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What a Flame Sensor Is and Why It Matters

Setting up your seasonal furnace maintenance helps keep your heating system operating up to 30% more efficient and helps extend the life of your furnace. But things may still malfunction, and when they do, you may feel like there is always something else. 

This time it’s your heat exchanger, next time it’s your control valve. Now your find out the flame sensor has to be replaced. 

Also, what is a flame sensor? 

A flame sensor is an important safety element on your gas heating system. During the ignition sequence, your gas furnace undergoes a process where either a spark or a hot surface igniter will actually ignite the gas. When the gas is ignited, the flame sensor creates a current of electricity. This is calculated in micro amps. If the furnace’s control board doesn’t read the correct level of micro amps, the furnace will quit giving the system fuel to avoid an explosion. 

Over time, if the flame sensor is not cleaned properly, oxidation or carbon buildup can restrict the flame sensor’s ability to function properly, which can end up causing the heating system to malfunction. 

The way to determine if an unclean flame sensor is to blame for a furnace malfunction is to take a micro amp draw reading, which an expert furnace technician can supply you. If a dirty flame sensor is the culprit, the heating expert will clean the sensor with steel wool. If dirt was the sole factor, we will see a notably higher amp reading. If the reading shows no change, the technician will continue with the furnace repair diagnostic process. 

If you aren’t certain your heating equipment is going to survivie these last few weeks of winter, give Stevenson Service Experts a call and we’ll come out and perform a full furnace maintenance or a complimentary in-home estimate on a new furnace. 

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