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Location pin iconWe serve 7 locations!
Select your location to get started:

Family-Owned & Operated Since 2001

770-241-5675

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Premier Heating and Air Blog

Why Won’t My Electric Furnace Heat Up Enough?

cold-man-and-woman-in-parkas

Because we don’t get winters as deeply cold as more northern states, many of our homes can get by through the winter with the power of an electric furnace. Electric furnaces don’t have the heating capacity of gas furnaces, but they can still do the job of providing warmth around a house. They also have the advantage of fewer malfunctions and long service lives. 

But the reliability of an electric furnace isn’t ironclad. You may run into a problem where your electric furnace turns on, but you aren’t getting the usual level of heat from it, even if you crank up the thermostat as high as possible. What’s causing this?

Possibility 1: Burnt out heating element(s)

An electric furnace operates by running electrical current through a series of heating elements. As the current passes through the metal coils of the heating elements, it makes the coils turn hot. This heat then transfers to the air the blower moves through the furnace. One or more of the multiple heating elements in the furnace can burn out, which will cause the furnace to lose its heating capacity. HVAC technicians can replace the burnt-out elements to restore the furnace to full working condition.

Possibility 2: Faulty sequencer

The sequencer is a key component of an electric furnace that allows it to stagger turning on the heating elements. If all the heating elements came on at the same time, the electric power demand would cause the furnace to overload its circuit and trip a breaker. (Electric furnaces use more electricity than almost any appliance in a home.) The sequencer controls the flow of voltage so that electricity will only move to the next heating element after the first one has gotten hot enough. 

A faulty sequencer can lead to only a few of the heating elements turning on. On the other hand, a faulty sequencer can also cause all the heating elements to come on at once and overload the circuit. You must have professionals replace the sequencer to fix either problem. 

Possibility 3: Furnace age

Most electric furnaces can last 20 years or more, provided they have regular professional maintenance. But when you have a furnace that’s been in place for more than two decades, you can expect to see a decline in its performance, such as slower heating or insufficient heating. We recommend you look into having the furnace replaced if it’s more than 20 years old and is struggling to keep your home warm enough. 

Please rely on pros to fix your electric furnace

You might think you can tinker with an electric furnace yourself and fix it, unlike a gas furnace. But any type of repair for a furnace needs professionals to do the work. Even an electric furnace can present hazards, such as electrical fires, if amateurs tamper with it. You can trust us for great furnace repair in Conyers, GA—gas or electric. We aim for satisfied customers, so if you’re ever unhappy with the work we do, give us a call and we’ll make it right.

Experience the Premier Difference! Premier Heating & Air has been family-owned and operated since 2001.

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