All My Favorite Tools: geni.us/VYIp51 Brass Wire Brush: geni.us/6ArFOvE DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
I have a very old Rheem furnace and last night we tried to run the heat for the first time since last winter. The house was chilly and we figured we would take the chill out. That being said it wouldn't start or stay running. I was pretty stressed out as I've been out of work, so i found this video at 430am and i decided to try and fix it myself. I cleaned the spark ignitor and flame sensor. I also used a can of air to clean the induction fan and its running no problem! Probably saved myself $700! Thank you for the advice!
Hey, just wanted to wish you the best in finding a job. I know it's super super important. Don't give up. Grab whatever you can find. It's always easier to get a job when you have one, even if it's a lousy one. I know it's a cliche, but I am currently taking care of my mom with lung issues. Believe me, health tops everything. At this point, I would give away anything and everything to never have to hear my mom say son I cannot breathe. Count your blessings. All the best from 🇨🇦
It is amazing how much dust collects inside of a unit. “A Good old fashion cleaning” was a great way to explain that part of the video. Great video Scott and Dave!
I had a furnace fail once and called a HVAC company. They charged me $250 to come out and diagnose that it was the flame sensor and clean it. It's a good idea to know what to do and it's a good idea to clean it every year.
I have one better. They serviced the furnace then routed the a/c drain line higher than the catch basin. Destroyed my furnace because I didn't notice it for months. The exchanger was rusted badly.
It's smart to do the annual furnace cleaning DIY. Last time I had a tech do it, he slapped "condemned" stickers on my perfectly functional furnaces due to "cracked heat exchangers." Showed me grainy pictures with hairline fractures on them. I got a second opinion. They told me the first outfit was notorious for the "cracked heat exchanger scam." That was 5 years ago. 18yo furnaces still running great.
MY Goodman Furnace was working properly, all components seem to be working properly, but the furnace won't keep the running after it ignites, looks like it's going to start then shuts down. The problem was this furnace is 4 years old and the black feed pipe that the burners attach to have brass fitting for each burner with holes where the gas comes out. Those holes were partial covered with carbon. I took the black pipe off, removed the brass fitting and pushed a tip cleaner through the hole in each one, put it back together Bingo furnace works fine. I also took the Flame sensor out and used fine sandpaper to clean it. So simple to do.
@@gtarules1 It was both the Flame sensor and the gas feed from the pipe that feeds the burner end. It was partially blocked with carbon that slowed the gas flow. You can't buy an extra flame sensor in Canada without a gas ticket.
@@RakeshPathak-lu8yc -- That's not even slightly true. Hairline cracks in heat exchangers are common and most often not a problem. These are not hermetically sealed systems. Any technician who suggests otherwise is lying. It has now been 5 years since my furnaces were "condemned" by these fraudsters. Functioning perfectly. Rock-steady blue flame at every burner. No carbon monoxide alarms from my detectors. Great systems. If my furnaces were not functioning 100%, I might agree with you. But that's not true.
First time having a furnace, and I did not know this sensor needed maintenance. I bought a mini screwdriver ratchet bit set from Harbor Freight! A small multi stubby screwdriver would work also for tight spaces. Thank you for your video help it's much appreciated!
This is by far the most CLEAR and concise instructional video I have found, and also explains everything in detail. I hope there are two others just like this one that go into more detail about cleaning the blower wheel and evaporator coils! Thanks!
Great instruction and information. I converted from oil to a gas furnace 3 years ago and the HVAC installer recommended the first furnace cleaning to take place now that the furnace is 3 years old in order to maintain the warranty. Wow! what a difference from an oil furnace. My father was an oil burner mechanic until the late 50's, but he continued to do furnace cleaning for friends and others as a side hustle for many years and I helped him as a kid. We would vacuum pounds of black soot out of the furnace, the flu and the base of the chimney. Several measurements were taken and several adjustments were made to calibrate flue draft, burn temperature, pump pressure, cleaning and setting electrode gap, spray nozzle replacement, check and tension the fan motor belt and oil the shaft bearings, electronic photo flame sensor cleaning or replacement plus a host more. Finally you'd change the filter(s), re-prime the fuel pump and you'd be ready for another heating season. I'll continue to have the HVAC specialist in every 3 years until the warranty expires, but now I'll do my own annual maintenance in between and after the warranty. WHAT A DIFFERENCE?.....and simple procedure!
Wow! I have a fuel oil furnace and until last year have had it serviced every fall. I can tell you that of the 3-4 companies I used over the years, no one did all the things your father did! How do you find a conscientious and responsible person/company to do everything necessary when you’re a single 71 year old lady? 😳
@@BobbieJeanM you want to find an hvac shop with good reviews from a service like Angie's List. These companies work hard to keep good reviews on that site, im telling ya....
Good basic video, just had my heater go out as its getting cold here in Chicago and remembered I didn't do any maintenance this year, didnt panic, followed this video and cleaned everything off changed the filter and BAM back up to 70 degrees in no time. THANKS!
I have been in the business since 1986, and I remember when I felt like routine maintenance was more important. Changing belts, oiling motors, and shaft bearings. Finding sticky limit controls. Today, I am compelled to agree with it not being so necessary. But then I run across those few jobs every winter, where vent pipes are broken because a roof was replaced or the glue job on the pvc was poorly done. I find plugged vents from birds or mice. Certain products have secondary heat exchangers that sludge and cause the unit to spill over several hundred ppm of carbon monoxide in the exhaust. Cycle rates on thermostats that are not set up properly. Heatpumps wired to a fan coil improperly. Constant hot water tanks installed by big box stores with no screws in the vent pipes or leaking gas joints. So it is easy to think it is ok to have it done every few years if I train my regular homeowners and they are interested in taking the time. But often I am visiting new homes with new surprises. Once, I returned the following year, and a contractor cut out my venting and did not glue in a single fitting. I was really glad to find that one. It caused me to start taking pictures and document, my jobs before I leave.
This is a good general check for a DIYer, and it's something I do every other year. The times I don't do it myself I pay a local company to do a little more detailed tuneup that includes inspecting the heat exchanger for structural issues like corrosion, current draw tests to check the operation of the electrical components, and actually removing and cleaning the burners. It's a system that's worked well for me for a lot of years. As for the filter change interval, I use a pleated filter with a midrange MERV and change it every other month. I run my HVAC system fan constantly, so I felt 2 months would be better than the filter company's 3 month claimed life. You don't want to allow a filter to become too restricted; the real reason furnaces have filters has to do with protecting the internal components, not the air quality in your rooms. Using very high MERV filters restricts the air flow and causes your blower motor to work harder than normal. The same can happen with lower MERV filters if you leave them in too long.
Thanks for sharing this knowledge with everyone! Most of the time homeowners just assum hvac guys are doing a good inspection when in reality they’re probably browsing the web on their phone for an hour down there 😂 It’s just nice to be educated with your hvac system which you clearly are! Cheers friend
I bought the cheapest furnace I could find 25 years ago, a Goodman, installed it myself, and it's just been chugging along for 25 years now heating a 100 year old home in Montana winters. Never been inspected or cleaned. I did have to put a new ignitor in it once, and we change the filter every 3-6 months but other wise it's set it and forget it. I will definitely buy another Goodman if this one ever dies but it was under $1000 25 years ago and it owes me nothing at this point. Had I been spending even $100 on inspections the last 25 years I'd have already wasted more money than a new one will cost.
Thank you so much for posting this! I'd had three different companies come by to look at my furnace, they dinked around with it for about three hours each and said they had no idea what was wrong with it, but charged me through the roof for looking at the furnace. (Not a lot of great service out here.)
@@diyhvacguy Yep, eventually, the fourth guy said, "Oh, you don't do your own yearly maintenance and cleaning? That's weird, nobody would think to check that." Turned out I'd been using a cat litter that made a little too much dust in the basement, and soot had built up. Changed to a different brand, and now I know how to clean my furnace, thanks!
