How To Reset The Switch On A Blower Motor

By  Megan Mattingly-Arthur

Tip

Clean the furnace filter once a month and after each time you reset the blower motor; a clogged filter may cause your furnace to shut down unexpectedly. Consult the furnace's installation or owner's manual to determine the location of the filter in your furnace.

Warning

A furnace blower motor that requires frequent resets may need to be replaced. Contact your furnace manufacturer to schedule an appointment for repair service (if the appliance is still under warranty) or for troubleshooting and repair advice.

Furnaces are a popular way to keep your home warm and toasty during the long, cold winter months. Most types of residential furnaces feature an internal component, known as a blower switch, that is used to shut down the fan motor in the event that the appliance overheats, the motor malfunctions or the furnace filter becomes clogged. To restore the furnace to normal operation, you must reset the switch on the blower motor. Fortunately, this is a simple task that can be completed in minutes.

Step 1

Open your circuit breaker box and locate the switch labeled "Furnace" or "Heating System;" push the switch into the "Off" position to eliminate the risk of electrical injury during the blower motor reset process.

Step 2

Lift the control panel off the front of the furnace. Feel along the sides of the panel to locate the indentations or handles. Grasp the panel, lift it up and pull it away from the furnace; set the panel aside.

Step 3

Examine the exposed components in the furnace cabinet to locate the blower motor; look for a small silver box positioned toward the top of the cabinet. Mounted just above this box you should see a small round component with a raised red or white button at the center; this is the blower reset switch.

Step 4

Press and hold the blower reset switch for three seconds, then release.

Step 5

Put the control panel back on the furnace. Return to your circuit breaker box and flip the "Furnace" or "Heating System" switch back to the "On" position.

References

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