Reno, Elko and Carson City winters are cold enough that a furnace failure is urgent. Before you call for furnace repair, run through this five-minute checklist — it fixes a surprising number of no-heat calls.
1. Thermostat
Set to “heat,” set point above room temperature, fresh batteries. Smart thermostats sometimes lose the “W” wire connection after a power blip.
2. Power
Check the breaker and the switch on the side of the furnace (it looks like a light switch). Many furnaces also have a door safety switch — make sure the panel is fully closed.
3. Filter
A packed filter makes the furnace overheat and shut down on the limit switch. Furnace runs a few minutes then quits? Start here. This is also the number-one cause of furnace short cycling.
4. Gas supply
Is the gas valve handle parallel to the pipe? Are other gas appliances working? If you smell gas, leave the house and call the utility.
5. Condensate drain (high-efficiency furnaces)
A clogged drain trips a float switch and locks the furnace out. Clear it and reset.
What we fix most often
- Dirty flame sensor (furnace lights, then shuts off in seconds)
- Failed hot-surface igniter (clicking, no flame)
- Bad inducer motor (no draft, pressure switch won't close)
- Failed control board
- Cracked heat exchanger (shut it down — carbon monoxide risk)
No heat overnight with temperatures below freezing? Skip the checklist and call our 24 hour emergency heating repair line. Local pages: furnace repair Reno, furnace repair Elko, furnace repair Carson City.