Why Does My Heater Keep Turning Off? 6 Surprising Causes!

So the question here is: why does my heater keep turning off? It can be due to many reasons that we will be covering in this article. You must look below and read the article to find the causes of the heater turning off. 

A heater that does not operate as long as it should heat a room unevenly. Since the heater did not stay on long enough to create enough warm air, the rooms further down the ventilation system will not obtain as much heat as they should.

why does my heater keep turning off

When you detect inconsistent warmth in your house, conduct an assessment to see whether your heater is constantly going on and off. If the run-time appears to be shorter than expected, the heater may be suffering from a condition known as short cycling. But, my friends, there are more things that you should know, so without further ado, let’s start!

 

How Do I Stop My Heater From Short Cycling?

Short cycling is frequently the cause of constantly going on and off the heater. That’s the term used to define issues inside this heating system. Suppose a short cycle is not detected and addressed soon. In that case, it can cause irreversible damage to the heating unit and increased electric bills: every hour, the average central heating cycles between three to six times. To identify a short cycling issue, the specialists can conduct a test cycle on your heating element and count the number of times it pauses and begins in 1 hour. 

 

Causes Of Heater Turning Off

Let’s now discuss the possible causes to find out the answer to why does my heater keep turning off. These causes need to be addressed and resolved as soon as possible. Here are the following:

 

#1. The air filter is clogged 

This is among the most common reasons for Heating system failure. If the filters become substantially blocked with smoke and dust, the heater may shut down as a precautionary measure. Luckily, this is a simple issue to overcome by inserting a new filter. Depending on how long you use the heaters and the quality of the filter, it is suggested to switch the heating filter once every 1 to 3 months.

 

#2. Malfunctioning thermostat

If the thermostat in your house provides false signals, then this might be causing your heater to cycle on and off. For example, the thermostats might be measuring degrees incorrectly, or there could be a problem with the link to the heater’s controller unit. Specialists can recalibrate the thermostats or perform other repairs to ensure that the heater works properly.

 

#3. Flame sensor rusted

This is true for gas heaters, the most prevalent form of heating equipment. When the gas pressure is released, the flame sensors sense if the stoves are turned on. If the detector does not detect flames, it will turn off the gas, preventing a pile of smoke from burning gas inside the combustion chamber. However, because the flame sensor cannot automatically detect fire when it is coated with dirt or particles, it will constantly stop the gas line, causing the heater to shut down.

The flame detector is intended to measure the amount of gas entering the burner accurately. When it gets dirty, as it inevitably does, it loses its capacity to do its job correctly. If this is the situation, the gas valve will be unable to identify whether the gas is being consumed by the burner and will instruct the gas valve to stop delivering gas to a flame. These are, again, safety mechanisms to avoid excessive gas accumulation.

 

#4. Oversized heater

The most significant problem that can cause a heater to turn off continuously is poor placement. If a heater is too strong for a house, it heats the living area so quickly that the controller shuts it off early. In this instance, all you can do is organize for combined heat and power installation, this time by a skilled specialist who will ensure that the heater is the correct size.

 

#5. The blower motor in your heater is not working

It is common for your heater to operate with the blower motor. The air compressor is responsible for blowing air across the heat converter. This is the heater’s component that warms the air. If the machine is switched off or not running, heat accumulates within the heater, activating all safety measures like the high control valve.

 

#6. Examine your vents

There might be no airflow flowing from your vents, but how to tell if your air ducts are clogged? When your heater kicks on, examine your vents to see whether the air flows out. Anyway, it may also be a good idea for you to read about how to fix noisy toe kick heaters.

 

It’s A Wrap!

As you now know all the possible reasons why does my heater keep turning off? You should check all the potential problems you are facing in your home. The heater that cycles on and off very fast should not be disregarded. Consult a competent Expert in the field as soon as it detects a problem with your machine. If you can’t understand, you might be dealing with significant maintenance or perhaps the repair of your overall network. Another excellent approach to avoid costly replacements is to do routine maintenance and schedule a tune-up at least once per year. You may want to read related articles; know what is a unit heater and where to place a space heater.

Leave a Comment