Scheduling your annual furnace maintenance helps keep your heating equipment operating up to thirty percent more efficient and helps extend the life of the equipment. But things can still go wrong, and when they do, you could feel like there is always something else.
This time it’s your heat exchanger, next time it’s your pressure switch. Now you need to replace your flame sensor.
What Is a Flame Sensor, Anyway?
A flame sensor is a critical safety component on your gas heating equipment. During the ignition sequence, your gas furnace undergoes a process where a spark or a hot surface ignitor will actually ignite the gas. As the gas is ignited, the flame sensor produces a current of electricity. The current is measured in micro amps. If the furnace’s control board does not read the right level of micro amps, the furnace will quit giving the system fuel to prevent an explosion.
Over time, if the flame sensor is not adequately cleaned, oxidation or carbon buildup can restrict the flame sensor’s ability to operate properly, which can cause the furnace to malfunction.
The way to determine if an unclean flame sensor is to blame for a furnace malfunction is to take a micro amp draw reading, which an expert heating technician can supply you. If a dirty flame sensor is the culprit, the heating expert will clean the sensor with steel wool. If dirt was the single factor, we will see a much higher amp reading. If the reading doesn't change, the technician will carry on with the heating equipment repair diagnostic process.
If you aren’t sure your heating equipment is going to outlast these last few weeks of winter, give Service Experts a call and we’ll come out and provide you with a full furnace maintenance or a complimentary in-home estimate on a new heating system.
