Furnace Repair in Brockton, MA
Furnaces here run from October through May. If yours quits, tell us what it's doing and a licensed contractor who covers Plymouth County will get in touch.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.
Eight months of heat, and nights near 23 degrees
Furnaces in Brockton run from October through May. That is eight months a year the burner is cycling on and off to hold the house at temperature, and on the coldest nights, with lows averaging 23°F, it runs longer and more often to keep up.
All that cycling wears on the parts that start the burner and keep it running. An igniter that has lit the flame thousands of times over a winter can fail without warning, and the furnace won't start at all. Massachusetts also sees its share of winter storms, and when the power drops, a furnace that relies on electricity to run its blower and controls stops working until power is back.
- 8 months
- October through May, your furnace is on duty
- 23°F
- the average winter night it heats against
- 61 winter storms
- in ten years, the nights a failure hurts most
NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
A new furnace would cut about $190 a year off heating for a typical Plymouth County home.
Estimates for a typical Plymouth County home, compared with an older unit built to the previous federal minimum, from EIA household energy data, Massachusetts fuel prices and NOAA climate normals. Your home will differ.
Repair makes sense when one part has failed and the heat exchanger is sound.
Replacement makes sense when the heat exchanger is cracked or the furnace keeps needing parts.
- Why won't my furnace turn on?
- Most often the thermostat isn't calling for heat the way you think it is, or power isn't reaching the furnace. Check that the thermostat is set below room temperature and has working batteries if it uses them. Next check the furnace switch, which looks like a light switch near the unit, and the breaker for it. If those are fine, the igniter or flame sensor may have failed, and that calls for a contractor to test.
- Why is my furnace blowing cold air?
- If the air has been cold for more than a few minutes after the furnace starts, the burners likely aren't lighting even though the blower is running. A dirty flame sensor is a common cause, since it shuts off gas flow when it can't detect a flame. It can also mean the igniter is worn out. Either way the furnace is running but not actually heating, and a contractor needs to look at the burner assembly.
- Why won't my furnace pilot light stay lit?
- This usually means the thermocouple has worn out. The thermocouple sits in the pilot flame and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. Once it wears out, it stops sensing the flame correctly and shuts the gas off even though the pilot is lit. A draft blowing out the pilot is possible too, but if it keeps going out on its own, the thermocouple is the likely part to replace.