As the temperature outside starts to drop, many people are starting to turn on their furnaces in hopes of making the temperature inside their home more comfortable. Unfortunately, for many of those people, not only will their furnace not operate very well, but it won't even operate at all. When that happens, you might be tempted to contact an HVAC technician to schedule a furnace repair call, but before you do so, work through the list below and see if there is anything that you can fix on your own first.

Check the Thermostat

It may sound silly, but it's always surprising how many people contact an HVAC company to schedule a furnace repair appointment when the issue is as simple as turning on their thermostat. If you just switched your thermostat from "cool" to "heat," and you never had any problems before, then it might be a simple malfunction inside your thermostat. These units have a life expectancy of around 10 years, but a few years before they expire, they can cause several issues, such as not sending the desired temperature to the furnace. You'll need a professional to look at this, but make sure that your thermostat is turned to the right place before you call a professional.

Check the Breaker Box

After you ensure that your thermostat isn't the problem, head out to your breaker box and see if the switch has been flipped. Generally, the furnace is on its own power grid, but even a minor energy surge can course through your home's circuits and overload the specific grid that the furnace is on, causing the switch to flip and the furnace to shut off as a safety precaution. Flip the switch and see if it works, but don't continue to flip the switch as that could be a sign of a major electrical problem.

Check the Energy Supply

If you're comfortable doing so, check the power supply to your unit itself. If it's gas, you'll need a professional to work on it since it usually requires permits to do so, but a simple visual inspection should be all you need to determine if they're connected. If not, contact a technician to schedule a furnace repair and have it fixed.

Check Your System

In some cases, the problem may not be with any of the connection points leading up to your furnace, but the furnace itself. If that's the case, then you may have to pay for a new home furnace installation to replace the one that's gone out. It may not be cheap, but at least you have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you will be warm for the winter, and a warranty that can protect you against any possible furnace repairs soon.