Your furnace’s flame sensor ensures there’s burning flame inside your unit.
If the flame sensor is defective, your furnace will keep emitting large amounts of gas even if there’s nothing to ignite it. This leads to hazardous gas buildup. A dirty or faulty heat sensor will also automatically turn your furnace off if it doesn’t detect a flame.
How long does a flame sensor last?
The expected lifespan of a flame sensor is around 5 years old. You may have to replace it thrice during a furnace’s lifespan. Replacements or repairs usually cost $75 to $200.
It’s important to recognize the signs the flame sensor has cracked or gone bad in order to replace it immediately.
Signs Your Furnace Flame Sensor Has Gone Bad
- Your furnace keeps turning on and off after 2- 30 seconds. Short cycles are a noticeable, classic symptom of a bad flame sensor. Since a faulty sensor doesn’t detect heat, it closes the gas valve and shuts down the unit in the process.
Your furnace can short cycle for a number of other reasons, too: frequent overheating, a damaged heat exchanger, a faulty thermostat, a clogged flue, etc. But if the furnace keeps running, shutting off, and starting again, a bad flame sensor is more likely the cause.
- There’s corrosion or soot on the sensor.
Small particles, dirt, or soot can accumulate on the flame sensor over time. This can affect the system’s performance and unnecessarily shut down your furnace.
- There’s a crack on the flame sensor.
Damages on the surface of the flame sensor can affect its ability to detect heat. To spot a crack on the sensor, you have to remove and visually inspect it.
Here’s how to check if the flame sensor requires cleaning or replacement:
- Turn off the furnace’s power. Close the gas valve.
- Remove the mounting screw with a screwdriver or wrench..
- Pull the flame sensor out.
- Check the porcelain insulation for cracks or missing pieces.
- Clean it if it’s dirty. Replace it if it’s cracked or broken.
If you don’t feel confident doing it all by yourself, you can call a licensed HVAC professional instead.
FURNACE REPLACEMENT NEAR ME – Fix a Faulty Flame Sensor
When the temperatures have plummeted, everybody appreciates uninterrupted heating. But if your furnace isn’t performing well, you might wonder if replacing it is the right call.
Reach out to our experienced technicians so we can help you make the best decision! A Good Guy can replace or repair your system and turn your home into an oasis of comfort with your unique needs and budget in mind.
Aside from professional furnace repair and replacement, we also offer maintenance services to help you get the most out of your system. Nothing slips through the cracks: we check everything and catch small issues before they become bigger, more expensive problems for you later on.
So we can get to you faster, you may schedule an appointment through our app or online! [Book Online link]
