Gas Furnace Tip

El Toro · Oct 19, 2010

If any of you homeowners that have a gas furnace you should buy a spare ignitor. They usually fail either Saturday or Sunday nights when it's cold as blazes. You can easily check continuity of the old ignitor with a multimeter. Be sure to shutoff the AC power at the furnace. They are just held in place with a small bracket and are easy to change. When I bought this one it was only $13.50 plus tax. I'm sure they're a lot higher now. Hal

soder33 · Oct 19, 2010

You are so right. I have replaced two in the 17 years since I got the new funace. It's always on the coldest night.
Another thing that happens, the flame sensor gets sooted up, so it doesn't detect the flame. Easy fix is to take some steel wool and clean it off. You don't need to buy a new one.
I now know what to check when the house is under 50 degrees in the morning.

Bus Driver · Oct 19, 2010

For those who have furnaces with standing pilot light, the ignitor is not part of your unit.

Dean · Oct 19, 2010

Good advice, Hal.

I have kept a spare ignitor (as well as a couple of OT fuses) on hand for my propane boiler for twenty years or so.

Dean

Allan in NE · Oct 19, 2010

What!

And not open that oven door to keep warm? :>)

Allan

El Toro · Oct 19, 2010

Our daughter had that happen last winter when it was cold. She has a service on her furnace and I told her it was probably the ignitor. She said that's what they found. Hal

MeAnthony · Oct 19, 2010

You"re right, but the thermocouple is. When it goes bad, the pilot light is out. Lots of people don"t think to shut off the pilot light during summer. Almost all of mine that have gone bad, the sensing bulb on the end had swollen and leaked. Only had one other not work, house and furnace were new, someone had pinched the thermocouple tube flat, could see marks from the pliers. Easy way to charge you for a service call.

Last time mine went, got home from work, only about 40 in the house. Figured out what was wrong, called the local hardware at closing time, he said "yes we have one, how far away are you?"

"About 10 minutes."

"Come on, I"ll wait."

This was Somerset Hardware in Somerset, MI. Good folks there.

El Toro · Oct 19, 2010

You will soon have to get close get close to that oven door. I saw on the news where Vermont received 18 inches of snow a few days ago. Guess I need to fire up that snowblower to make sure it will start. Just think in 2 months it will be Christmas Eve. Hal

Crem · Oct 19, 2010

Allan In NE,
I have tried the opening the oven trick on an electric stove and the next thing I was replacing was the oven element. It is about the same as thawing pipes with a hair dryer or using one of those cheap propane lighters to heat something.

)

Nancy Howell · Oct 19, 2010

You're right about the timing when the furnace goes out.

Ours went out about 3 yrs ago during one of the coldest spells of the winter. The heat exchanger was shot and they couldn't get the part until Monday.

I used the gas oven to keep the kitchen warm, space heaters and the fireplace so it wasn't frigid, just very inconvenient.

dbernie · Oct 19, 2010

Thank you.
Mine's ingitor style, I'll pick one up.
I heat with wood as well, so I've got back-up heat.
These are the little things we all need to know,
I appreciate it.

BTW--
As far as pilot light style:
I don't know which train of thought is correct, but one is to shut pilot off during summer, and another is to keep it lit year-round to keep humidity down (especially if furnace is in garage or basement). That's for the pilot light style, of course. Again, I don't know what's best or right for your individual situations, just thought I'd throw it out there.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 19, 2010

Our hot water and heating is with an oil boiler that only stops between Friday afternoon and Monday morning and during the Christmas Season. I've learned to do most repairs myself and keep an ignitor and couple nozzles on hand. Also have an electric, on demand water heater that can be used for hot water by just turning a couple valves and two wood stoves. No more emergencies...

Dave

Inno · Oct 19, 2010

Also of note but not quite as important, the ignitor from my furnace will also work in my gas dryer...........so inversely, if you are stuck for an ignitor for your furnace and have a gas dryer, that might get you out of a chilly situation!
I have a spare and my neighbor who has the same furnace also has a spare or two.

greygoat · Oct 19, 2010

My furnace serviceman wanted "about" $45 for one.
Of course I watched, and found out how easy they
were to replace. I got my spare from GRAINGERS,
for about $16.00 ! Don"t be cought without one !
A Quick "plug in" fix.

big fred · Oct 19, 2010

Not a bad idea, but it won't help when the combustion air blower motor craps out, which is the only problem I've had with mine.

El Toro · Oct 19, 2010

My neighbor's furnace wouldn't start in 2002 on a Sunday and he called a serviceman. It was close to $200.00 for that service call. He just replaced the ignitor. Since his furnace is a Rheem & mine a Rudd all made by Rheem I bought a spare ignitor for myself and he told me to pick up a spare for him. Hal

rlp in Co. · Oct 19, 2010

Always shut off the pilot durring the summer. In any fire water is one of the byproducts. The problem is, there is not enough heat produced by the pilot lite. This causes the water vapor to condense on the cool pipe which causes it to rust.

rlp in Co. · Oct 19, 2010

Always shut off the pilot durring the summer. In any fire water is one of the byproducts. The problem is, there is not enough heat produced by the pilot lite. This causes the water vapor to condense on the cool pipe which causes it to rust.

Aaron Ford · Oct 19, 2010

Sunday? I have replaced two. One was on Thanksgiving and the other on Chrismas Day. I advised both to pick up spares. Neither ever did!

Aaron

g707 · Oct 19, 2010

I have two of them on hand.You can get them off of e-bay fairly cheep.my furnace guy said they only last three to four years.which is all they last in my grand mothers house which is a old two story farm house and the furnace is on and off alot. you are also not suppose to touch the part that heats up like a halogen bulb it will shorten the life of the igniter.

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