How Do I Know if My Furnace Flame Sensor is Bad?

There are many individual components within your gas furnace that have to be working properly in order for the whole unit to function as it should. One of the key components is called a flame sensor, and you will quickly find yourself left in the cold if it stops working. This article will explain what this part does and how you can determine if it might be causing problems with your furnace.

Managing the heating and air system in your home doesn’t have to be complicated – or unnecessarily expensive. By turning to Berico for HVAC service in Greensboro, you can be sure that you’ll be in good hands from start to finish on any upcoming project. Reach out today to get started.

What is a Flame Sensor?

Your Furnace would not be able to operate properly – and safely – without the inclusion of a flame sensor. This device is designed to detect a flame when the gas valve is open and gas is being allowed to flow into the furnace. If this sensor doesn’t detect an active flame, the gas supply will be shut off as a safety feature.

This is a creative way for furnace manufacturers to avoid creating a dangerous situation in which the gas flows into a furnace that doesn’t have the flame needed to combust the gas. The only problem is that over time, the flame sensor can get dirty or develop other problems, and it might stop working correctly. In other words, it may not detect a flame when one actually is present, and the furnace will struggle to work properly as a result.

Some Signs of Trouble

You don’t need to be a furnace repair professional to notice some issues that could point to a bad flame sensor. For example, if the furnace is cycling on and off way more often than it should, that could be the fault of this sensor. As the sensor thinks that the flame is out, it will shut off the furnace until the thermostat tries to kick it on again. A properly functioning furnace will run for a while before it shuts back off – if that isn’t happening, you should at least consider the possibility of the sensor being at fault.

Also, if your furnace isn’t creating heat as it should, you may again have a flame sensor problem. In this case, the sensor isn’t doing its job of detecting that the flame has gone out, and it’s allowing the furnace to run without any flame burning. That’s not only a problem in terms of not getting any hot air, but it can also be dangerous because gas will be flowing and not getting combusted.

Whether a faulty flame sensor leads to a repair of your furnace, or you decide on a new furnace installation, the team at Berico is the easy choice to take the lead on this job. Take a moment today to get in touch with Berico at (336) 273-8663 to learn more about what’s available and to schedule your first appointment.