The comfort of your home is supported by three major systems, the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, the plumbing system, and the electrical system. Since two of these systems are intertwined, it is challenging for your HVAC system to operate satisfactorily without the electrical part of your house. Apart from the electrical attribute of it, your HVAC needs regular air conditioning repair services and maintenance for its operation.
Therefore, it is imperative to understand some of its major components, such as the furnace, how they operate, and most importantly, the signs they give, especially if something is wrong. This will help you pinpoint well to contact an air conditioning repair technician to ensure the continuous comfort of your home. Therefore, this article will help explain a flame sensor in a furnace and the significant signs it gives when something is wrong.
What Is a Furnace Flame Sensor?
A flame sensor is one of your gas heating system’s most crucial safety components. The furnace’s primary purpose is to ensure that the gas valve only opens when burning the flame. A hot surface ignitor or a spark ignites the gas in the furnace during the ignition cycle. Consequently, the flame sensor creates a current of electricity when the gas is ignited.
Therefore, if the flame sensor fails to open the gas valve while flames are burning, toxic gasses would build up, resulting in a leak or, worse case scenarios, a fire. Flame sensors are primarily found in gas-powered heating systems and modern gas furnaces. However, it is essential to have an air conditioning repair professional check if a flame sensor is included in your system, especially if you have an older model.
Major Indicators of a Faulty Furnace Flame Sensor
Like any other system, a flame sensor in a furnace gives signs when it starts malfunctioning. Before it completely breaks down or refuses to work, it will try to communicate to you to seek air conditioning repair services to help and facilitate its restoration. However, if you do not know which signs to look out for in your home’s system, you might ignore the signs, leading to the condition deteriorating. Therefore, if your furnace sensor portrays any of the following issues, it is best to contact a qualified technician immediately.
Burner Flames Are Yellow
The first typical sign of a faulty flame sensor in a furnace in most Arlington, TX homes is the presence of yellow flames. Since your gas furnace is not in the open, peep on the available gas furnace peephole to check the flame firing the burner’s color. If you find that they are yellow, this is an indication that your system is encountering some difficulties and not fully burning the gas.
The most common reason the burner flames are yellow is that the system is not effectively venting out the carbon monoxide. Therefore, it is crucial to immediately contact an air conditioning repair technician to mitigate the issue or perform burner cleaning, depending on the extent of the damage. In addition, monitor your home’s carbon monoxide detector reading to outline the quantity of carbon in your air supply effectively. This step will help you outline how much of a danger the system is putting your household at.
Constant Thermostat Adjustments
The other sign you can use to outline if your flame sensor has a malfunction as a homeowner is keeping count of the number of thermostat adjustments you are making. Therefore, if you get the sense that you are constantly adjusting your thermostat to meet your home’s temperature requirements, then the main issue might be the flame sensor. Fortunately, an air conditioning repair professional can help you outline the problem. The technician will look over the furnace and the thermostat to pinpoint where the trouble originates. Consequently, the technician will update you on the best course of action, depending on the situation.
Rusty Flue Lines
With yellow flame on your burner, rusty flue lines are the primary signs of poor furnace venting. The main purpose of the flue system is to guide the carbon monoxide produced by the system to the outside of your Arlington, TX, home. Therefore, if this gas leaks, it will be indicated by rust and corrosion in the line.
Since the carbon monoxide is not exiting properly, it lingers within the outside of the line, reacting with the metal to cause corrosion. Therefore, if you notice a rust presence on the flue lines of your system, it is imperative to contact an air conditioning repair expert to rectify the issue. Notably, the presence of carbon monoxide in your air supply poses an extensive danger to your family.
High Utility Bills
Have you noticed skyrocketing utility bills without adding to your power consumption? If this is the case, especially during the winter and even after regular air conditioning maintenance, you could have deeper issues with your flame sensor. One of the significant causes of the hike in electricity bills is dirty filters which cause your air conditioning system to overwork due to low efficiency.
Therefore, if your air filters do not need to be changed or cleaned, the next best reason for high electricity bills is a malfunctioning flame sensor in the furnace. The sensor might find it difficult to operate to its full potential, thus draining more power than necessary. Therefore, have a certified air conditioning repair technician check the components of your heating system, especially the flame sensor.
Regardless of why a flame sensor in a furnace is malfunctioning, the most important thing is to pinpoint when your system is acting out. Then Have a reliable air conditioning repair technician inspect it to locate the problem. The professional will fix it and leave your home as the hub of tranquility. Call us at Minuteman Heating & Air to have your Arlington, TX, home’s faulty flame sensor fixed.