A well-maintained burner greatly impacts your furnace’s heating performance. For your unit to work optimally, cleaning the gas furnace burners is an important maintenance step. To understand why this needs to be done at the beginning of every cold season, read on!
The Importance of Cleaning Your Gas Furnace Burners
Diligently cleaning and maintaining your furnace will minimize debris in the unit. This will improve airflow and increase energy efficiency. Essentially, you get the most out of your furnace without having to pay more than necessary.
Dirty burners don’t just significantly reduce your unit’s efficiency. They can literally keep you in the cold.
Symptoms of Dirty Furnace Burners
- Insufficient heating
Insufficient heating is the last thing you’d want to experience when temperatures drop. But this inconvenience comes with furnace burners that are clogged and dirty.
You’ll also notice cold spots and undesirable temperature changes when your gas furnace has a weak flame, thanks to the buildup of dirt in the burners.
- Odd sounds
Clogged burners can lead to delayed ignition, which can crack the heat exchanger. This is one of the most expensive heating repairs to perform.
Does your furnace produce exceptionally loud and frequent banging, popping, and whistling sounds whenever the equipment starts up? Consult a professional to make sure everything is okay.
- Higher energy bills
With dirty burners, your furnace has to work harder to keep everybody warm and comfortable. It will use up more energy in the process, so you’ll end up paying unusually higher energy bills.
How to Clean Your Gas Furnace Burners
You can DIY this, but performing a thorough job may require some disassembly. This can get extensive, depending on the age or model of the unit.
- Test the furnace. Remove its cover, turn on the thermostat and observe the flames. All flames must be the same size, burning with a steady bluish color.
- Now, locate the main gas supply valve and, for your own safety, turn it off.
- Take a photo of the burner assembly. This will help you put everything back the way it was after you’re done.
- Use a socket wrench or a Phillips screwdriver to open the burner box.
- Remove the burners carefully.
- Clean the buildup on each burner with a small brass wire brush.
- Clean the flame sensor.
- Replace the burners and the retainer before testing the furnace again.
If you’re not confident in removing the burners, you can still clean them in place or wait for a professional to do it.
HVAC MAINTENANCE NEAR ME: Clean Burners Offer Better Heating
Nothing beats a cozy warm home in the freezing winter temperatures. If you’re dealing with HVAC problems, you want the issue addressed as quickly as possible so you resume living comfortably without risking further damage to your system.
That’s where we come in. Our knowledgeable, experienced technicians quickly and accurately diagnose HVAC issues, then complete the necessary repairs with as little downtime as possible.
Aside from repairs and maintenance, we also offer custom HVAC solutions to turn your home into an oasis of comfort with your unique needs and budget in mind.
Schedule installs, maintenance, and repairs through our exclusive Good Guys Home Services Mobile app or fill out our online form for faster service.
