Isn’t it great to know that whenever you need warmth and comfort in your home during the winter, all you need to do is adjust the thermostat and your furnace just switches on and starts sending heated air through the ductwork into the various rooms of your home?
Except, what about when this doesn’t happen as it should? Nobody can guarantee that a furnace will work without malfunctions throughout its entire service life—after all there is natural wear and tear to consider. Of course, routine professional maintenance will definitely reduce the risk of sudden repair needs. In fact, maintenance can help prevent up to 85% of the repairs your furnace may ever need!
But maintenance or not, a furnace can surprise you every now and then—and burners that won’t turn on is certainly an unpleasant surprise. So what’s going on when this occurs? Read on to find out!
Your Furnace Is Shut Off
Now, we know this sounds a bit obvious, but trust us when we say you wouldn’t be the first homeowner to forget that you turned off the switch last spring so the furnace wouldn’t cycle on with a random cold spell. The furnace switch is located right next to the furnace! Switch this on and see if that resolves the problem.
The Pilot Light Is Out
Newer furnaces do not utilize standing pilot lights anymore in order to ignite the burners, however, you might have an older model that still does use a pilot light. Check on it to see if it’s gone out. If it has, relight it. If your pilot light continues to go out, then you could have a problem with the gas line, or it might be that the pilot assembly needs to be cleaned. This is something that needs to be addressed by a professional… so give us a call!
The Electric Ignition System Is Broken
Did you know that even a gas furnace uses an electric ignition system? This is the component actually responsible for lighting the burners in newer models of furnaces. They do this by using filaments to heat up the surface, similar to a lightbulb.
The igniters can fail, just like any other component of the furnace throughout the years. If this occurs, then the burners won’t come on.
Now, before you call us, we want you to check on one thing—take a look at your electrical panel and see if the breaker to the furnace has tripped. You might be able to reset it and not have any further problems. If you have to continuously reset the breaker though, it does indicate a problem that needs to be checked.
The Burners Are Dirty
If the burners are unable to draw on enough oxygen, they simply won’t be able to light up. And all it takes is a slight layer of dust, grime, or even rust for this to happen. You should never try to clean the burners on your own—our team is properly experienced and licenses for all types of furnace repairs and services, including this!
Wall Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. is your trusted resource for professional furnace repair in Monroe, GA. Contact us today!