Both furnaces shown in this video have the same code violation: the gas supply line should have a sediment trap AKA drip leg before going into the furnace (although in some cases this is installed within the furnace, before the gas supply feeds any furnace components).
Solid video. My furnace was acting up earlier this year. I know a guy who has been in the HVAC business for years. These were some of the steps he talked me through over video chat.
I love how you share this knowledge directly with homeowners. Super helpful. My furnace was turning on and then pretty quickly turning off. Thanks to this video, I simply replaced the flame sensor. Good as new. Thanks!
I took my rod out but it was L shaped on the end. Had a terrible time getting it out. I noticed the bend and was able to get it out once I realized. It was corroded so it was good to clean it. Thanks for the video. Everything is so expensive these days. It’s nice to prevent things from falling.
@@crand20033 This Is what they seem to do. I took my car into Honda for repairs recently and they told me I needed all new rotors, brake pads were down to 1 mm, callipers need to be replaced. Cost? $2,890. I took my car to an independent repair shop and the guy showed me the brake pads. 5 mm left on all of them. I saw it with my own eyes. Nothing wrong with any part of the brakes. Callipers working fine. They lied. I avoided a huge bill.
Recently, my partner wanted me to clean her air filter, etc. When I got to the furnace room, she had so much stuff (boxes, totes, a bike!) packed around the furnace that I could not access things (not to mention that whoever install it do so facing a foundation wall leaving maybe 24" to work in!!). I tried to explain to her the dangers of this but she would not listen. So, I told her to call in the pros for a furnace tune up. Technician told her the same thing I did!
Thanks Great video - FYI-- Blow out air lines on air pressure sensing (vacuum) switches - Some of these air switches has two contact - one on the front one on the back .... check both! yellow powers both switches - brown and orange are the two different outputs signals. Inducer housing pressure and collector box pressure (check square tubing vacuumed sensing signal). This may apply to your unit.
Great video especially for me because I have a 20 year old Amana furnace that looks identical to the one in the video.....I clean both the flame sensor & the igniter with 600 grit sand paper every fall.....The only major problem I have had with my furnace was after about 10 years it started to leak water from somewhere from inside the top portion.....Called the installer to look at it and he did absolutely nothing to fix it so after winter was over I took it apart and found out the plastic recope cover(The thing the inducer motor is attached to) was cracked at 3 out of the 4 corners.....Replaced it and she has been running great for going on 20 years now.
Id recommend installing a new flame sensor and hot surface every 10 years at the latest. So at 20 years, I wouldnt bother cleaning them anymore, just replace them.
@@Riley_1955 mine started sending infrequent ignition error codes at the 4 year mark and then was locked out just this year after only 6 years until I replaced them both. I always keep a spare next to the furnace. Thats pretty early to be failing, maybe it was a defect. Cant wait to see how long the new HSI lasts for. I was showing the new one compared to the old one to the wife and she friggin grabs the new one (never supposed to touch them). I go why the F would you touch it, goddamn it....
@@srobeck77 Nothing wrong with either one I just replaced them both about every 7 years just to keep on top of things and all previous ones were kept as spares.
I just cleaned the 'flame sensor' on my 4 year old Daikin Furnace, it was cycling on and off every 2-3 minutes, not super cold outside so that kept it kinda warm and had time to view your videa. Probably a million with similar info on here but I watched yours and Problem Solved ! Thanks ! ! !
Awesome sauce. Glad you saved some money and were able to do it quickly. The best part of all is that when it does it again, and it will, you will know exactly how to fix it! Cheers
I do all that plus clean the condensation trap, the crossovers on the burners and check the air for carbon monoxide with a very sensitive detector with the furnace running. Sometimes I adjust the gas pressure if it seems high.
How do you know that most would sell you a new flame sensor? I work in the industry and that has not been my experience. It's way more common to clean the sensor and rarely are they replaced. So, curious where your getting your information?
@@furnaceworlddispatchemail4831 Lol right. Aren't these handymen on here hilarious? Dudes furnace is prob 30 years old with a hole in the primary. These CO induced comments
@@furnaceworlddispatchemail4831 i know a few service guys through companies ive worked for that definitely sell the homeowner new parts when the old ones work fine, flame sensors and thermocouples are among the most common. It definitely happens unfortunitely, you will see this in alot of service work. Theres alot of shitty people out there
All these know it diyers eventually need to call a professional and then piss and moan about having to pay a premium for the service and knowledge of an experienced technician. Most homeowners are clueless as to what it takes to own and maintain a service company. When I get a new customer with the “everyone is a crook or so and so tried to rip me off” that’s a huge red flag and I drop them like a bad habit.
Definitely change your thermostat batteries every year when you do your smoke detectors. My batteries leaked almost damaging the thermostat. Had to clean the battery connective and a bit of stuff on the circuit board before the new batteries worked.
GREAT! Also oil the draft motor shaft to bushing points yearly with a few drops of car motor oil in a bottle with a long neck or use zoom oil. Also use your long narrow flexible refrigerator coils cleaning brush and clean the blower cage fins once every 5-10 years. Take care
I had my newer furnace fail twice from something very simple and it had to do with with my humidifier and the condensation pump , there’s this clear plastic tank behind the upper access panel that I believe is part of the humidifier system , it gets gummed up and trips the safety circuit , the other time condensation pump wasn’t pumping out because the GFI tripped and that tripped a circuit in the furnace and it happened at the worst time . My furnace guy said he couldn’t make it to my house for two days and it was cold so he asked me how my mechanical abilities are and I told him and when he was satisfied he gave me a few common things to check and I was able to get it going both times . All these furnace add on’s can be a pain in the neck form a the safety features they have .
Yeah, the need for a condensation pump on the high-efficiency furnaces is a pain especially in rental units. Almost guaranteed to fail at least once in a 3-5 year span.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs , at least it’s something that can be disconnected and manually drained , if I turn the water off for the humidifier . I’m not a furnace repair guy but my furnace guy gave me the common causes ,now after watching your video I took notes and put them on a note pad on my phone for quick reference
Pretty good tips and I do that myself usually every other year except filter replacements obviously. Why every other year you might wonder? Because I simply forget to do it on a yearly basis with everything that is going on. I also keep a manual near by for a quick reference and I have purchased a few spare parts to keep near the furnace like hot surface igniter and a flame sensor thingy which are not that expensive but will save your bacon on a -35 January day. Might get a pressure sensor too, as this is a failure point on some furnaces from what I understand. Motor lubrication is not required according to my manual but I still wonder that one point myself.
1 quick question on the flame sensor. Removing the flame sensor is easy put upon reinstallation do you want to censor to be right in the middle of the burner or to the side? It seems ours is alittle off center of the burner. A pic would be good if possible. Love the channel and your very clear with everything👍
So many homeowners attempting their own service its scary. When you cant fix it and need to call us, we can tell when you tried to "fix it yourself". Flame rectification failure can happen for several reasons outside of a dirtly flame rod. Like a faulty ground/board. Also, if the flame rod is dirty, than the reason behind it should be ivestigated. Could be improper inlet/outlet gas pressures, could have the improper access to combustion air. And if you used sandpaper on your flame rod, the residues from the sandpaper will oxidize and your furnace will get a flame rectification error code again in a few weeks. Scotch brite pads or an american $1 bill. Never sandpaper, never steel wool. We service techs are licensed for a reason. We go through the schooling and training necessary to be well versed in the sequence of operation and how to troubleshoot all components. If you arent a licensed gas tech, dont touch your furnace. Want to save money? Dont touch your furnace. Dont want an expensive call because you re-wired the unit wrong and shorted out the board? Dont touch your furnace. The ammount of calls i get that start with "i tried to fix it myself" where a component has been broken in the process.... what could have been an $80 service call because of a loose wire harness now becomes a $1200 board replacement. You think you're smart by doing it yourself until you have a breakdown.
We always had a service contract for our oil furnace. Oil furnaces aren't all that reliable, so the contracts make sense. I'm incredibly happy that our current house has a heat pump instead.
