Vent, Valve & Volt
Furnace clicking but won't ignite

This one needs a licensed pro

A breaker that keeps tripping: call an HVAC technician

A furnace breaker that trips again after one reset points to an electrical fault. Leave it off.

Why this happens

HVAC.com's advice when the furnace breaker keeps tripping is not to try turning it on again and to contact an HVAC technician. Trane treats breaker problems on a furnace as a job for a professional. HVAC.com also warns never to substitute a fuse of a different amperage.

What to do right now

  1. Leave the breaker in the off position.
  2. Set the thermostat to Off.
  3. Don't reset it again and don't swap in a different size fuse.
  4. If the house is getting cold, never heat it with a gas oven. The CDC warns against it.

What to tell the HVAC technician

  • How quickly the breaker trips after a reset.
  • Any sound or smell from the furnace before it tripped.
  • The brand, model and serial from the furnace's data plate.

Build the full list: what to tell the HVAC technician.

Start this troubleshooter over

References (every fact above comes from one of these pages)
  1. HVAC.com: Furnace not igniting
  2. Trane: Furnace not turning on
  3. CDC: About carbon monoxide poisoning

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