Winter temperatures will soon arrive in Las Vegas, NV, and the last thing you want on a frigid night is a malfunctioning furnace. The furnace ignitor’s job is to create a spark that ignites the gas. Other furnace ignitors heat up and ignite the gas. A bad ignitor is a common furnace problem, and here are three signs that yours might be malfunctioning.
Cold Air Blowing from Vents
Without the spark or heat to ignite the gas, your furnace can’t burn fuel and make heat. The blower may keep working, but it will blow cold air. If you notice cold air, first check the thermostat setting. Make sure it’s on the heating function. Next, check the air filter. Replace the filter if it’s dirty or more than three months old. When your furnace blows cold air and its filter is clean, it’s best to call for reliable heating services to find out what’s wrong.
Furnace Won’t Cycle
New furnaces have a safety system that prevents them from cycling if there’s no flame. If the gas is still flowing, but the ignitor is malfunctioning, you’re at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbon monoxide from malfunctioning furnaces causes hundreds of deaths every year in the United States. If the furnace won’t turn on or if your carbon monoxide detector goes off, a faulty ignitor could be to blame.
Sudden Stopping and Starting
A malfunctioning ignitor may not have enough charge to heat the gas. The furnace’s safety system prevents it from trying again for at least 60 seconds. All the starting and stopping could also cause the furnace to trip the circuit breaker. A furnace that turns off and on several times without completing a full heating cycle needs professional attention.
To learn more about the signs your furnace ignitor might be malfunctioning, take a look at Infinity Heating and Cooling’s reliable heating services, or call us today.