I imagine your pipe is sloped in the wrong direction. So when the air starts to cool running through the exhaust it creates condensation which should drain outside but if you have a negative slope it is running back into your inducer. Check the slope and see how you can adjust the slope to the outlet on the exterior of the house assuming there is a horizontal section of pipe
I remove the flame sensor every year and clean it with a smal brass brush.After 2 years I replace it with a new one.They are not expensive and easy to replace.Keep the old ones and clean them up in case you need to replace one in a hurry.Great video
I have a question to you. I have a temp star. It’s about 24 years old. I cannot find my flame sensor. I was having problems. The burner was cycling off and on, and I found that the problem was the pressure report coming out of the chamber has some crud in it and I cleaned it out and it’s working, but I like to clean that flame sensor.
Great video!!! I want you thank you both very much for your detailed expertise in your fields. I am a newer followers but already have used your videos to help me get through a lot of DIY projects that have saved me a lot of money. My son and I will be working on our furnace tomorrow to get ready for the weather change. Thank you again!!
As an hvac technician this scares the crap out of me. What's your gas control pressure set at? Properly sized vents? What was CO/O2 from combustion analysis? Ambient CO?
@357 Don't be mad because people don't want to hire you. Did you go on the HVAC technicians page and say stop giving away our secrets your killing me over probably not. So you decide you're going to come comment on my thank you to him like I won't say anything and just let you talk shit. This is what happened when Covid hit and technicians were too afraid to go to people's houses. They had to fix stuff on their own and smart technicians saw a way of making money using social media by helping them through social media and are now probably making more money than they did before Covid. So just type away keyboard warrior and continue not making any money!
@@robertotorres284 i make over 6 figures and can easily prove it if you want 😉 you're a dumby handyman who may kill his whole family cause you're cheap and can't hire professionals. Oof
This is a new style pilotless gas furnace. The older style has a flame sensor that's a thermocouple for the pilot light (which doubles as the the igniter), has no hot surface igniter, or draft inducer motor. Inspecting the burners for corrosion and periodically cleaning them is necessary as the old furnaces have cast iron burners with thin flame openings that can develop rust during the "off" season, (especially if the furnace is in a basement). Some older units have bimetal limit switch assemblies with mechanical contact switches whose contacts can become pitted and require polishing or replacement.
I've been doing furnace cleaning for 20 years, clean your flame sensor if your furnace starts, then the gas shuts off rite away... honestly if you have one of those Goodman furnaces the biggest problem is the hose clamp off the inducer fan to the exhaust is not tight enough, I see 1 in 4 new houses its rusted out or gets water on the board before the house is even sold cause the installers didn't tighten it enough or stripped the hose clamp and water trickles down the plastic side. (tinfol is good for flame sensor cleaning in a pinch)
I think I have that problem, Goodman furnace, new built house under 3 years, recently the furnace heating stop working middle of the night. Hired a tech, he show up pop the cover open, there was water dripping down from the bolt, the bolt that keeps the clamp tighten to where the inducer fan is….the bolt was very loose, he tighten up the bolt and he blew air into the tube to clear out the water drainage tube. Then 2 weeks later it happened again the heating stops middle of the night…this time I pop the cover open and found the same thing again small drop of water hanging onto to the the bolt….I’m gonna pop the cover again and reconnect the tube and clamp, see if that will help….or should i just go get a new clamp? sighhhh
He mentioned that he has a video on his channel for how to clean the blower motor but I can't find it. Can you possibly post a link to that? Thank you!
You can set the furnace to heat than go shove a match to light and then die from an explosion from the natural gas. I mean it will be lit if that was the only goal. Furnaces havent used pilot light in about 30 years now, but still very common to see on gas water heaters.
Thank you like your video, quick question I have a smart Honeywell thermostat and recently when I started running the heater the thermostat will shut off and restart several times but the heater stays running any help would be great if possible thank you
I've had my furnace for 38yrs not one problem. The only though is you have to disassemble the moter from the squirrel cage just to oil the bearings. I like a pilot light. It keeps humidity from collecting. Never had any long term success with quartz lit anything . All good things must end. I'm going to get me a new one soon. Why? I've pressed my luck enough. Damn I hate to give the Intertherm up.
I hate to give mine to as well but it's 47 years old and if i don't replace it now then I won't be able to have a normal gas furnace because california is forcing everyone to buy ultra low nox. I'm going with an 80% single stage Carrier. My 47 year old is Day & night
I went to the Dollar Store to buy a dollar bill to clean the flame sensor and it cost me $1.25 because of inflation. I'm going to save it for next year incase prices go up again!
Open up panels then take an inspection mirror with a flashlight to look for visible cracks on it. Youre probably never going to do this. So instead, buy a quality CO2 detector and so you dont die in the middle of the night when your furnace goes bad. Also referred to as the sleep you never wake up from.
I would have wanted to see info on how to choose a replacement filter based on MPR / MERV specs. I have read that a too restrictive filter (like perhaps a MPR 2200) can put stress on an HVAC system. Is that true? Very helpful video - and timely!
Yes, a overly restrictive filter can definitely have some negative effects. I wouldn’t advise doing a higher merv rating then needed. Anything above merv 12 is considered hospital grade and not really needed for residential applications. I’ll be coming out with a video on this subject soon! Cheers
Not an expert, but yes, I've also read the finer filters stress the system. To mitigate this, you'd want a thicker filter (like the 4" ones instead of the 1".
My furnace has a screen inside the air intake pipe that needs to be cleaned. It is where the pvc intake pipe connects to the intake of the furnace, this was a course screen to trap bugs, bats etc, original Bryant part. Scotch Brite or steel wool on flame sensor, clean out moisture condensation trap.
Had a yearly furnace check. The tech did everything but to check the vent, chimney, pipe. It was rusted with many holes. Totally missed it. I replaced it.
Question: I have the same Goodman high eff furnace. Obviously, on the right, my flue is connected and vents outside thru a white pvc pipe. On the left side, there is no pvc connected(the furnace in your video shows pvc on the left also). Did my guy forget something or is this ok?
It might be ok, it might not be ok. The pipe on yours going outside is for pushing the exhaust out of the house, the other is for bringing in fresh air to feed oxygen to the flames. Whether or not a pipe is required depends on how much free area you have around the furnace. By code you need 50 cubic feet per 1,000 btuh input rating for all gas appliances in the space. Many times, even if you do have enough free area to support the flame it's still a good idea to pipe in combustion air from outside to improve overall efficiency. Why use air you have paid to heat to support combustion when you can bring in air from outside instead?
How do you know there is no problem with the heat exchanger? And what about the condensate drain trap? As an hvac service technician I would recommend having a professional insect and clean the furnace!
Maintenance can cut back on call backs and emergency calls if done properly. You can’t stop everything but you can certainly prevent most. Temperature differential to make sure system is not overheating and within specs of furnace, check to make sure all registers are opened and no blocked returns, blown out 90% trap for drain, clean port from inducer housing to pressure switch, make sure burners are cleaned, roll a dime across back burners to ensure the flame will carry over. Check ohms on Ignitor. Check amps on inducer motor and blower. Check with a camera in the heat exchanger for rust or potential cracks. Along with filters, blower and flame sensor. Preventative maintenance is not just feel the furnace, clean one sensor and change a filter.
When I open the front cover for vacuuming inside the firnace, there was something like filter attached to that front cover. That filter kind of thing was very dirty and broke. What do we call that one? It is round fiber something. Where to find it. Can we turn on furnace without that? Just closing the front cover?
Is your home a mobile home? A lot of mobile home furnaces have the filter material just clipped in to the back of the front cover. You can replace that will standard filters just make sure the existing area that has a filter is covered by the new filters. You can use standard pleated filters as long as the clips will hold it in place. Also that filter that is there is more then likely washable. So if you spray it down with water real good that help your system a lot. And clean it on a regular basis. Maybe every 2-3 months. Cheers
My furnace had dirty filter which was causing the furnace to turn off due to over heat. After changing the filter still had issue, getting error code. I compared the error code it was a fuse that was triped due to over heat. Reset that now everything works perfectly.
