My gas furnace won't fire. The pilot is lit. When I turn up the thermostat, I hear the clicking sound that is usually followed a few seconds later by combustion, however today it won't fire.
Any suggestions.
Thanks.
John
If its an older furnace, and this is the first time you've fired 'er up this year, I'd call a HVAC company to come out and clean out the burner orifice's of spiders. You shouldn't attempt this one on your own. I'd call the expert.
There are a number of possibilities. Often it is a old thermocouple. If you don't know what one is, maybe you should call in the pro.
Professionals are usually the safest people to have working on your furnace. Do you keep hearing the ckicking sound for "ever"? The thermocouple must sense the heat from a pilot light in order to shut down the igniter, and allow the regulator to send gas to the burners. I had this problem last week with a pilot light that was too small to lick the thermocouple. No burners, but the igniter just kept on a'clickin'. It was a clogged pilot, and a piece of cake to remove the pipe, and clean it out. Then I could adjust the pilot properly, and Bob's my Uncle. So to speak. Tom Work at your leisure!
You are 100% right. Even I know that. It must have been my cat writing that. :-)
Thanks for the correction.
I have never seen it, but I guess a defective valve could do it?
Usually when the thermostat is turned up a single click can be heard and within seconds the furnace ignites. I should mention it is a 35+ year old American Standard gas furnace (hot water radiators) boiler #2GA5E series #8BJ14.
While it is obviously at the end of its expected useful life, I haven't had a problem in the 16 years that I've owner the house.
I will be calling my plumber who also specializes in heating to clean and service the furnace.
Thanks to all!
John
But what is your point in all this.
I certainly have never claimed to be in the trade. However I suspect that I could find a number of those in the trade that also have not seen it, or at least don't know they have seen it.
Are you just having a bad day?
Hi, He said pilot is on. Tony
I don't have professional experience. I do have experience.
I doubt that. I have a very good imagination.
Maybe you would like to point out examples.
You may want to consider that this is not a "Professional Home Repair Advice" newsgroup. It is for the most part a home owner to home owner newsgroup. We are luck to have many professionals, like (I assume) you, who willingly give of their time and experience. I believe if you read my replies you will find that they tend to be conservative and I often recommend professional help.
Take a nap and maybe you will feel better.
Frankly I feel great. Good bike ride today and spotted a Great White egret.
I think we have covered that senior moment of mine. :-)
Did you remove any panels from the furnace? There is an interlock switch on (newer) gas furnaces. If you remove the bottom panel, the switch opens and your furnace might not run.
Try turning the fan to MANUAL. If the fan won't come on, then you may have an open or faulty interlock switch.
If the fan can be manually turned >My gas furnace won't fire. The pilot is lit. When I turn up the thermostat,
The pro came by today and determined that it was the gas valve which wasn't opening properly.
John
Glad to hear you have your problem resolved.
Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
On 12-Nov-04 At About 16:08:36, Joseph Meehan wrote to All Subject: Re: gas furnace won't fire
JM> From: "Joseph Meehan"
JM> Redlocks wrote: >> My gas furnace won't fire. The pilot is lit. When I turn up the >> thermostat, I hear the clicking sound that is usually followed a few >> seconds later by combustion, however today it won't fire.
JM> There are a number of possibilities. Often it is a old thermocouple. JM> If you don't know what one is, maybe you should call in the pro.
here you go again Joe. if the pilot is lit the chances are that the thermocouple is ok. as for the actual problem you are correct he should call a pro to check it out.
-=> HvacTech2
Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
On 12-Nov-04 At About 20:11:37, Joseph Meehan wrote to All Subject: Re: gas furnace won't fire
JM> From: "Joseph Meehan"
JM> HvacTech2 wrote: >> Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
JM> You are 100% right. Even I know that. It must have been my cat JM> writing that. :-)
Ok. in what case could the pilot light be lit but the thermocouple is bad?
-=> HvacTech2
Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
On 13-Nov-04 At About 06:47:17, Joseph Meehan wrote to All Subject: Re: gas furnace won't fire
JM> From: "Joseph Meehan"
JM> I have never seen it, but I guess a defective valve could do it?
if you were actually in the trade you would see it. but this is exactly what I am talking about. you aren't in the trade so you don't know and no, it is not a defective valve but is actually correct for this type of system.
Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
On 13-Nov-04 At About 12:21:08, Joseph Meehan wrote to All Subject: Re: gas furnace won't fire
JM> From: "Joseph Meehan"
JM> HvacTech2 wrote:
JM> But what is your point in all this.
my point is that you constantly give advice on something that you have no experience with. there is more that you haven't seen than you could ever imagine and answering questions with no experience can damage someone else's equipment or even injure them.
JM> I certainly have never claimed to be in the trade. However I suspect JM> that I could find a number of those in the trade that also have not JM> seen it, or at least don't know they have seen it.
Only someone who is new to the trade. anyone who has been in the residential part of it ( which is where most start) will have seen these systems.
JM> Are you just having a bad day?
Just tired of seeing wrong info given out.
-=> HvacTech2
Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
On 13-Nov-04 At About 16:07:15, Joseph Meehan wrote to All Subject: Re: gas furnace won't fire
JM> From: "Joseph Meehan"
JM> T >>>> My gas furnace won't fire. The pilot is lit. When I turn up the >>>> thermostat, I hear the clicking sound that is usually followed a few >>>> seconds later by combustion, however today it won't fire.
JM> I think we have covered that senior moment of mine. :-)
you seem to have a lot of these lately.
-=> HvacTech2
Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
On 13-Nov-04 At About 16:00:15, Joseph Meehan wrote to All Subject: Re: gas furnace won't fire
JM> From: "Joseph Meehan"
JM> HvacTech2 wrote: >> Hi Joseph, hope you are having a nice day
JM> I don't have professional experience. I do have experience.
JM> I doubt that. I have a very good imagination.
JM> Maybe you would like to point out examples.
JM> You may want to consider that this is not a "Professional Home Repair JM> Advice" newsgroup. It is for the most part a home owner to home JM> owner newsgroup. We are luck to have many professionals, like (I JM> assume) you, who willingly give of their time and experience. JM> I believe if you read my replies you will find that they tend to be JM> conservative and I often recommend professional help.
Since there are professionals in just about every trade here why do you need to give out wrong information?
-=> HvacTech2
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