Why Won’t My Furnace in Taylorville, IL, Ignite?

A furnace can be a lifesaver in the midst of a cold winter in Taylorville, IL. But without the ability to ignite, it might as well not be there at all. Here are a few possible explanations for why your furnace won’t ignite:

Defective Ignition System

Furnaces have igniters whose job it is to generate an initial spark that makes it possible for the gas in the system (if it’s a gas-powered furnace) to ignite and create the pilot light flame. The pilot light then lights the furnace’s burners and enables your system to produce heat. Without this crucial first step, however, nothing will happen.

One way to tell whether the igniter is really the problem is to pay close attention to what happens when you try to ignite your furnace. If you hear a clicking sound but don’t see the pilot light turn on, the problem is probably the ignition system. You will need a professional to come in, take the furnace apart and either fix or replace the part.

Blockages

For gas to ignite inside a furnace, it must first flow properly and be able to reach the right location. However, certain key areas of your furnace, like its pilot light orifice, may have lots of soot and other debris clogging them. If this happens, either the pilot light won’t turn on at all or it may flicker on and off weakly.

Dirty filters may also hinder airflow through your furnace. This will cause hot air to build up inside the system, which may overheat it and cause it to turn off.

To fix an obstructed pilot light orifice, an HVAC service technician will have to take your furnace apart and clean it during maintenance. You can replace the filters yourself.

Gas Line Issues

A final possibility is that something is wrong with your gas line. If this is the case, your furnace will have no gas to burn. Once again, only professional-grade furnace repairs can resolve this.

A furnace that won’t ignite is useless. Call us at Yard Heating & Cooling to ask for our heating repair services and we’ll light things up again.

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