Is the cleaning of the A-Coil part of a general maintenance. Mine is getting rusty, but if attended to, this won't become a failure... What say you...?
There's no such thing as copper coils rusting, who told you this? Cleaning coils means spraying off of dust and debris that restricts airflow is what cleaning does.
The access panels on our furnace are completely sealed up with the same type of sealant they used to seal the duct. Why would that be? Should I not open it and clean it?
cut with a razor blade or peel it off. then re-apply another strip of foil tape (from home depot) when done. Not rocket science, ammiright?! Im assuming you meant panels for the A-Coil on the top portion? Those and the ductwork just gets foil taped so a tiny amount of air doesnt leak out the sides.
Hi my Furnace smell dusty and causes me to sneeze a lot. We have hired two guy to clean our vent but the issue still persist. I guess this time we will have to clean the furnace and the blowing wheel
Sounds like you need the indoor fan motor wheel cleaned and also the indoor evaporator coil (just above the furnace on the inside). You can look at the wheel yourself by taking off the bottom furnace panel and shinning a flashlight inside there. You may also need to have your carpet shampood by professionals.
Very useful video! I have some issue with my 10 year-old Honeywell programmable thermostat. It works but the LED light inside is not working though I changed the battery. What could be the problem? Thanks in advance for your help.
Make sure the battery contacts are clean in the thermostat and no corrosion. 10 years is probably the expected life of an electronic thermostat and time for replacement. Not like the simple mercury bulb thermostats that could last 50 years plus.
No, it’s a bit different. With oil you have an oil filter and pump screen. Nozzle and electrodes, etc. what he shows is not a tune up, it’s a light cleaning. Call a prof. Company to service your oil furnace.
I have an air filter down in the living space, in the ceiling, like Dave said could be the case. Does that mean I do NOT have an air filter (a second one) in the furnace unit? Or could I have one in the ceiling and a second one in the unit? I certainly don't see an easily accessible one in the unit, unless I'd have to remove screws and panels to hunt for it. 25 year old Goodman.
There will always be a factory designed slot for a filter just before the furnace internals. It's designed to protect the coil and motors from your nasty skin dander and other dust. The air filter in vents of the house is just a gimmick and wears out your fan motors excessively more than anything else. You gotta use your lazy little fingers and remove those screws to see where it is inside. Then label the panel with a sharpie so you know for the next time.
In your experience. Why is it that if I'm interested in purchasing /replacing as a bundle unit (A/C and furnace, most hvac professionals charge aver $15k when I can purchase both units online for half that price. So my question #2 is can I just buy both units and have an HVAC guy come and install them. Furnace in attic and of course A/C outside
I never cleaned my old oil furnace and I changed it out 15 years ago because it was only 80% efficient (when it was new). I never clean my new gas furnace (95 % efficient) and it is still going strong. Modern heat pumps can be more efficient and more convenient, since sometimes a ductless unit is very practical and easy to install.
Your oil furnace must have been a hot mess, lol.................seriously soot can buildup and restrict the flow of flue gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor. Over time, carbon monoxide can build up in your home with this soot buildup if your furnace is not properly vented or your chimney isn't properly swept.
It was working perfectly and I was happy but my brother had the same vintage as mine and his was leaking CO2 and flames were visible on the exterior so the both of us decided to get newer efficient furnaces. Years later I actually got work as an installer and all of the purchasers had never done maintenance and waited for the furnace to fail before deciding to buy new. My furnace started leaking condensate from a factory defect (a crack in the plastic) in the condensate trap and I repaired it by re-configuring this component to use an alternate outlet port.@@MB-rr1fb
All My Favorite Tools: geni.us/VYIp51
Brass Wire Brush: geni.us/6ArFOvE
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
Yes sir, you are spot on! Regular preventive and servicing of literally every piece of equipment in a standard home requires due diligence.
.. 4.m 4y. ..5 b🎉n y b MI n G6 butut 4y k 4 by link r😮in G6 4 7 b v by ,v
I have a very old Rheem furnace and last night we tried to run the heat for the first time since last winter. The house was chilly and we figured we would take the chill out. That being said it wouldn't start or stay running. I was pretty stressed out as I've been out of work, so i found this video at 430am and i decided to try and fix it myself. I cleaned the spark ignitor and flame sensor. I also used a can of air to clean the induction fan and its running no problem! Probably saved myself $700! Thank you for the advice!
Hey, just wanted to wish you the best in finding a job. I know it's super super important. Don't give up. Grab whatever you can find. It's always easier to get a job when you have one, even if it's a lousy one. I know it's a cliche, but I am currently taking care of my mom with lung issues. Believe me, health tops everything. At this point, I would give away anything and everything to never have to hear my mom say son I cannot breathe. Count your blessings. All the best from 🇨🇦
Cant beat those old Rheem furnaces, mines still running since 92
me too !!! no filter on the 1950s Hercules model!
It is amazing how much dust collects inside of a unit. “A Good old fashion cleaning” was a great way to explain that part of the video. Great video Scott and Dave!
Thanks Josh 👊
Thanks bro! We appreciate the support! Cheers
@@diyhvacguy 💪
@@EverydayHomeRepairs You got it!
I had a furnace fail once and called a HVAC company. They charged me $250 to come out and diagnose that it was the flame sensor and clean it. It's a good idea to know what to do and it's a good idea to clean it every year.
Amen to that, thanks for the feedback David.
I have one better. They serviced the furnace then routed the a/c drain line higher than the catch basin. Destroyed my furnace because I didn't notice it for months. The exchanger was rusted badly.
Before you call an HVAC co, ask for references from a friend or neighbor or a trade association. Most cos. are honest and some not!
For $250 they should have at least replaced the sensor as it's a $15 part..............
HVAC companies hire morons that couldn’t make it as plumbers
It's smart to do the annual furnace cleaning DIY. Last time I had a tech do it, he slapped "condemned" stickers on my perfectly functional furnaces due to "cracked heat exchangers." Showed me grainy pictures with hairline fractures on them.
I got a second opinion. They told me the first outfit was notorious for the "cracked heat exchanger scam." That was 5 years ago. 18yo furnaces still running great.
MY Goodman Furnace was working properly, all components seem to be working properly, but the furnace won't keep the running after it ignites, looks like it's going to start then shuts down. The problem was this furnace is 4 years old and the black feed pipe that the burners attach to have brass fitting for each burner with holes where the gas comes out. Those holes were partial covered with carbon. I took the black pipe off, removed the brass fitting and pushed a tip cleaner through the hole in each one, put it back together Bingo furnace works fine. I also took the Flame sensor out and used fine sandpaper to clean it. So simple to do.
@@briananderson6142 most likely was the flame sensor
@@gtarules1 It was both the Flame sensor and the gas feed from the pipe that feeds the burner end. It was partially blocked with carbon that slowed the gas flow. You can't buy an extra flame sensor in Canada without a gas ticket.
Cracked heat exchanger and still you are using. Technician should Red Tag it. It's not safe you are compromising with unsafe appliance
@@RakeshPathak-lu8yc -- That's not even slightly true. Hairline cracks in heat exchangers are common and most often not a problem. These are not hermetically sealed systems. Any technician who suggests otherwise is lying.
It has now been 5 years since my furnaces were "condemned" by these fraudsters. Functioning perfectly. Rock-steady blue flame at every burner. No carbon monoxide alarms from my detectors. Great systems.
If my furnaces were not functioning 100%, I might agree with you. But that's not true.
First time having a furnace, and I did not know this sensor needed maintenance. I bought a mini screwdriver ratchet bit set from Harbor Freight! A small multi stubby screwdriver would work also for tight spaces. Thank you for your video help it's much appreciated!
As a homeowner, you should always have a spare hot surface ignitor and flame sensor by the furnace too.
