Modern furnaces come with features for the best and most accurate performance all the time. The mechanisms are sophisticated, and addressing any issues of the system isn’t always easy.
You don’t always need to call the HVAC technician when something goes wrong with your furnace. As specific sequences have to occur for the furnace to start running, you may identify the cause of a problem by following specific troubleshooting steps. Moreover, modern furnaces come with control boards that will light flash codes to inform you about your furnace’s issue.
A Bryant furnace ignitor not working could signal many problems (code 13 or 43 may flash), so you need to eliminate them one by one. Keep reading to find out what are the most common causes for the gas furnace not to ignite.
When the electric current in the house is too high, your furnace may stop from safety concerns. In case of a power surge, the ignitor could burn out automatically. If so, you will have to hire an electrician to check your household’s electric current and replace the burnout ignitor as well.
Is it the circuit breaker?
You should take a look at the circuit breakers in your entire household. Examine electric outputs around the house, the plug powering the microwave and fridge. When they are all working just fine, it means that only the furnace has an issue.
You should observe the furnace’s circuit breaker panel to see if the switches are turned on. When the controls are in the Off position, they have tripped. Try to put them back to On place and find out if the furnace ignites. Should the switch trip again, the problem is more complex, and you should get in touch with an electrician.
Examine the Thermostat
Once you turn the furnace on and set the thermostat to a higher setting, numerous things should occur so that the furnace ignites. You will hear the fan bringing air into the furnace to begin the burning process, and afterward, you will notice the swoosh noise of the gas igniting. A couple of seconds later, hot air should come out of the vents throughout the house.
When the thermostat doesn’t operate correctly, none of these things will happen. If something is wrong with the thermostat, any of the mentioned sounds will occur as the bad thermostat cannot inform the furnace that it’s time to heat.
Replacing the thermostat on the furnace is probably one of the easiest things to do by any homeowner. You only need to open the control box and identify the thermostat. When shopping for a replacement, take it with you and reverse the process to remove it for installing the new thermostat.
Take a look at the drain pan.
It’s not always the ignitor the cause for which your furnace won’t ignite; some other furnace components can also stop running for safety reasons so that the furnace won’t ignite.
When the drain pan isn’t draining accordingly, the furnace won’t ignite. Furnaces also generate condensation that will drain into a pan. A float switch and pump should drain the water, but they can stop working for various reasons. Therefore, the water in the drain pan will stand, and the furnace won’t ignite to reduce the risk of overflowing.
The problem has an effortless fix, and the pump could use some cleaning. If you don’t solve the problem, you may have to replace the pump, which you should call a professional.
Verify the gas supply
You should check other gas-operated appliances in the house to see if the gas supply is the cause for the furnace not igniting. When the other devices don’t work either, it’s a problem with the gas supply, so the ignitor can no longer run correctly.
If nothing’s wrong with the gas supply, though, the gas supply to the furnace may generate the problem. You should call the HVAC technician as gas supply isn’t something to fix on your own. A damaged valve and even something more complicated could affect the gas supply to your furnace.
Examine the air filter
One of the best parts about modern furnaces is that they come with safety features that protect the unit if something is wrong. A clogged air filter is one of the causes for which the furnace will stop running. You need to replace the filter regularly so that the furnace runs all the time appropriately.
When the filter is clogged, the furnace will stop igniting. Once the furnace doesn’t ignite anymore, you should take a good look at the filter. When it’s clogged up, it could be the cause for the furnace not igniting. Install a new filter and see if the furnace will start. If the problem persists, there could be another cause.
Take a look at the ignitor sensor.
The ignitor sensor is one of the several safety features that all furnaces have. It will inform the furnace when it’s OK to ignite. If the ignitor sensor identifies the flame, it will announce to the furnace that it’s OK to turn on the gas supply. In time, the sensor becomes dirty, so it can no longer sense the flame. When you think that the sensor is the problem, you should carefully clean it.
Begin with turning off the power supply to your furnace. Use a screwdriver for removing the screw keeping the sensor in place, and pull the sensor out. Always handle the sensor gently because it’s a fragile component of your furnace. After removing the sensor, use some fine-grit sandpaper for rubbing the metal rod, removing the dirt and grease. Continue with a clean paper towel for wiping away any dirt or dust. After cleaning, put the sensor back in its place and see if the furnace does ignite.
How old is the ignitor?
The ignitor in the furnace isn’t made to last as long as the furnace. In time, the ignitor will begin to lose its functionality, and it will not light once it’s old.
You will have to hire a professional to see if the ignitor is old and requires replacement. The technician should also ensure that the replacement is the same size as the old ignitor, as the wrong size could affect the furnace’s performance.
check the flame rollout limit switch
The flame rollout switch controls the heat around the burners. When the inducer fan motor isn’t able to collect enough air through the burners, or when the furnace’s ventilation is low, the rollout switch will open to stop the ignition step and reduce the risk of overheating of the furnace.
To see if the flame rollout switch is faulty, you need to utilize a multimeter, checking the continuity. When the switch doesn’t have continuity and the reset button isn’t tripped, you will need to replace the limit switch. Remember that a blocked exhaust vent or poor ventilation could also generate low airflow through the burner. Always ensure that the furnace is placed in a place with adequate ventilation and exhaust vent isn’t blocked in any way.
Is it the draft inducer motor?
The draft inducer motor collects air into the heat exchanger and eliminates it out the flue. The pressure switch will feel the pressure change and close the switch, informing the control board that the furnace has the correct airflow.
When the draft inducer motor is faulty, it won’t be capable of closing the pressure switch, so the ignition process will not start, and the furnace will turn off after a couple of minutes. When the ignition is stalling, the furnace will turn off eventually. You will have to replace the draft inducer motor if it’s defective.
Check the control board
The control board will monitor the power supply to every component of the furnace. When it fails, it will not send voltage to the ignition system so that the ignition won’t start and the furnace won’t heat.
If the control board is the problem, replacing it is the only solution.
Instead of a conclusion
If none of these steps will work, you will have to call an expert. Furnaces are complicated appliances that require professional servicing; you could aggravate the problem when trying to solve the ignition problems on your own. Moreover, you may end up paying more than you would have when calling the technician right from the start.
Typically, modern furnaces are dependable and don’t develop problems, especially if you regularly take care of them. Any now and then, though, some issues will occur, and the furnace won’t ignite. It’s not the end of the world, but you should be meticulous and try all steps before calling the professionals.
