Furnace Repair in Torrington, CT
Furnaces here run from October through May. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Torrington will get in touch.
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Eight months of heat takes its toll
Torrington needs heat from October through May. That is eight months a year the burner is lighting, the blower is running, and the parts inside are cycling on and off. Winter nights average 17°F from December through February, so on the coldest nights the furnace is not just running, it is working hard to keep up.
More than half the homes here heat with fuel oil, and oil furnaces have their own wear points. The nozzle can clog, the igniter can weaken, and soot can build up on the heat exchanger over a long season. When a furnace like that starts short cycling or blowing cool air, it is usually one of those parts giving out after months of steady use.
- 8 months
- October through May, your furnace is on duty
- 17°F
- the average winter night it heats against
NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals
Connecticut requires HVAC contractors to hold a state license.
Connecticut tests contractors before they get a license, and the Department of Consumer Protection keeps the record of who holds one. That license belongs to the contractor, not to any single job, so the same license that covers a furnace repair on one street covers one across town.
For a furnace repair, that license is what stands behind the person in your house. Gas connections are the part of this job that can go wrong in a dangerous way, and the license is Connecticut's record that the contractor has been tested on work like this before being allowed to do it.
Sources: Connecticut General Assembly · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Most often the thermostat isn't calling for heat the way it should, or power isn't reaching the furnace. Check that the thermostat is set to heat and the temperature is above room temperature, then check the breaker and the furnace's power switch, which looks like a light switch near the unit. If those are fine, the igniter or a safety switch may be keeping it from starting, and that needs a contractor to check. With lows around 17°F here in the winter months, it's worth getting this looked at quickly rather than waiting.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- If air is moving but it's not warm, the burners likely aren't lighting even though the blower is running. This can mean a dirty flame sensor, a failed igniter, or no gas or oil reaching the burners. It can also mean the thermostat fan is set to 'on' instead of 'auto', which runs the blower continuously between heating cycles. A furnace that's igniting but still not warming the air needs a contractor to look at the burner assembly directly.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- A pilot that won't stay lit usually means the thermocouple isn't sensing the flame, so the gas valve shuts back off as a safety measure. It can also mean the pilot orifice is dirty or there's a draft in the area affecting the flame. Relighting it yourself following the furnace's instructions is fine to try once, but if it goes out again the thermocouple likely needs replacing. This isn't something to leave for long with 8 months of heating season ahead here.