Thank you, I will keep spares.
This is by far the most CLEAR and concise instructional video I have found, and also explains everything in detail. I hope there are two others just like this one that go into more detail about cleaning the blower wheel and evaporator coils! Thanks!
Great instruction and information. I converted from oil to a gas furnace 3 years ago and the HVAC installer recommended the first furnace cleaning to take place now that the furnace is 3 years old in order to maintain the warranty. Wow! what a difference from an oil furnace. My father was an oil burner mechanic until the late 50's, but he continued to do furnace cleaning for friends and others as a side hustle for many years and I helped him as a kid. We would vacuum pounds of black soot out of the furnace, the flu and the base of the chimney. Several measurements were taken and several adjustments were made to calibrate flue draft, burn temperature, pump pressure, cleaning and setting electrode gap, spray nozzle replacement, check and tension the fan motor belt and oil the shaft bearings, electronic photo flame sensor cleaning or replacement plus a host more. Finally you'd change the filter(s), re-prime the fuel pump and you'd be ready for another heating season. I'll continue to have the HVAC specialist in every 3 years until the warranty expires, but now I'll do my own annual maintenance in between and after the warranty. WHAT A DIFFERENCE?.....and simple procedure!
Wow! I have a fuel oil furnace and until last year have had it serviced every fall. I can tell you that of the 3-4 companies I used over the years, no one did all the things your father did! How do you find a conscientious and responsible person/company to do everything necessary when you’re a single 71 year old lady? 😳
@@BobbieJeanM you want to find an hvac shop with good reviews from a service like Angie's List. These companies work hard to keep good reviews on that site, im telling ya....
I don't why I watched this video--I don't have a furnace. Good information to keep in the back of my head.
Good basic video, just had my heater go out as its getting cold here in Chicago and remembered I didn't do any maintenance this year, didnt panic, followed this video and cleaned everything off changed the filter and BAM back up to 70 degrees in no time. THANKS!
I think we all should be cleaning the flame sensor after every heating season.
Very concise and step by step approach (no unnecessary talking) and I would hire you if you live in GA.
Great, my furnace was shutting off, I cleaned the flame sensor. You saved 100 bucks and I feel warm now. Thank you
Happy to help!
Probably closer to $200 or if after hours on a weekend, closer to $400 or 500 bucks
Lies and lies
@@JohnSmendrovac What are the lies, please do tell..
I have been in the business since 1986, and I remember when I felt like routine maintenance was more important. Changing belts, oiling motors, and shaft bearings. Finding sticky limit controls. Today, I am compelled to agree with it not being so necessary. But then I run across those few jobs every winter, where vent pipes are broken because a roof was replaced or the glue job on the pvc was poorly done. I find plugged vents from birds or mice. Certain products have secondary heat exchangers that sludge and cause the unit to spill over several hundred ppm of carbon monoxide in the exhaust. Cycle rates on thermostats that are not set up properly. Heatpumps wired to a fan coil improperly. Constant hot water tanks installed by big box stores with no screws in the vent pipes or leaking gas joints. So it is easy to think it is ok to have it done every few years if I train my regular homeowners and they are interested in taking the time. But often I am visiting new homes with new surprises. Once, I returned the following year, and a contractor cut out my venting and did not glue in a single fitting. I was really glad to find that one. It caused me to start taking pictures and document, my jobs before I leave.
This is a good general check for a DIYer, and it's something I do every other year. The times I don't do it myself I pay a local company to do a little more detailed tuneup that includes inspecting the heat exchanger for structural issues like corrosion, current draw tests to check the operation of the electrical components, and actually removing and cleaning the burners. It's a system that's worked well for me for a lot of years. As for the filter change interval, I use a pleated filter with a midrange MERV and change it every other month. I run my HVAC system fan constantly, so I felt 2 months would be better than the filter company's 3 month claimed life. You don't want to allow a filter to become too restricted; the real reason furnaces have filters has to do with protecting the internal components, not the air quality in your rooms. Using very high MERV filters restricts the air flow and causes your blower motor to work harder than normal. The same can happen with lower MERV filters if you leave them in too long.
Thanks for sharing this knowledge with everyone! Most of the time homeowners just assum hvac guys are doing a good inspection when in reality they’re probably browsing the web on their phone for an hour down there 😂 It’s just nice to be educated with your hvac system which you clearly are! Cheers friend
I bought the cheapest furnace I could find 25 years ago, a Goodman, installed it myself, and it's just been chugging along for 25 years now heating a 100 year old home in Montana winters. Never been inspected or cleaned. I did have to put a new ignitor in it once, and we change the filter every 3-6 months but other wise it's set it and forget it. I will definitely buy another Goodman if this one ever dies but it was under $1000 25 years ago and it owes me nothing at this point. Had I been spending even $100 on inspections the last 25 years I'd have already wasted more money than a new one will cost.
@@bryanhersman4037 wow, you'd be lucky to pay $2000 for one now! Let me know if you do 😆
Thank you so much for posting this! I'd had three different companies come by to look at my furnace, they dinked around with it for about three hours each and said they had no idea what was wrong with it, but charged me through the roof for looking at the furnace. (Not a lot of great service out here.)
Wow, I’m sorry to hear that. Did someone eventually get it figured out?
@@diyhvacguy Yep, eventually, the fourth guy said, "Oh, you don't do your own yearly maintenance and cleaning? That's weird, nobody would think to check that." Turned out I'd been using a cat litter that made a little too much dust in the basement, and soot had built up. Changed to a different brand, and now I know how to clean my furnace, thanks!
@@kerikrogel9126 wow! That’s really weird. Glad they got it figured out 👍🏽 cheers
Both furnaces shown in this video have the same code violation: the gas supply line should have a sediment trap AKA drip leg before going into the furnace (although in some cases this is installed within the furnace, before the gas supply feeds any furnace components).
@@stevebabiak6997 theres probably about .05% homeowners that would install that into the gas line if it wasnt there. Just sayin....
Solid video. My furnace was acting up earlier this year. I know a guy who has been in the HVAC business for years. These were some of the steps he talked me through over video chat.
Nice, thanks for the feedback!
About to finish my last semester for my hvac cert. This was wounderful to see and understand what to look for thank you!
Right at 3:30, the words Sensor and Ignitor are actually printed on the panel. That helps as well. 😊
I love how you share this knowledge directly with homeowners. Super helpful. My furnace was turning on and then pretty quickly turning off. Thanks to this video, I simply replaced the flame sensor. Good as new. Thanks!
I took my rod out but it was L shaped on the end. Had a terrible time getting it out. I noticed the bend and was able to get it out once I realized. It was corroded so it was good to clean it. Thanks for the video. Everything is so expensive these days. It’s nice to prevent things from falling.
Right if and if you call an HVAC company they might come out and tell you you need new furnace.
@@crand20033 This Is what they seem to do. I took my car into Honda for repairs recently and they told me I needed all new rotors, brake pads were down to 1 mm, callipers need to be replaced. Cost? $2,890. I took my car to an independent repair shop and the guy showed me the brake pads. 5 mm left on all of them. I saw it with my own eyes. Nothing wrong with any part of the brakes. Callipers working fine. They lied. I avoided a huge bill.
@@ds99 Dealers are the biggest rip-offs.
@@crand20033 They lie like thieves. As much as I like Honda vehicles, I don’t know if I’ll buy another one.
@@ds99 They overcharge for sure.
CT - clng $195, sometimes more.
Thank you so much for this video.
Dang! Thanks for the feedback.
Recently, my partner wanted me to clean her air filter, etc. When I got to the furnace room, she had so much stuff (boxes, totes, a bike!) packed around the furnace that I could not access things (not to mention that whoever install it do so facing a foundation wall leaving maybe 24" to work in!!). I tried to explain to her the dangers of this but she would not listen. So, I told her to call in the pros for a furnace tune up. Technician told her the same thing I did!
