about it.
The usual suspects
- A dirty or clogged air filter restricting airflow, which can overheat the system and trip a safety switch
- A dirty flame sensor, which reads the flame incorrectly and shuts the burner off (often shows up as short-cycling)
- A failing ignitor on systems without a standing pilot light
- Thermostat issues — dead batteries, a tripped breaker, or a setting that got bumped
- A blower motor that’s worn out or full of dust
What’s normal vs. what’s not
A faint burning-dust smell the first time you run the furnace each season is normal — that’s dust burning off the heat exchanger and it clears in a few minutes. A smell that lingers, or any smell of gas, is not normal.
A gas smell or a carbon monoxide alarm going off is not a repair-later situation. Shut the system off, get everyone out, and call for help immediately rather than troubleshooting it yourself.
What a repair visit covers
A tech will check the thermostat signal, the ignition system, the flame sensor, the filter and airflow, and the safety controls that are designed to shut the furnace down before something worse happens. Most furnace calls come down to one of a handful of parts — the diagnostic is what narrows it down.
Need help with this in Wichita?
Spiker Heating & Air has been a family-owned Wichita business since 2013, licensed and BBB listed. Same day or next day appointments — ask for Jay or Bo.