Poor furnace function can leave your household in the cold when you need warmth the most. Call us for top-quality furnace maintenance and repairs!
New York, as one of the northernmost states, has some of the coldest weather in the U.S. No one wants their furnace to stop working, especially not during the cold season. So, why does the flame on my furnace keep going out?
Complete Comfort Control experts don’t want you to struggle when searching for the answer during a weather emergency. As a professional HVAC company in The Hamptons, our job aims to help you keep your heating system in working order. Here, we detail a few reasons you may be having furnace flame problems.
How Your Furnace Lights Up
To understand furnace flame stability issues, you need to know how furnaces ignite. While the method may differ for direct ignition and older furnaces, most furnaces follow specific steps:
- The room’s temperature lowers beyond the limit set on the thermostat, triggering the furnace to respond.
- The draft inducer fan pulls air into the furnace so the combustion chamber can activate safely.
- The furnace’s gas valve opens and adds gas to the pilot burner.
- An electronic spark causes the gas to ignite, forming the furnace pilot light.
- The pilot light’s heat registers on a flame sensor, so the unit knows the pilot light is on.
- The gas valve opens and adds gas to the main burners so the pilot light can ignite them.
With these factors in mind, why does the flame on my furnace keep going out? Heating system troubleshooting means addressing gas furnace problems resulting from faults in one of those processes.
We’ll discuss a few common issues that you may face. You can possibly fix some problems yourself, but calling your furnace maintenance technician may allow you to keep your warranty.
Your Flame Sensor Has Issues
The flame sensor enables your unit to recognize that the pilot light is on and that gas can flow to the main burners. However, issues with the flame sensor can cause the system to shut off to prevent gas leaks and exposure.
For example, if the sensor fails to register the heat from the pilot light, it will prevent further gas flow and cause the light to shut off. This problem may show up if the sensor faces the wrong direction as well. You can shut off the gas and electric connection to the unit to check the sensor safely.
You Don’t Have Enough Furnace Airflow
When asking, “Why does the flame on my furnace keep going out,” remember it also needs air to work. The draft inducer should produce enough air for the combustion chamber, but if it doesn’t, the burners cannot work effectively.
Clogged furnace air filters can prevent airflow, and a faulty blower won’t produce air for the burners. If you know where the furnace air filter sits, you can replace it yourself. However, you should have a professional repair the blower because of the complex electrical connections needed for it to function.
Your Gas Pressure Is Low
The pilot light requires consistent gas levels for the electrical spark to ignite and stay functional. Without the gas, the light will go out because it lacks fuel, preventing the rest of the furnace from working.
You can potentially resolve this issue by replacing the gas valve, but you should work carefully with any gas line connections. Moreover, there could be something else wrong with the gas line, like a small leak or a blockage. We recommend leaving those cases to a professional for your health and safety.
Your Limit Switch Keeps Activating
Furnaces use a limit switch to keep the unit from overheating and causing a fire on your property. If the furnace switch keeps activating and turning off the pilot light, that could indicate several issues:
- The switch faultily registers false positives
- Airflow issues don’t allow the furnace to stay below heat limits
- The thermostat has a problem that falsely indicates that the property has reached target temperatures
Complete Comfort Controls Your Furnace Issues
Why does the flame on my furnace keep going out? We’ve only listed a few potential issues, but you can always rely on a trustworthy HVAC expert to help.
Complete Comfort Control ensures furnaces in The Hamptons, NY, work when you need them. Our top-quality customer service and licensed and insured technicians are just a quick call away. If you have problems with your pilot light or furnace pressure switch, call 631-910-6702 today!