One thing that is helping me pay attention to this video is that I have the exact make and model of this furnace. Now I have no excuses!😝
I took a label maker and printed out my furnace make and model number on the outside. Alot easier when on the phone getting parts.
@@srobeck77 Great idea.
Thanks Great video - FYI-- Blow out air lines on air pressure sensing (vacuum) switches - Some of these air switches has two contact - one on the front one on the back .... check both!
yellow powers both switches - brown and orange are the two different outputs signals. Inducer housing pressure and collector box pressure (check square tubing vacuumed sensing signal). This may apply to your unit.
Great tips on the flame sensor! I have a wood working shop by the furnace and have to clean it regularly!
Great video especially for me because I have a 20 year old Amana furnace that looks identical to the one in the video.....I clean both the flame sensor & the igniter with 600 grit sand paper every fall.....The only major problem I have had with my furnace was after about 10 years it started to leak water from somewhere from inside the top portion.....Called the installer to look at it and he did absolutely nothing to fix it so after winter was over I took it apart and found out the plastic recope cover(The thing the inducer motor is attached to) was cracked at 3 out of the 4 corners.....Replaced it and she has been running great for going on 20 years now.
Id recommend installing a new flame sensor and hot surface every 10 years at the latest. So at 20 years, I wouldnt bother cleaning them anymore, just replace them.
@@srobeck77 Yeah I'm on my 2nd set of ignitor/flame sensors in those 20 years.
@@Riley_1955 mine started sending infrequent ignition error codes at the 4 year mark and then was locked out just this year after only 6 years until I replaced them both. I always keep a spare next to the furnace. Thats pretty early to be failing, maybe it was a defect.
Cant wait to see how long the new HSI lasts for. I was showing the new one compared to the old one to the wife and she friggin grabs the new one (never supposed to touch them). I go why the F would you touch it, goddamn it....
@@srobeck77 Nothing wrong with either one I just replaced them both about every 7 years just to keep on top of things and all previous ones were kept as spares.
This video is great! Very easy to follow and the way he describes everything that needs to be done and the why’s was/is very helpful
Being in HVAC since 1979 annual maintenance and checks are great investment saves a lot of problems
I just cleaned the 'flame sensor' on my 4 year old Daikin Furnace, it was cycling on and off every 2-3 minutes, not super cold outside so that kept it kinda warm and had time to view your videa. Probably a million with similar info on here but I watched yours and Problem Solved ! Thanks ! ! !
Awesome sauce. Glad you saved some money and were able to do it quickly. The best part of all is that when it does it again, and it will, you will know exactly how to fix it! Cheers
Id keep a spare next to the furnace at all times. Replace both the hot surface ignitor + flame sensor at about the 10 year mark.
Great video Scott. I followed your instructions and brought back to life my old furnace. much appreciated
Thanks for the tips! I had no heat. Cleaned the flame sensor and everything works great!
Thank you bro you save me lots of money it’s refreshing to see a video that’s so well explained thank you
Happy to help!
Thanks for this video. Easily just saved me a couple hundred dollars by showing the issue with the flame sensor. Instant success!
I do all that plus clean the condensation trap, the crossovers on the burners and check the air for carbon monoxide with a very sensitive detector with the furnace running. Sometimes I adjust the gas pressure if it seems high.
Most sleazy service guys try to sell you a new flame sensor instead of just cleaning it. Thanks for being honest and showing how to maintain it.
Yea, its ridiculous how much hvac guys are taking advantage of people. They find any way they can!
How do you know that most would sell you a new flame sensor? I work in the industry and that has not been my experience. It's way more common to clean the sensor and rarely are they replaced. So, curious where your getting your information?
@@furnaceworlddispatchemail4831 Lol right. Aren't these handymen on here hilarious? Dudes furnace is prob 30 years old with a hole in the primary. These CO induced comments
@@furnaceworlddispatchemail4831 i know a few service guys through companies ive worked for that definitely sell the homeowner new parts when the old ones work fine, flame sensors and thermocouples are among the most common. It definitely happens unfortunitely, you will see this in alot of service work. Theres alot of shitty people out there
All these know it diyers eventually need to call a professional and then piss and moan about having to pay a premium for the service and knowledge of an experienced technician. Most homeowners are clueless as to what it takes to own and maintain a service company. When I get a new customer with the “everyone is a crook or so and so tried to rip me off” that’s a huge red flag and I drop them like a bad habit.
Definitely change your thermostat batteries every year when you do your smoke detectors. My batteries leaked almost damaging the thermostat. Had to clean the battery connective and a bit of stuff on the circuit board before the new batteries worked.
Only use Energizer batteries.
GREAT!
Also oil the draft motor shaft to bushing points yearly with a few drops of car motor oil in a bottle with a long neck or use zoom oil.
Also use your long narrow flexible refrigerator coils cleaning brush and clean the blower cage fins once every 5-10 years.
Take care
I had my newer furnace fail twice from something very simple and it had to do with with my humidifier and the condensation pump , there’s this clear plastic tank behind the upper access panel that I believe is part of the humidifier system , it gets gummed up and trips the safety circuit , the other time condensation pump wasn’t pumping out because the GFI tripped and that tripped a circuit in the furnace and it happened at the worst time . My furnace guy said he couldn’t make it to my house for two days and it was cold so he asked me how my mechanical abilities are and I told him and when he was satisfied he gave me a few common things to check and I was able to get it going both times . All these furnace add on’s can be a pain in the neck form a the safety features they have .
Yeah, the need for a condensation pump on the high-efficiency furnaces is a pain especially in rental units. Almost guaranteed to fail at least once in a 3-5 year span.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs , at least it’s something that can be disconnected and manually drained , if I turn the water off for the humidifier . I’m not a furnace repair guy but my furnace guy gave me the common causes ,now after watching your video I took notes and put them on a note pad on my phone for quick reference
I think I have had that problem twice over the decades with the flame igniter. Thanks.
Pretty good tips and I do that myself usually every other year except filter replacements obviously. Why every other year you might wonder? Because I simply forget to do it on a yearly basis with everything that is going on. I also keep a manual near by for a quick reference and I have purchased a few spare parts to keep near the furnace like hot surface igniter and a flame sensor thingy which are not that expensive but will save your bacon on a -35 January day. Might get a pressure sensor too, as this is a failure point on some furnaces from what I understand. Motor lubrication is not required according to my manual but I still wonder that one point myself.
Merv 15 carrier infinity electric air cleaner filter says to change once a year. Is this a good or bad practice?
Awesome. I knew how a furnace worked but I still learned something here. Thanks.
Thanks for watching! Cheers man
Coleman made good furnaces too! lol
1 quick question on the flame sensor. Removing the flame sensor is easy put upon reinstallation do you want to censor to be right in the middle of the burner or to the side? It seems ours is alittle off center of the burner. A pic would be good if possible. Love the channel and your very clear with everything👍
So many homeowners attempting their own service its scary.
When you cant fix it and need to call us, we can tell when you tried to "fix it yourself".
Flame rectification failure can happen for several reasons outside of a dirtly flame rod. Like a faulty ground/board. Also, if the flame rod is dirty, than the reason behind it should be ivestigated. Could be improper inlet/outlet gas pressures, could have the improper access to combustion air.
And if you used sandpaper on your flame rod, the residues from the sandpaper will oxidize and your furnace will get a flame rectification error code again in a few weeks. Scotch brite pads or an american $1 bill. Never sandpaper, never steel wool.
We service techs are licensed for a reason. We go through the schooling and training necessary to be well versed in the sequence of operation and how to troubleshoot all components.
If you arent a licensed gas tech, dont touch your furnace. Want to save money? Dont touch your furnace. Dont want an expensive call because you re-wired the unit wrong and shorted out the board? Dont touch your furnace.
The ammount of calls i get that start with "i tried to fix it myself" where a component has been broken in the process.... what could have been an $80 service call because of a loose wire harness now becomes a $1200 board replacement.
You think you're smart by doing it yourself until you have a breakdown.
