Furnace Troubleshooting: Staying Warm During Fall Travels
RV Furnace Repair Seattle | Mobile RV Heating Service
There’s nothing worse than a cold RV when you’re parked in the Cascades or camped near Puget Sound in the fall. RV furnaces are reliable—until they aren’t. When the heat stops, you need answers fast.
At Odyssey Mobile RV Repair, we help RVers stay warm with mobile RV furnace repair from Seattle to the Canadian border. Here are the most common furnace issues we see and how to troubleshoot them.
1. Furnace Won’t Turn On
The Problem: No fan, no click, no heat.
The Fix: Start with the basics—check your battery voltage. Your furnace relies on 12V power to operate, even on propane. Low voltage can prevent ignition or blower motor function.
Also check:
Thermostat settings and wiring
Blown fuse or tripped breaker
Loose or corroded ground wire
2. Clicking but No Ignition
The Problem: You hear it trying to start, but no flame.
The Fix: This usually means a propane issue or dirty ignitor. Confirm your propane tank has gas and that the valve is open. You may need to reset the propane detector or solenoid valve.
Still not working? A bad sail switch, circuit board, or ignitor could be the issue. We can usually source OEM parts locally or online fast.
3. Furnace Blows Cold Air
The Problem: The blower runs, but there's no heat.
The Fix: The control board may be locking out the burner due to a failed ignition attempt or airflow issue. Clogged air return vents or a bad limit switch can also trigger this.
Running on a nearly empty propane tank can cause intermittent heat or flame dropouts.
4. Short Cycling or Overheating
The Problem: The furnace turns on, heats briefly, then shuts off.
The Fix: This is often caused by restricted airflow or dirty burner chambers. Check return air filters, ducts, and the blower motor for dust or pet hair buildup.
If the furnace is overheating, a faulty high-limit switch may also be to blame.
5. Bad Smell or Soot
The Problem: Burning smell, soot buildup, or CO detector alarm.
The Fix: These are serious issues. Shut the furnace off immediately. Soot indicates incomplete combustion, which could mean a cracked heat exchanger or blocked exhaust vent.
If you notice unusual smells or see black residue around the furnace vent, don’t wait—schedule a mobile inspection.
Keep the Chill Out
Washington fall weather can be unpredictable. Don’t wait for your furnace to fail when you need heat the most. Odyssey Mobile RV Repair delivers fast, on-site furnace diagnostics and repairs—wherever your rig is parked.
