How To Know When It’s Time To Replace Your Furnace Ignitor

When it comes to furnace repair in Louisville, KY, replacing furnace ignitors is one of the most common services. Unfortunately, these components are crucial for heat production, so their failure or malfunction can seriously impact your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. 

A1 Mechanical offers some of the best HVAC services in the community. Our expert technicians know how to identify the warning signs of a faulty furnace ignitor. Consult our post below to learn more about this component and when to consider replacing it. 

What’s a Furnace Ignitor?

A furnace ignitor is a gas furnace component that helps ignite the fuel to generate heat. Unlike traditional furnaces with a standing pilot light that creates the heat for lighting the gas in the system’s burners, many modern furnaces use an ignitor to generate the heat or spark to ignite fuel. 

This component is vital to gas furnaces because the heating unit won’t generate heat without it. Ignitors also eliminate the risk of a blown pilot light.

When your thermostat turns on your furnace, you might hear a click from the equipment. That sound is the ignitor making the spark to trigger the essential combustion process. Sometimes, it won’t make that sound because it generates direct heat near the gas supply to start the ignition sequence instead of making a spark.

Spark ignitors typically have two metal prongs that make the spark that burns furnace fuel. Conversely, ceramic ignitors have a flat metal surface that heats up to combust fuel on contact.  

Why Furnace Ignitors Fail

Ignitors can last between five to seven years with routine maintenance. Replacing furnace ignitors is sometimes necessary for the following reasons:

• Physical Damage. Debris and improper handling during maintenance can damage the ignitor.
• Flame Sensor Problems. If your furnace still has an open flame, it will also have a flame sensor that prevents explosions and fires if the gas builds up. Too much debris or damage to the sensor will prevent the ignitor from working.
• Issues With Electrical Connections. Wiring faults and excessive voltage can impact an ignitor’s ability to perform.
• Excessive Dirt Buildup. When debris accumulates around an ignitor, it can inhibit its functionality.

Common Signs of Heater Ignitor Failure

Knowing when replacing furnace ignitors is better than repairing them will help you avoid future complications with your heating system. Below are warning signs that your heating unit may need a new ignitor. 

Short Cycling

Short cycling occurs when a furnace turns on and off quickly and often. Heating cycles should last long enough to heat your property evenly.

If the system is short-cycling, it will only turn on for a minute or two before turning off. Then the furnace will turn back on, and the mini cycles will continue. This problem will lead to additional issues like:

• Inconsistent heating
• Unnecessary energy consumption
• Premature wear and tear
• Higher energy bills

Your furnace can short cycle for several reasons, including a failing ignitor. A total system shutdown due to a faulty furnace ignitor is one of the system’s main safety precautions.

Cold Air Instead of Warm Air Flowing From Vents

A lack of heated air while heaters are running is another reason replacing furnace ignitors is often necessary. When the thermostat triggers a heat cycle, the blower fan will push air into the system to initiate the ignitor’s operation. If the component is failing or damaged, it won’t ignite the burners. 

It’s possible for a furnace to still run with a faulty ignitor, yet the air coming from the vents will be cold, not warm. Unless the ignitor lights the burners to burn fuel, your furnace won’t have warm air to distribute around your home or business. 

Since multiple problems can cause a lack of conditioned air, you should schedule a comprehensive inspection before replacing the furnace ignitor. You should also check your thermostat to ensure the settings are on “heat” and the desired temperature is high enough to cause the device to turn the heater on.

Heater Won’t Turn On

If your furnace doesn’t turn on despite the thermostat settings’ accuracy, the ignitor could be the reason, especially if the change happens suddenly. You can troubleshoot this issue by inspecting your heating unit’s air filter. Sometimes a dirty filter will cause severe airflow restriction, causing the furnace to stop blowing air. 

If the filter is clean or you replace a dirty screen with a fresh one and the furnace still won’t work, look for debris around the air filter. It’s typical for debris to shed from a filthy air filter into the furnace, which can also block airflow. Contact an HVAC technician to evaluate your furnace ignitor if the filter and all air passages appear clear.

Unusual Sounds Coming From the Furnace

If your furnace has an ignitor that makes a clicking noise when the system turns on, a gentle whooshing noise should immediately follow. The whooshing is the sound of the burners igniting due to the ignitor. 

The ignitor isn’t lighting the burners whenever your furnace clicks without a whoosh. The problem might be an inadequate spark.

Frequent Circuit Breaker Tripping

It’s acceptable for your appliances, including the furnace, to trip your property’s circuit breaker panel occasionally. Brief electricity surges can cause this problem.

However, a faulty ignitor could cause the circuit breaker to trip whenever the system turns on. If this situation happens more than twice, leave the furnace off and call A1 Mechanical for help. 

Get Expert Help With Your Failing Furnace Ignitor With A1 Mechanical

If you think your furnace can benefit from a new ignitor, don’t waste time looking for DIY ignitor replacement kits according to ignitor type compatibility. Instead, turn to our certified HVAC technicians at A1 Mechanical, who have ample experience replacing furnace ignitors.

We’re one of the best companies in Louisville, Kentucky, that can answer everything from, “Can power outages damage AC?” to, “What furnace ignitor is best for my heating system?” We also offer comprehensive HVAC services including furnace repair and replacement, which we back with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Get professional heating services for your home — call (502) 708-2247.