Thank you so much for an EXCELLENT, professional and concise video!
We always had a service contract for our oil furnace. Oil furnaces aren't all that reliable, so the contracts make sense. I'm incredibly happy that our current house has a heat pump instead.
Thank you for your excellent video. I was not aware of the flame sensor.
How can I fix water dripping from inducer exhaust tube?near the clamp
I imagine your pipe is sloped in the wrong direction. So when the air starts to cool running through the exhaust it creates condensation which should drain outside but if you have a negative slope it is running back into your inducer. Check the slope and see how you can adjust the slope to the outlet on the exterior of the house assuming there is a horizontal section of pipe
I remove the flame sensor every year and clean it with a smal brass brush.After 2 years I replace it with a new one.They are not expensive and easy to replace.Keep the old ones and clean them up in case you need to replace one in a hurry.Great video
That is a waste of money. If you need to replace a flame sensor every 2 years, then there is a bigger issue going on...
Replacing them every 2 years is a bit excessive, especially if you have a spare already waiting there.
I have a question to you. I have a temp star. It’s about 24 years old. I cannot find my flame sensor. I was having problems. The burner was cycling off and on, and I found that the problem was the pressure report coming out of the chamber has some crud in it and I cleaned it out and it’s working, but I like to clean that flame sensor.
Great video!!! I want you thank you both very much for your detailed expertise in your fields. I am a newer followers but already have used your videos to help me get through a lot of DIY projects that have saved me a lot of money. My son and I will be working on our furnace tomorrow to get ready for the weather change. Thank you again!!
As an hvac technician this scares the crap out of me. What's your gas control pressure set at? Properly sized vents? What was CO/O2 from combustion analysis? Ambient CO?
😂😂😂😂
@@robertotorres284 CO poisoning incoming
@357 Don't be mad because people don't want to hire you. Did you go on the HVAC technicians page and say stop giving away our secrets your killing me over probably not. So you decide you're going to come comment on my thank you to him like I won't say anything and just let you talk shit. This is what happened when Covid hit and technicians were too afraid to go to people's houses. They had to fix stuff on their own and smart technicians saw a way of making money using social media by helping them through social media and are now probably making more money than they did before Covid. So just type away keyboard warrior and continue not making any money!
@@robertotorres284 i make over 6 figures and can easily prove it if you want 😉 you're a dumby handyman who may kill his whole family cause you're cheap and can't hire professionals. Oof
Greatly appreciate this video and all the tips plus the safety part of it to.
Glad it was helpful!
This is a new style pilotless gas furnace. The older style has a flame sensor that's a thermocouple for the pilot light (which doubles as the the igniter), has no hot surface igniter, or draft inducer motor. Inspecting the burners for corrosion and periodically cleaning them is necessary as the old furnaces have cast iron burners with thin flame openings that can develop rust during the "off" season, (especially if the furnace is in a basement). Some older units have bimetal limit switch assemblies with mechanical contact switches whose contacts can become pitted and require polishing or replacement.
By "new" you mean the standard for the past 30 years now on furnaces? Hot surface ignitors have been around a long time now LOL
Thanks for the tips. Easy to follow, and very timely this time of year.
I've been doing furnace cleaning for 20 years, clean your flame sensor if your furnace starts, then the gas shuts off rite away... honestly if you have one of those Goodman furnaces the biggest problem is the hose clamp off the inducer fan to the exhaust is not tight enough, I see 1 in 4 new houses its rusted out or gets water on the board before the house is even sold cause the installers didn't tighten it enough or stripped the hose clamp and water trickles down the plastic side. (tinfol is good for flame sensor cleaning in a pinch)
I think I have that problem, Goodman furnace, new built house under 3 years, recently the furnace heating stop working middle of the night. Hired a tech, he show up pop the cover open, there was water dripping down from the bolt, the bolt that keeps the clamp tighten to where the inducer fan is….the bolt was very loose, he tighten up the bolt and he blew air into the tube to clear out the water drainage tube. Then 2 weeks later it happened again the heating stops middle of the night…this time I pop the cover open and found the same thing again small drop of water hanging onto to the the bolt….I’m gonna pop the cover again and reconnect the tube and clamp, see if that will help….or should i just go get a new clamp? sighhhh
Great vid, would love to see the same / similar maintenance for electric heat - baseboard homes.
You should go over cleaning the condensate trap on these high efficiency units .
Plug the end of the hose and dump 1/3 vinegar mixture and let sit for 10 min. Nuff said : P
He mentioned that he has a video on his channel for how to clean the blower motor but I can't find it. Can you possibly post a link to that? Thank you!
if everything works but the step where the fan blows the heat is this an indicator of a dirty flame sensor?
Do you habe a video to turn off gas heater for house? Idk if i should turn off switch or gas line first. There is a separate gas line for house heater
Do some furnaces have pilot lights? Is there a process to light the pilot again
You can set the furnace to heat than go shove a match to light and then die from an explosion from the natural gas. I mean it will be lit if that was the only goal. Furnaces havent used pilot light in about 30 years now, but still very common to see on gas water heaters.
Thank you like your video, quick question I have a smart Honeywell thermostat and recently when I started running the heater the thermostat will shut off and restart several times but the heater stays running any help would be great if possible thank you
I've had my furnace for 38yrs not one problem. The only though is you have to disassemble the moter from the squirrel cage just to oil the bearings. I like a pilot light. It keeps humidity from collecting. Never had any long term success with quartz lit anything . All good things must end. I'm going to get me a new one soon. Why? I've pressed my luck enough. Damn I hate to give the Intertherm up.
I hate to give mine to as well but it's 47 years old and if i don't replace it now then I won't be able to have a normal gas furnace because california is forcing everyone to buy ultra low nox. I'm going with an 80% single stage Carrier. My 47 year old is Day & night
I went to the Dollar Store to buy a dollar bill to clean the flame sensor and it cost me $1.25 because of inflation. I'm going to save it for next year incase prices go up again!
I have an old unit (1998). What does the the gentleman mean by keeping an eye on the heat exchanger if you have an older unit?
Open up panels then take an inspection mirror with a flashlight to look for visible cracks on it. Youre probably never going to do this. So instead, buy a quality CO2 detector and so you dont die in the middle of the night when your furnace goes bad. Also referred to as the sleep you never wake up from.
@@srobeck77 Thank you so much.
Is there a reason the flame sensor or condensate drain wouldn't be checked or tended with a regular maintenance service?
Being in the HVAC business I can tell you that paying for a yearly furnace check up is a complete waste of money.
Warranty will be voided by the Supplier if no Maintenance is done on your unit
@@luisvazquez4972Absolutely not true.
Not necessarily every year yea your not wrong maybe every couple years I’d say with the newer ones the traps love getting clogged
@@cody-gaming7593In most situations a trap is not necessary. Just have a vent on the condensate drain. Then you don’t have plugged drain issues.
@@luisvazquez4972I have never had a supplier ask for maintenance records for warranty.
Are you going to clean the evaporator and the condenser outside a tune up should consist of the whole system heating and air
Middle of winter, you arent going to be spraying the outdoor coil with water in northern climates. I promise you that, lol
@@srobeck77 only in spring time
I would have wanted to see info on how to choose a replacement filter based on MPR / MERV specs. I have read that a too restrictive filter (like perhaps a MPR 2200) can put stress on an HVAC system. Is that true? Very helpful video - and timely!
Yes, it's absolutely true. I recommend the basic pleated filters.
Yes, a overly restrictive filter can definitely have some negative effects. I wouldn’t advise doing a higher merv rating then needed. Anything above merv 12 is considered hospital grade and not really needed for residential applications. I’ll be coming out with a video on this subject soon! Cheers
Not an expert, but yes, I've also read the finer filters stress the system. To mitigate this, you'd want a thicker filter (like the 4" ones instead of the 1".
