Where is the Reset Button on Your Furnace, and What Does It Do?

A furnace is an important part of a home and business, especially during Chicago’s harsh winters, providing warmth when temperatures drop. Modern gas furnaces come equipped with various safety mechanisms to make sure they operate safely and efficiently, protecting both your home and the heating system itself from hazards. One very important safety feature is the furnace reset button. This critical component is in place to protect against the furnace overheating or when there is a malfunction. Home and business owners should be familiar with this feature, as it can help reset the furnace and restore proper function, which is an extra layer of protection to your Chicago HVAC system.

At Four Seasons Heating & Cooling, through our experience working with clients, we are aware of their furnace reset button, but it’s an important feature that every home and business owner should know about. Knowing the location of the reset button and when it’s appropriate to use it can help prevent potential issues with your furnace, as well as keep your home or business safe when your furnace malfunctions. While it’s a helpful safety feature, it should only be used in specific situations, which is also important information for home and business owners. Our team is here to help provide you with information on the proper usage of your reset button on a furnace and when a reset may be necessary. 

Jump to: What Does A Furnace Reset Button Do? | Where Is My Furnace Reset Button? | Is It Safe To Hit The Reset Button On A Furnace? | What Can Cause My Furnace Reset Button To Engage? | How To Reset A Gas Furnace | Do Electrical Furnaces Have a Reset Button? | Need Help Resetting Your Furnace?

What Does A Furnace Reset Button Do?

The furnace reset button is an important safety feature designed to protect your system from overheating or other safety issues. It is connected to the furnace’s limit switch, which monitors the temperature inside both the furnace and the air handler where the blower fan is located. If the temperature in the furnace rises above a safe level, the limit switch will then trigger the reset button, shutting down the furnace to prevent further damage or unsafe conditions. This mechanism helps avoid more serious issues, including tripping your circuit breaker.

If the reset button is ever tripped, you will need to press it to reset your furnace before it will turn on again. However, it’s important to be cautious when doing so. If you press the reset button and the furnace shuts off again, repeatedly pressing the button will not turn the furnace on, and can cause further damage. When you press the reset button and the furnace won’t turn back on, it’s best to call a furnace repair professional at Four Seasons Heating & Cooling in the Chicagoland area. Our team will diagnose the issue and provide furnace repairs so that it is back up and running safely in no time. 

Where Is My Furnace Reset Button?

The location of the reset button on a furnace may vary depending on the make and model of the heating system you have installed in your home or business. Generally, the reset button can be found inside the air handler, which is either next to or above the furnace. To access it, you’ll need to open the air handler compartment, which may pop off or require removing screws to take off the door. 

In most newer systems, the reset button is conveniently located near the blower motor, which makes it easy to spot and use when needed. In older systems, however, it may be more challenging to locate the reset button on your furnace, as it can sometimes be found underneath or behind the blower motor. The reset button is typically red or yellow and serves as a critical safety feature on your furnace, and allows you to reset the furnace when it shuts down for safety reasons. Knowing where this button is can help start your furnace system after it has been tripped, and make sure it is safely reset when necessary.

Is It Safe To Hit The Reset Button On A Furnace?

Pressing the reset button on your furnace can be safe when done properly, but it should be approached with caution. After pressing the button, give the unit a few seconds to reset and begin running again. If the furnace doesn’t start up after pressing the reset button, you can try pressing it one more time. However, if the furnace turns on and then shuts off again, we do not recommend pressing the reset button repeatedly. Doing so can damage your furnace by pumping excess oil into the furnace, which can exacerbate any underlying problems. If your furnace continues to shut down after pressing the reset button, it’s time to call our team at Four Seasons for professional furnace repair. 

What Can Cause My Furnace Reset Button To Engage?

