Find Out Why Your Furnace Won’t Stay Lit
Winter can bring on some of the coldest temperatures of the year, and with the increased cold comes more pressure on your heating system.
These low temperatures can cause all sorts of issues with your unit. One of the most common ones is the furnace not staying lit. You can run into this problem whether you have an oil furnace or a gas furnace.
Call a professional HVAC technician if your furnace won’t stay lit. They will provide you with the best recommendations and repair services. Wondering what brings on this issue? Here are some potential causes.
Flame Sensor Issues
Many times a furnace won’t stay lit due to a faulty flame sensor. This small but very important component of your furnace will affect its performance in a major way.
If the flame sensor is malfunctioning, your flame can’t signal to the unit that the gas is ignited. Flame sensors often malfunction when they become dirty. These components can also become misaligned, which also causes flame detection issues.
If you need help, the professionals at Premier HVAC are highly skilled and can detect any problems causing your flame sensor to malfunction.
Air Flow Trouble
Your oil or gas furnace may not stay lit due to a lack of airflow reaching the furnace. This issue causes the furnace to overheat, resulting in unit malfunction.
When the heat exchanger reaches a particular temperature, the controls on the furnace should trigger to turn it off. At the same time, the burners continue running so as to cool down the furnace until it reaches a specified temperature.
However, sometimes the high limit control stops working, and the furnace can’t reset.
Dirty filters, blocked vents, inadequate ductwork, or other airflow blockages can also result in an overheating furnace.
Furnace Pilot Won’t Stay Lit
If your oil furnace won’t stay lit, your pilot light may be the culprit. This issue’s tough to detect for many homeowners. If you see your furnace light up the pilot when the thermostat requests heat, you may think your furnace is working correctly.
However, in just a few minutes, the light simply goes out. This can be due to a few different causes.
Potential causes of the pilot light going out include:
- Poor flame sensor position
- Faulty flame sensor
- Not enough gas pressure
- Malfunctioning ignition board
Furnace Runs Then Stops
Another issue you may be experiencing is short cycling. When the furnace runs for a few minutes, then stops altogether, and the unit lights go out, this is known as short cycling.
Short cycling is something you should attend to right away so that your furnace doesn’t incur damage. This issue can waste a lot of energy in addition to leaving your home at frigid temperatures.
It can also cause irreparable damage to the components of your HVAC system, which may force you to get an early unit replacement.
Why Does the Furnace Short Cycle?
Now that you know what short cycling is, we’ll explain why a unit short cycles and how you can prevent it.
Blocked Heat Grate
A blocked heat grate is one of the main reasons a furnace starts, then stops. When the furnace works to heat the air but cannot escape through the heat vent to warm the house, it remains trapped and ends up overheating the system.
It’s helpful to remember to keep at least 75% of the heat grates open to allow the heated air to flow properly through the house.
Blocked Exhaust Vent
Your exhaust vent should never be closed. However, there are instances where it may become blocked due to nests, snow, beehives, or vegetation.
You should remove any blockage to the exhaust vent as soon as possible. If it’s not safe for you to do so, call your HVAC provider.
Improperly Sized Furnace
If you have an improperly sized furnace in your home, it may not function properly. In some instances, homeowners may seek to invest in a bigger system, thinking that it will heat the home more efficiently.
However, overly large furnaces can cause a lot of short cycling and inefficiency trouble. A better option is to have the right-sized furnace installed in your home.
Furnace Won’t Stay Lit? Call Premier
If your furnace is short cycling and you are tired of having trouble heating your home consistently, turn to the professionals at Premier HVAC Services.
We have the experience, knowledge, and professionalism you can depend on in Forney, TX, and the surrounding areas. Contact us today by calling or going online.