From the hallway, a furnace that will not heat looks the same no matter what broke. Inside the cabinet, though, the sequence is strict: inducer on, pressure switch closed, igniter glowing, gas valve open, burners lit, flame proven, and finally the blower moving heat through the ducts. Most of the diagnosis comes down to finding the broken link. In Hoboken homes, it tends to be the same handful of culprits: a flame sensor coated in oxide, a hot surface igniter cracked by thermal cycling, a pressure switch held open by a tired inducer or a plugged condensate trap, or a control board with a burned relay.
When the AC quits in summer, see AC Repair.
Warning Signs for Furnace Repair
Spotting the early warning signs lets you act before the problem gets expensive. Watch for these telltale signs:
- A furnace that shuts off every few minutes before the house warms up
- The igniter glows and clicks, yet no flame ever appears
- Flames that start, last a few seconds, and go out again and again
- Booming or banging at light-off from delayed ignition
- Soot, rust, or moisture near the furnace cabinet or vent pipe
- Squealing or grinding from the blower compartment
- The blower runs constantly but the air never warms
- Yellow, wavering burner flames where they should be sharp blue
Don't Wait for a Total Failure
A failing capacitor, clogged condensate drain, or dirty flame sensor rarely fixes itself and usually gets more expensive to address the longer it runs. Call (201) 257-9107 at the first sign of trouble.
