A well-functioning furnace can make a family happy and healthy all winter. You may live in Florida, but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch colds too! However, if you’ve been having blasts of cold air through the winter or your home hasn’t been as warm as it should, it’s probably because your furnace won’t ignite.
Why Isn’t My Furnace Igniting?
A furnace that isn’t igniting could be due to a variety of issues, the most common of which involves not cleaning and maintaining the furnace properly. In some cases, the furnace is old and needs to be replaced.
- The most common reason a pilot in a furnace won’t ignite is that the opening for the flame gets dirty over time and the debris prevents the gas from easily going where it needs to. This creates inconsistent temperatures, which the flame sensor reads and usually shuts off the flame. This is most often the case of a heating unit that starts to blow warm air, then suddenly blasts cold air.
- The second most common problem is when the pilot ignition switch goes bad. When this happens, the igniter doesn’t produce the spark necessary to keep the flame lit. This is particularly problematic on models that switch the flame off when not in use.
- The next most common problem is an improper pilot flame length. This occurs when the unit vibrates and the nut that controls the amount of gas released is loosened. Tighten the thermocouple till the flame is two inches tall, or however tall the user manual of your furnace tells you it should be.
- Lastly, if everything is hooked up right and it still isn’t working, it could be a damaged gas line. This needs to be examined immediately by a qualified HVAC specialist.
If your furnace won’t ignite and you’d like professional HVAC help, contact Cox Air Conditioning and Heating. We serve homeowners throughout Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, Trinity and West Chase.
