What a Flame Sensor Is and Why It Matters
Receiving your annual furnace maintenance helps keep your furnace working up to thirty percent more efficient and helps extend the life of the equipment. But things could still stop working, and when they do, you might feel like there is always something else.
This time it’s your motor, next time it’s your pressure switch. Now your find out the flame sensor has to be replaced.
By the way – what is a flame sensor?
A flame sensor is a critical safety feature on your gas heating equipment. During the ignition sequence, your gas furnace goes through a process where either a spark or a hot surface igniter actually ignites the gas. Once the gas is ignited, the flame sensor generates a current of electricity. The electricity is calculated in micro amps. If the furnace’s control board doesn’t read the right level of micro amps, the furnace will quit giving the system fuel to prevent an explosion.
Over time, if the flame sensor is not cleaned properly, oxidation or carbon buildup can impede the flame sensor’s ability to function properly, which can result in a malfunction of the furnace.
The way to diagnose if an unclean flame sensor is the reason for a furnace malfunction is to take a micro amp draw reading, which an expert heating technician can provide you. If a dirty flame sensor is the offender, the technician will clean the sensor with steel wool. If dirt was the sole factor, we will see a much higher amp reading. If the reading shows no change, the technician will proceed with the heating equipment repair diagnostic process.
If you aren’t certain your heating equipment is going to outlast these last few weeks of winter, give Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning a call and we’ll come out and give you a full furnace maintenance or a free in-home estimate on a new HVAC system.
