If your furnace won’t light the gas that flows through it, you can forget about staying warm in Martinsburg, WV this winter. Since this problem cuts to the heart of what a furnace should be for, invest some time in trying to understand its causes. Here are a few reasons your furnace might refuse to ignite.
Obstructed Pilot Light Orifice
The pilot light is a tiny flame that your furnace uses to ignite the natural gas. That flame emerges from an opening called a pilot light orifice.
Over time, your furnace may produce soot as a by product of its operations, or dirt of some kind may find its way into the system. Occasionally, this debris will cover your pilot light orifice and prevent it from turning on, which will stop the ignition. Luckily, trained HVAC technicians will examine and clean both the pilot light orifice and its surroundings as part of an annual maintenance check-up.
Broken Flame Sensor
Inside your furnace’s burner assembly, near the area where the ignition flame should emerge, there should be a thin metal rod called a flame sensor. The flame sensor’s purpose is to determine whether your furnace’s pilot light is burning and to turn off the system when it is not.
If this sensor doesn’t work, your furnace may run unnecessarily, even without accompanying ignition. Then, the system’s parts will endure gratuitous stress, which may cause them to fail and prevent ignition from occurring at all.
Dirty Filters
Dirty filters can cut off airflow through your furnace. They also increase the probability that stray bits of debris may float through your furnace and obstruct its burners, which would ultimately inhibit ignition. You must remember to either clean or replace your filters approximately once every 90 days.
Without a working furnace, you’ll quickly find yourself in an uncomfortable situation in Martinsburg, WV. Call Care Services Inc. to ask for our heating repair services today.
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