If your gas-burning heating unit isn’t working, the first thing you probably do is check the pilot light, right? What happens when the pilot light is lit, but the heat still won’t turn on? Chances are, it’s a problem with your burner. Below are some reasons why your burner won’t stay lit.
Malfunctioning Flame Sensor
The flame sensor is responsible for regulating the gas flow to the burner. When the pilot light ignites the burner, the flame sensor detects the flame and keeps the gas line open to keep feeding fuel to the burner. A malfunctioning sensor will not detect the flame, and so will not open the gas line to keep the burner going.
Gas Line Blockage
If your burner lights for a short time but then goes out, you may have a blockage in the gas valve. The gas line is what provides fuel to the burner to keep it lit. A complete blockage often prevents the burner from lighting at all. A partial blockage, however, may allow the burner to light but will not provide enough fuel to keep it lit.
Pressure Switch
A pressure switch is a safety feature installed on more modern systems. If it detects that your system venting pressure is off, it will shut down your heating system to prevent it from venting poisonous gas into your home. This isn’t really a problem with your burners, but from your point of view it can look very much like the burner is having trouble staying lit. Venting problems are often caused by other serious issues, like cracked heat exchangers or a blocked exhaust flue.
No matter what is causing your burners to malfunction, you’ll need a professional to diagnose and fix the problem. If your heating system is experiencing problems, call Comfort Flow Heating. We conduct heating repairs all over the Eugene area.
