Weird furnace issue

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justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:14 PM
My wife turned on our heat tonight and it would kick on, then kick off. Then kick on, then kick off. Over and over and over with no heat. Any idea what it might be? Anything common that I can check myself before calling a repair person?
Oct 8, 2012 8:14pm
S

superman

Senior Member

3,582 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:16 PM
What kind of furnace? (electric, gas, etc.)
Oct 8, 2012 8:16pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:17 PM
Gas furnace.
Oct 8, 2012 8:17pm
Devils Advocate's avatar

Devils Advocate

Brudda o da bomber

4,539 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:21 PM
justincredible;1290669 wrote:Gas furnace.
Ignitor. The furnace not your wife
Oct 8, 2012 8:21pm
Belly35's avatar

Belly35

Elderly Intellectual

9,716 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:23 PM
pilot light is out
Oct 8, 2012 8:23pm
mcburg93's avatar

mcburg93

permaban to basement

3,167 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:23 PM
It needs cleaned.
Oct 8, 2012 8:23pm
mcburg93's avatar

mcburg93

permaban to basement

3,167 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:23 PM
Did you pay your gas bill?
Oct 8, 2012 8:23pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:27 PM
mcburg93;1290675 wrote:It needs cleaned.

I don't think that's the case.
mcburg93;1290676 wrote:Did you pay your gas bill?
Yes, I'm a responsible adult.
Oct 8, 2012 8:27pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:28 PM
Belly35;1290674 wrote:pilot light is out
How would I check that and/or remedy it? I'm guessing there is some info on it in the manual (if I can find it).
Oct 8, 2012 8:28pm
mcburg93's avatar

mcburg93

permaban to basement

3,167 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:31 PM
justincredible;1290682 wrote:I don't think that's the case.
Dust will cause the ignitor to kick the furnace on and off. For some reason it shorts it out. So cleaning it or buying a new ignitor is my suggestion. Most furnaces you can blow into where the ignitor is and sometimes works. You can easily pull it out and clean it off and try that if that does not work you need a new one.

If its an older furnace you might have to light the pilot light. If that is the problem its an easy fix either way
Oct 8, 2012 8:31pm
Trueblue23's avatar

Trueblue23

BASEDgod

7,463 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:49 PM
Actually happened to me this summer with my AC (obv different but same system). Replaced the thermostat and it worked like a charm.
Oct 8, 2012 8:49pm
like_that's avatar

like_that

1st Team All-PWN

26,625 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:54 PM
justincredible;1290667 wrote:My wife turned on our heat tonight and it would kick on, then kick off. Then kick on, then kick off. Over and over and over with no heat. Any idea what it might be? Anything common that I can check myself before calling a repair person?
Adsense.
Oct 8, 2012 8:54pm
xKoToVxSyNdRoMe's avatar

xKoToVxSyNdRoMe

Senior Member

1,054 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:58 PM
Sounds like you have a poltergeist. Moving out is probably the only reasonable solution.
Oct 8, 2012 8:58pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:59 PM
like_that;1290704 wrote:Adsense.
They're everywhere.
Oct 8, 2012 8:59pm
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Oct 8, 2012 8:59 PM
xKoToVxSyNdRoMe;1290706 wrote:Sounds like you have a poltergeist. Moving out is probably the only reasonable solution.
I think I'll just set the house on fire tonight. Debating on whether or not to wake my wife up first.
Oct 8, 2012 8:59pm
pmoney25's avatar

pmoney25

Senior Member

1,787 posts
Oct 8, 2012 9:25 PM
My furnace was out also. Mine is electric. I just flipped the breaker off then on and it worked thank god.

And your welcome for the no help answer I gave
Oct 8, 2012 9:25pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Oct 8, 2012 9:26 PM
Your wife is welcome into my home, my furnace works just fine.
Oct 8, 2012 9:26pm
S

Sonofanump

Oct 8, 2012 10:01 PM
I'd wait until Wednesday before doing anything about it.
Oct 8, 2012 10:01pm
password's avatar

password

Senior Member

2,360 posts
Oct 8, 2012 10:27 PM
justincredible;1290684 wrote:How would I check that and/or remedy it? I'm guessing there is some info on it in the manual (if I can find it).
If the furnace is less then 10 yrs old, you don't have a pilot light, you will have an ignitor. You need to look in the furnace when it is trying to start, if it actually has flames starting then it is the flame sensor, which can be purchased for about $15 and you can change it yourself in about 10 minutes. You can clean the sensor with steel wool or fine sand paper to get you through the night.
Oct 8, 2012 10:27pm
Rotinaj's avatar

Rotinaj

Senior Member

7,699 posts
Oct 8, 2012 10:30 PM
Do it's best friend.
Oct 8, 2012 10:30pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Oct 8, 2012 10:42 PM
I'm 40 years old and have never had a furnace in my house.

/ccrunner'd
Oct 8, 2012 10:42pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Oct 8, 2012 10:42 PM
password;1290801 wrote:If the furnace is less then 10 yrs old, you don't have a pilot light, you will have an ignitor. You need to look in the furnace when it is trying to start, if it actually has flames starting then it is the flame sensor, which can be purchased for about $15 and you can change it yourself in about 10 minutes. You can clean the sensor with steel wool or fine sand paper to get you through the night.
Whoa, think about who you're talking to here....
Oct 8, 2012 10:42pm
password's avatar

password

Senior Member

2,360 posts
Oct 8, 2012 11:00 PM
Commander of Awesome;1290813 wrote:Whoa, think about who you're talking to here....
Yea, you have a point there, I will rephrase that for him. It is likely your flame sensor, which will cost the hvac company about $15, but he will charge you $60 for the sensor and about $145 for the service call. The repairman will have it replaced in about 10 minutes and it will only cost you a little over $200 total.
Oct 8, 2012 11:00pm
sherm03's avatar

sherm03

I go balls deep.

7,349 posts
Oct 8, 2012 11:20 PM
There is a guy in my neighborhood that worked for an HVAC company for years. My wife also cuts the hair of a guy who owns his own HVAC repair company. We haven't had to pay for a service call on our furnace or AC yet.

My suggestion is to move.
Oct 8, 2012 11:20pm