Phoenix, Arizona Valley evening temperatures can dip into the 40s and sometimes even below freezing.  With that in mind, no one wants to find out that their gas furnace won’t turn on (ignite). The vast majority of the time, this could simply be due to a faulty ignitor, which is a relatively inexpensive part to replace.

So, without further ado, here are a few ways you can determine whether or not your furnace ignitor is faulty.

Your Furnace is blowing cold air

First, check to make sure your thermometer is turned to the “heat” setting. Once you have confirmed this, if you still find that your cold air is blowing from your furnace, this could be an indication that you have a faulty or malfunctioning ignitor. Why? That’s because if you ignitor cannot “ignite”, then your furnace won’t be able to heat the air.

Your furnace does not blow any air

When your furnace no longer blows any air, this could be a sign that you have a faulty ignitor. If this is the case, you may want to contact your trusted heating and cooling contractor to diagnose and repair the issue. In the interim, you can still check your air filter to make sure it is not too dirty as to restrict air flow. If so, clean or replace the air filter immediately. Your furnace’s blower, and heat exchanger may also need to be cleaned, but for this, we also recommend contacting your trusted heating and cooling contractor.

Your furnace repeatedly stops and starts

When your furnace continuously stops and starts, this might be an indication that your ignitor is faulty. In such a scenario, it is recommended that you contact a good HVAC repair company to inspect and resolve this issue.

What are the causes of a defective ignitor?

There could be many reasons why your ignitor may be faulty.

• Your Ignitor is too old. Generally, an ignitor can last up to 7-8 years.
• Voltage may be mismatched. If your furnace and ignitor don’t utilize the same voltage, this could cause your ignitor to malfunction. We recommend contacting a qualified heating contractor to address this issue.
• Power surge. Recurring power surges can damage your furnace’s ignitor.

Although some homeowners may feel comfortable replacing a faulty furnace ignitor, if you live in the Phoenix, Arizona’s Valley of the Sun, we recommend that you contact our furnace repair experts at Eagle Air Cooling & Heating in Queen Creek, AZ by calling 480-748-1781.