When your furnace has trouble during the heating season, A-1 Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. We have served the Grand Rapids area since 1994, with 24-hour service. Call or text 616-243-1914 any time.
Furnace Not Heating
If your furnace runs but your home never warms up, the problem can be as simple as a wrong thermostat setting, clogged filter restricting airflow, or dirty flame sensor. Before calling, check that the thermostat is set to heat and to a temperature above the current room temperature, check the filter, and make sure supply vents are open and not blocked by furniture or rugs. If you need help with the flame sensor, visit our AI Assistant page for our virtual technician to assist you with trying to clean it yourself.
Furnace Won’t Turn On
When a furnace does not respond at all, start with the basics: check that the thermostat is set to heat, check if there are batteries in the thermostat that might be dead. You can also go check the furnace breaker in your electrical panel to make sure it isn’t off or tripped, as well as the little “SSU” (fuse box on the side of the furnace). A tripped breaker, blown fuse, or a thermostat set incorrectly can keep the system from starting. If everything checks out and the furnace still will not turn on, call or text us for service rather than opening panels or poking around with the wiring if you have no experience with that.
Furnace Blowing Cold Air
Air that feels cool can mean the thermostat fan is set to ‘On,’ which keeps the blower running even when the furnace is not heating, or it can mean a clogged filter is limiting airflow and has tripped the internal high limit switch. It can also mean other things so before calling, check that the thermostat is set to heat with the fan on ‘Auto,’ check that the filter is clean, and make sure vents are open. Additionally, most furnaces have a flashing diagnostic indicator light that can be seen flashing a fault code. If the air stays cold after those checks, try to find the flashing light or fault code indicator and record what it says or is flashing – that can be very helpful in troubleshooting the exact problem. If you’re not sure or the problem persists, the furnace needs a professional diagnosis so give us a call or text to help you.
Furnace Making Unusual Noises
Banging, rattling, squealing, or humming sounds can mean anything from a loose panel to a worn moving part, and new or worsening noises are worth having checked. Before calling, you may want to remove the filter and look inside there to see if a piece of debris is caught in the blower wheel. Also try to locate or pinpoint where the noise is coming from and note when the noise happens – at startup, while the main blower is running, or when the system shuts off. If you smell gas at any time, do not try to find or fix the source: Turn the gas off to the furnace with the shut off valve going to it, or get out of the building and call 911 or the gas emergency line from outside the building depending on the severity of the gas smell or how strong it smells.
Furnace Cycling On and Off
A furnace that starts and stops frequently is called short cycling and that can mean restricted airflow from a dirty filter, a thermostat setting issue or problem with the thermostat, or a system that is shutting itself off for safety reasons such as blocked or restricted venting or drain line, dirty flame sensor, etc. Before calling, check the filter, check the thermostat setting, check to see if there is a blinking or flashing fault code at the furnace, and make sure return air vents are open and unblocked. Frequent cycling should not be ignored, since it can wear out parts, or the heat exchanger, and leave your home in an uncomfortable or dangerous state.
Furnace Ignition Problems
If your furnace tries to light the burners but never lights, or lights and then goes out, the ignition system is not completing its startup sequence. This could be a flame sensor problem, a gas flow problem, a venting problem, etc. Before calling, check to see if you can find the flashing or blinking diagnostic indicator light because it will usually indicate what the problem is according to the fault code chart included with your furnace. Do NOT try to relight the burners yourself. If you smell gas, or if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get out of the building and call 911, the fire department, or the gas emergency line from outside. (see also our section on Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning or sickness symptoms.)
Furnace Repair vs. Replacement
A furnace lasts about 18–20 years on average, give or take. Whether repair or replacement makes more sense depends on the age, condition, and repair history of your system. A1 quotes the work before it begins if the repair is going to be more than the minimum service call, so you can decide with the full price in front of you.
Service Area & Pricing
Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. We service most of Kent County.
Basic service call / repair request: $180. This is the service call plus diagnosis fee, not including parts. It includes the first hour, including travel, plus any minor repair requiring no parts that can be completed in 15 minutes or less.
Repairs above the $180 minimum are quoted flat-rate as a total repair price (parts + labor). There is no hourly charging and no hourly rate.
Request Furnace Repair
If your furnace is not working the way it should, request service through the form or give us a call. We offer 24-hour service, and you can call or text 616-243-1914 any time.
Learn more:
Schedule a furnace service call
Pick a time below and pay $180 to confirm it. The $180 service call includes travel to your job, diagnosis, and the first hour, including a minor repair requiring no parts that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. Anything beyond that will be quoted at a flat-rate total price before work begins. There is no card fee on this amount.
Your time is held for 60 minutes while you complete payment. If payment is not made within 60 minutes, the hold expires, the time opens up again, and you can come back and try to book again.
Appointments are Monday to Friday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, or 1:00 PM Eastern, and must be booked at least 24 hours ahead. One booking per time slot.
Need to cancel or reschedule before we come out? Call or text (616) 243-1914. Cancel at least 3 hours before your appointment for a full refund. Cancel inside the 3-hour window and there is a $25 cancellation fee, so $155 back on $180.
If your appointment is already paid and we drive out and you do not answer the phone or the door, you can still reschedule, but the time spent on the first trip comes off your hour. The $180 buys one hour total, including travel.
Please note, jobs scheduled without a payment may not get confirmed for the time slot you choose. To confirm the day and time, be sure to follow through with payment after this form is submitted (you’ll be directed to the online payment processor after submission).