View Full Version : anyone here a HVAC repair person? My heat's out
after a crappy day at work, I come home, and it's 58 degrees in the house.
I dont know jack about gas heat. . . and could use some help
I'm in Broomfield
or can anyone recommend a company that I should call?
trlcavscout
12-30-2010, 22:58
I would joke about paying your gas bill, BUT thats not even funny ITS FRICKEN COLD!!! I wish I could help.
Check your pilot and see if it is on and that you have power to the furnace. If the gas is on, you have an electrical issue. If it isn't, make sure your release valve didn't somehow get turned off. If the gas valve is still on but you have no pilot, they shut off your gas, or well your pilot went out and you just need to relite it. If your furnace clicks on or begins the start cycle, but does not fire up, you probably have an ignitor that is acting up. You can in that case take that out and scrub them off with fine sandpaper or steel wool and put it back in and it will turn back on. If that is not it, you need to call someone because parts will need to be replaced.
nogaroheli
12-30-2010, 23:18
Oh man, I feel for you. Ours went out the other day and our house was 51 when I woke up. It was the ignitor which was an easy fix but the part took a while to get here- those were a cold few days. I just googled the model and symtoms and then started testing where power was and wasnt. Good luck!
patrick0685
12-30-2010, 23:20
my heat went out when i lived in OKC, i woke up at 6:30 in the morning and the temp in the apt was 40[Bang]
What spyder said. Also, if the blower shuts down right after the burner kicks on it's usually a dirty flame sensor.
ChunkyMonkey
12-30-2010, 23:29
after a crappy day at work, I come home, and it's 58 degrees in the house.
I dont know jack about gas heat. . . and could use some help
I'm in Broomfield
or can anyone recommend a company that I should call?
PM'd you a contact
Gas is on. . . I have 2 gas fireplaces and they are working, so I'll have heat in the living room and master bedroom. The "good news" is that my wife and kids are away until Saturday so it's just me that's cold.
In checking the furnace I have an error for "high limit" I shut electrical, and pilot gave it a few minutes and the code reset.
I had heat for about 2 minutes and then out again. This sucks!!
ChunkyMonkey
12-30-2010, 23:32
Gas is on. . . I have 2 gas fireplaces and they are working, so I'll have heat in the living room and master bedroom. The "good news" is that my wife and kids are away until Saturday so it's just me that's cold.
In checking the furnace I have an error for "high limit" I shut electrical, and pilot gave it a few minutes and the code reset.
I had heat for about 2 minutes and then out again. This sucks!!
High limit usually means too small of vent or dirty vent which cause excessive heat. Open all the vents through out the house... see if that works first. Then check filter (dirty?), damper etc etc etc.
two shoes
12-30-2010, 23:38
2 things usually poke you (if not pilot) Your system may not have a pilot and use an auto-ignition (bright glowig box when trying to start up):
1. Dirty filter - DP (differential pressure) is too great, tripping the switch - you can removed the filter for 1 night, get new one ASAP.
2. Temp probe has a bunch of shit on it, indicated by tan to toasted marshmallow look - Turn off system - Remove probe and hit with light sand paper, to shiney metalic look. Turn system back on and try. If the unit wants to run and even clicks on, fires the gas and then shuts off, I'd clean it.
Troublco
12-30-2010, 23:40
My guesses here would be dirty air filter, open (blown) fuse on your control board, or maybe your blower motor. What brand of furnace do you have, as that could help with troubleshooting.
In any case, first thing I'd try is changing or just removing for now your furnace filter and then shut power off for a couple minutes again to reset it. Then give it a try. Next, is your blower motor working? If it's out, the burner will trip the high limit switch. Also, check any and all fuses that you see on the control panel inside the furnace and make sure they're not blown.
What spyder said. Also, if the blower shuts down right after the burner kicks on it's usually a dirty flame sensor.
This is true. We went through this a while ago. However, it turned out to not actually be a dirty flame sensor, but a faulty circuit board that made it act like a dirty flame sensor. Those guys were so sick of coming out here.
Glad to hear you at least have some heat Joe.
theGinsue
12-31-2010, 01:06
All good advice. I hate to say it, but if it is the circuit board you could be looing @ about $300 just for the replacement board - not counting "service" fees.
Check the vents, filter, clean the sensor, and try just running your "fan" (no heat - usually has a setting on your thermostat for this) to see if that is working properly.
The flame sensors really should be taken out and steel wooled/fine sandpapered about once a year as they do get dirty.
I've had MANY problems with my furnace over the last few years and it was always either the flame sensor, the ignitor (went out twice), or the circuit board (that one hurt bad).
well guys, I made it through the night without freezing
The bedroom stayed 66 degrees with the gas fireplace and the rest of the house only fell to 54
last night I cleaned the probe, changed the filter, checked all vents and reset the furnace a few times.
The furnace lights and blows for about 30 seconds and then I get an error message for "Inducer Motor" and after 3 or 4 attempts I get the high limit error
I guess today I'll call a pro
Great-Kazoo
12-31-2010, 08:38
PM sent. Contact BRYCOMWIN or what ever his member name is.
"...last night I cleaned the probe, changed the filter, checked all vents and reset the furnace a few times.
The furnace lights and blows for about 30 seconds and then I get an error message for "Inducer Motor" and after 3 or 4 attempts I get the high limit error
Too cold for this man...I had -10F at my place this morning...ughh... I chased a flame sensor issue myself ~2 weeks ago, PITA. My advice, pull-out the Installation Instructions manual and use the Troubleshooting Flowchart. More than adequate to get you to the field-replaceable unit level (part) or a source / fault problem (sensor limit or fail, AC/DC/Amps/ground, etc.). Pretty simple shit...just use common safety practices and common-sense re: power & gas. The down-side, if parts are required you have the "lag" to order/get them on-site.
Some value: http://arnoldservice.com/Troubleshooting_Heating_Problems.htm
Troublco
12-31-2010, 10:46
I did some digging, and found some similar instances of that error code that turned out to be either the inducer motor or the inducer motor control board. It seems some brand(s) had older setups that used a separate motor and control board, and newer units have the control board built in to the motor. Just a thought as to where to start.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.