@@diyhvacguy Agreed, above merv 12 is stressing out your fan motor too much. At that point, just vacuum your house more and shampoo it annually
My furnace has a screen inside the air intake pipe that needs to be cleaned. It is where the pvc intake pipe connects to the intake of the furnace, this was a course screen to trap bugs, bats etc, original Bryant part. Scotch Brite or steel wool on flame sensor, clean out moisture condensation trap.
Had a yearly furnace check. The tech did everything but to check the vent, chimney, pipe. It was rusted with many holes. Totally missed it. I replaced it.
Question: I have the same Goodman high eff furnace. Obviously, on the right, my flue is connected and vents outside thru a white pvc pipe. On the left side, there is no pvc connected(the furnace in your video shows pvc on the left also). Did my guy forget something or is this ok?
It might be ok, it might not be ok. The pipe on yours going outside is for pushing the exhaust out of the house, the other is for bringing in fresh air to feed oxygen to the flames. Whether or not a pipe is required depends on how much free area you have around the furnace. By code you need 50 cubic feet per 1,000 btuh input rating for all gas appliances in the space. Many times, even if you do have enough free area to support the flame it's still a good idea to pipe in combustion air from outside to improve overall efficiency. Why use air you have paid to heat to support combustion when you can bring in air from outside instead?
I always date the furnace filter when replacing.
How do you know there is no problem with the heat exchanger? And what about the condensate drain trap? As an hvac service technician I would recommend having a professional insect and clean the furnace!
@Tom Haeussler It's always a good idea to have a professional insect on hand while cleaning a furnace. 🤣🤣🤣
Now I know how all those insects got in my house. [shaking fist] Darn you, furnace repair guy!
Is there a link to that 90 degree blue elbow tool? I'm not seeing it.
Maintenance can cut back on call backs and emergency calls if done properly. You can’t stop everything but you can certainly prevent most. Temperature differential to make sure system is not overheating and within specs of furnace, check to make sure all registers are opened and no blocked returns, blown out 90% trap for drain, clean port from inducer housing to pressure switch, make sure burners are cleaned, roll a dime across back burners to ensure the flame will carry over. Check ohms on Ignitor. Check amps on inducer motor and blower. Check with a camera in the heat exchanger for rust or potential cracks. Along with filters, blower and flame sensor. Preventative maintenance is not just feel the furnace, clean one sensor and change a filter.
Do you do a yearly maintenance for an electric home furnace?
When I open the front cover for vacuuming inside the firnace, there was something like filter attached to that front cover. That filter kind of thing was very dirty and broke. What do we call that one? It is round fiber something. Where to find it. Can we turn on furnace without that? Just closing the front cover?
Is your home a mobile home? A lot of mobile home furnaces have the filter material just clipped in to the back of the front cover. You can replace that will standard filters just make sure the existing area that has a filter is covered by the new filters. You can use standard pleated filters as long as the clips will hold it in place. Also that filter that is there is more then likely washable. So if you spray it down with water real good that help your system a lot. And clean it on a regular basis. Maybe every 2-3 months. Cheers
It may just be sound dampening material. It is sometimes glued to the inside of blower compartments. If it comes loose could get sucked into blower.
Thank you sir. Do you have a video for fuel furnace maintenance?
Outstanding. Great work yall. Thanks pleyas !!!
Thank you. That was very helpful. I may still call someone, but at least I now know what to expect.
My furnace had dirty filter which was causing the furnace to turn off due to over heat. After changing the filter still had issue, getting error code. I compared the error code it was a fuse that was triped due to over heat. Reset that now everything works perfectly.
Any chance you can demonstrate this on a gas boiler as well? Thanks for all the content.
Is the cleaning of the A-Coil part of a general maintenance. Mine is getting rusty, but if attended to, this won't become a failure... What say you...?
There's no such thing as copper coils rusting, who told you this? Cleaning coils means spraying off of dust and debris that restricts airflow is what cleaning does.
The access panels on our furnace are completely sealed up with the same type of sealant they used to seal the duct. Why would that be? Should I not open it and clean it?
cut with a razor blade or peel it off. then re-apply another strip of foil tape (from home depot) when done. Not rocket science, ammiright?! Im assuming you meant panels for the A-Coil on the top portion? Those and the ductwork just gets foil taped so a tiny amount of air doesnt leak out the sides.
Hi my Furnace smell dusty and causes me to sneeze a lot. We have hired two guy to clean our vent but the issue still persist. I guess this time we will have to clean the furnace and the blowing wheel
Sounds like you need the indoor fan motor wheel cleaned and also the indoor evaporator coil (just above the furnace on the inside). You can look at the wheel yourself by taking off the bottom furnace panel and shinning a flashlight inside there. You may also need to have your carpet shampood by professionals.
Good information. Disappointed that you didn’t cover cleaning burners.
Very good and clear description. Nice that it was the same furnace I have.
Yeah those Goodman furnaces are Super
Common 👍
Very useful video! I have some issue with my 10 year-old Honeywell programmable thermostat. It works but the LED light inside is not working though I changed the battery. What could be the problem? Thanks in advance for your help.
Make sure the battery contacts are clean in the thermostat and no corrosion. 10 years is probably the expected life of an electronic thermostat and time for replacement. Not like the simple mercury bulb thermostats that could last 50 years plus.
10 year life = you got your money's worth. Get a new thermostat. If you manage to fix old the one, then you've got a spare.
Excellent video!
Thanks!
Is everything the same regardless of whether you have an oil burner or a gas furnace?
No, it’s a bit different. With oil you have an oil filter and pump screen. Nozzle and electrodes, etc. what he shows is not a tune up, it’s a light cleaning. Call a prof. Company to service your oil furnace.
I have an air filter down in the living space, in the ceiling, like Dave said could be the case. Does that mean I do NOT have an air filter (a second one) in the furnace unit? Or could I have one in the ceiling and a second one in the unit? I certainly don't see an easily accessible one in the unit, unless I'd have to remove screws and panels to hunt for it. 25 year old Goodman.
There will always be a factory designed slot for a filter just before the furnace internals. It's designed to protect the coil and motors from your nasty skin dander and other dust. The air filter in vents of the house is just a gimmick and wears out your fan motors excessively more than anything else. You gotta use your lazy little fingers and remove those screws to see where it is inside. Then label the panel with a sharpie so you know for the next time.
@@srobeck77Great advise, except you're wrong.
@@Kube_Dog I was wrong about you being able to look inside the panels? Ya it happens.
@@srobeck77 Great advise, except you're wrong.
@@Kube_Dog did you forget your already said that? Dimensia prolly is what happened here
Thank you, I will be doing this, this fall.. very soon.
Checking the mfd of that capacitor while you’re in there cleaning the blower section.
In your experience. Why is it that if I'm interested in purchasing /replacing as a bundle unit (A/C and furnace, most hvac professionals charge aver $15k when I can purchase both units online for half that price. So my question #2 is can I just buy both units and have an HVAC guy come and install them. Furnace in attic and of course A/C outside
I never cleaned my old oil furnace and I changed it out 15 years ago because it was only 80% efficient (when it was new). I never clean my new gas furnace (95 % efficient) and it is still going strong. Modern heat pumps can be more efficient and more convenient, since sometimes a ductless unit is very practical and easy to install.
Your oil furnace must have been a hot mess, lol.................seriously soot can buildup and restrict the flow of flue gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor. Over time, carbon monoxide can build up in your home with this soot buildup if your furnace is not properly vented or your chimney isn't properly swept.
It was working perfectly and I was happy but my brother had the same vintage as mine and his was leaking CO2 and flames were visible on the exterior so the both of us decided to get newer efficient furnaces. Years later I actually got work as an installer and all of the purchasers had never done maintenance and waited for the furnace to fail before deciding to buy new. My furnace started leaking condensate from a factory defect (a crack in the plastic) in the condensate trap and I repaired it by re-configuring this component to use an alternate outlet port.@@MB-rr1fb
Good luck with that
watching this before the winter storm coming
Excellent Post! Thanks!
Very valuable information. Thank you for sharing
Thanks Hassan 👊