3 Reasons Why Your Gas Furnace Won’t Ignite

Millions of households rely on their gas furnace to keep their homes warm during the wintertime. A properly maintained furnace will usually run for years without any major problems, but issues can still arise. If you have a gas furnace, it uses an ignition system to cause a combustion so it can begin operating and producing heat.

When the ignition system in your gas furnace is not working as it should, you will need to troubleshoot the issues. In some cases, you may need to contact an HVAC company to make repairs to your furnace.

Some of the most common reasons that a gas furnace may not ignite include the following.

Problem with the Gas Line

In order for the ignition system inside a furnace to work, there must be a flame and a source of fuel – natural gas. Many people have a gas line running into your home and receive a continual supply of gas from their gas company, while others may have a natural gas tank on their property.

If a gas line becomes cracked or otherwise damaged, gas will not flow into the ignition system properly, and the furnace will not ignite. Any issues pertaining to furnace’s gas line should always be diagnosed and repaired by a professional.

Bad Ignition Switch

One of the most common reasons a gas furnace will ignite and begin producing heat is due to a bad ignition switch. You can usually tell that the problem is a bad ignition switch if you can hear your furnace click and turn on, but no warm air flows out of your vents.

The good news is that replacing a bad ignition switch will solve the problem, and it is not an overly expensive repair. Your best bet is to contact an HVAC repair company to order a new ignition switch and install it for you.

Faulty Thermostat

In some cases, the cause of furnace ignition problems may be due to the fact that your home’s thermostat is no longer working. When a thermostat is not functioning properly, it will not be able to send the right signals to the furnace to let it know that it needs to ignite and produce heat.

If you have a very old thermostat, it is much easier to replace it instead of trying to have it repaired. A new thermostat is relatively affordable, and you can opt to either install it yourself or hire a professional.

Do everything you can to ward off the furnace problems before they become a more pressing issue. For starters, hire a professional that can inspect your furnace. Look into the help of some licensed and insured furnace repair contractors; they’ll go down a checklist and make sure that every fixture is running as it should. Getting a routine furnace inspection should only cost you about $200 or so and will be worth the cost.