Imagine one day that you’re sitting on your couch during a cold winter day. A slight chill starts. You don’t think anything of it as first.
As time wears on, you get colder and colder. Soon, you realize that your furnace is failing, but by then it’s already too late. You’ll be shivering for days.
Is this a little over the top? Yes.
But it’s important to make sure your furnace is always in tip-top shape. So what can you do to avoid this frigid nightmare?
If you’re wondering what the answers are, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here to give you 5 essential tips for dealing with pilot and ignition problems with your furnace! So brace yourselves: we’re going in.
1: Know Your Furnace Noises
If your furnace sounds like it’s auditioning for a horror movie, there are a few things you can do.
First, try to assess what kind of sounds the furnace is making: is it clanking? Squealing? Rattling?
Different noises signal that there are different problems. For example, a rattling furnace might be a sign that a panel is loose somewhere on it, which you can fix yourself with a screwdriver. Squealing noises can mean that the belt in the motor is broken.
Once you’ve put every noise to a problem, you’ll be a pro at fixing your furnace.
2: Keep An Eye On The Pilot Light
If your pilot light goes out, you could be in for a host of problems. Though most (if not all) pilot lights should shut off if their flame goes off to prevent gas leakage, your furnace isn’t doing anything without it.
If it does go out, check the power to make sure it wasn’t switched off accidentally and shut the furnace off completely. After you wait a few minutes, use the ignition buttons to relight the flame. Push both to light it, then hold the smaller one for a minute once the flame comes back.
3: Furnace Slowing Down? It Needs Some Help
If your furnace is slacking on the job, you might need to go in and change the filters. Furnace filters keep dust and dirt out of the furnace, and if the filters are too old, the performance of the furnace will suffer. Too much dirt and the furnace could break completely.
Swap your filters about every 90 days to stay ahead of the game.
4: Stay Diligent
One of the best ways to avoid pilot and ignition problems is to keep up to date on your preventative measures. For example, you should clean the burners and blower blades to prevent them from breaking down as fast.
Doing a flame test (turn on the furnace and check the color of the flames: blue is good, yellow is bad) will help make sure you’re not exposing yourself to dangerous gases.
5: Still Got Pilot And Ignition Problems? Ask For Help
Although no one ever wants to hear it, you can’t fix everything yourself. If you come across a problem with your furnace that you can’t get to go away, call a professional before you try to DIY it.
You can cause bigger problems with your furnace if you mishandle a task like fixing your igniter or could even bust it for good.
Let’s Heat Them Up
Congrats! You are now equipped with the knowledge of how to solve your common pilot and ignition problems!
For more information on keeping your furnace clean and working, check out the other posts on our blog! Now go check your furnace: winter will be here before you know it.