A furnace reset button may be triggered for various reasons, all of which are typically related to the system’s safety features. When the button is activated, it signals that the furnace has detected an issue that requires it to be immediately shut down to prevent further damage or safety hazards. The most common reasons the furnace reset button is triggered are:

• Blocked or Closed Gas Valves – If you have a gas furnace, sometimes the gas valves become blocked or accidentally closed, which will cause the reset button to keep tripping. Having our team check the valves can help resolve the issue swiftly.
• Overheating – Insufficient airflow within the furnace can cause it to overheat and trigger the reset button. Contact our team for regular furnace maintenance, including replacing air filters, to ensure proper airflow through vents to prevent the reset button from triggering. 
• Loss of Fuel – For gas or oil furnaces, an empty fuel tank can trip the reset button, causing it to turn off before the lack of fuel or oil burns the furnace out. Make sure there’s enough fuel, and call our team if you need fuel or if your furnace needs to be primed again.
• Dirty Flame Sensor – A flame sensor that is covered in dirt or debris may cause the furnace to shut off, and trigger the reset button. We can clean the sensor regularly to help avoid this problem when performing furnace maintenance.
• Dirty Air Filter – A clogged air filter puts extra strain on your furnace and may trip the reset button when it overheats or starts to pull too much power. Cleaning or replacing filters at least every 3–4 months is essential for proper function.

How To Reset A Gas Furnace

Resetting your gas furnace is fairly straightforward if you know where to find the necessary components. However, if you’re unsure about any step in the process, it’s best to contact us for assistance to ensure everything is done correctly and safely. Proper resetting can help maintain your furnace’s efficiency and prolong its lifespan. 

Follow these steps to reset your gas furnace:

1. Ensure the Pilot Light is Out – Before resetting the furnace, make sure that the pilot light is no longer lit.
2. Turn The Thermostat Down – Turn the thermostat temperature setting down to the lowest possible setting.
3. Turn Off the Power Supply – Locate the breaker in your circuit box and turn off the power to the gas furnace.
4. Shut Off the Main Gas Supply – Make sure to turn off the main gas supply to the furnace, but leave the pilot gas supply line on.
5. Relight the Pilot Light – Using a lit match or lighter, carefully hold it to the pilot flame jet’s opening to relight it. This must be done for the gas furnace to 
6. Restore Power and Gas Supply – After the pilot is lit again, you will need to turn the circuit breaker back on and then switch the main gas supply back on.
7. Press and Hold the Reset Button – Finally, you can press and hold the furnace reset button for about 30 seconds, then raise the temperature on the thermostat to restart the furnace.

Do Electric Furnaces Have A Reset Button?

Just like gas furnaces, electric furnaces also have a reset button in place to restore functionality if the system encounters an issue. This button is typically found in the same place as gas furnaces and is a critical safety feature that allows the furnace to be manually reset after a malfunction. Knowing how to safely reset your electric furnace can prevent further damage to the unit and help you avoid unnecessary service calls.

Here are the steps for resetting your electric furnace:

1. Power off the Furnace – Begin the process by turning off the power supply to the furnace. You will need to locate the corresponding breaker in your circuit box and turn it off as well.
2. Find the Reset Button – you will then need to find the furnace reset button, which is typically located inside the blower compartment, positioned on the side of the blower motor.
3. Press the Reset Button – If the reset button has popped up, you will need to press it down to reset the furnace. Be cautious when doing so, as the area around the button may be hot, especially if it was triggered due to the furnace overheating.
4. Replace the Cover – After pressing the reset button on the furnace, return the cover to the blower compartment securely.
5. Power On the System – Finally, you can turn the power back on by flipping the breaker switch in the circuit box. Your furnace should begin to operate normally again. If it does not, contact a furnace repair technician at Four Seasons Heating & Cooling so we can diagnose the problem for you.

Need Help Resetting Your Furnace?

If you need help resetting your furnace or if your furnace still isn’t working properly after resetting it, don’t hesitate to contact our team of furnace repair experts at Four Seasons Heating & Cooling. With over 50 years of experience serving Chicagoland residents, we offer 24-hour emergency repair and personalized furnace repair services. Our team is always ready to get your furnace back up and running safely and efficiently, delivering the comfort you need when it matters most.