Gas furnaces are efficient HVAC system altogether. But their efficiency can be affected by several factors, mainly if the furnace has not been cleaned for a while. And the most neglected part of your gas furnace is might be the flame sensor. Even though you remember to wipe and clean the external parts of your gas furnace, you hardly realize that the internal components, especially the flame sensor need to be cleaned for consistence performance.
Why do you need to clean the flame sensor of your gas furnace?
The flame sensor in your gas furnace is a crucial part of your gas furnace or any heating unit run by gas. This flame sensor protects your gas furnace against improper or dangerous burning of fuel.
If this flame sensor is not cleaned properly, it will not work as efficiently as you would expect it to operate. That’s why it is important that you clean the unit every once in a while.
When do I know if it is time to clean the flame sensor?
If you notice your gas furnace is malfunctioning very often, chances are it is your flame sensor that’s causing the malfunction. Besides you can check using microamp reading of your gas furnace.
How To Clean Your Gas Furnace Flame Sensor
Step 1 – Cut the power
Like you do before fixing any other heating and cooling system, the power supply should be cut off. You can do this from the fuse box or simply unplugging the unit form your home electricity supply.
Step 2 – Open the gas furnace unit
Next step is to open the gas furnace unit to access the flame sensor. Depending on the model of your heating gas furnace, you might need to unscrew to pull apart the external plate to get access to the sensor. However, other Heating and Air Conditioning company can build their heating units differently and you might need to see the manual to get access to the flame sensor.
Step 3 – Take out the flame sensor from the gas furnace
Once you get access to the flame sensor. Take it out from the gas furnace and then clean it. But you can also do the cleaning while keeping the flame sensor inside the furnace. However, I’d suggest otherwise.
Step 4 – Blow the dust off
First part of cleaning is blowing off the dust that is sitting on the flame sensor. You can use a blower or just blow from your mouth.
Step 5 – Scrub for the stains and dirt
For the stains and dirt that doesn’t come off easily, you might need to use a soft brush or a piece of cloth. Using the brush or cloth, scrub the places where satins are stuck and don’t come off. But do it gently, you don’t want to break it while you clean.
Step 6 – Put the sensor in its place and reinstate the gas furnace
Once you are done cleaning the flame sensor, you need to reattach the flame sensor to the gas furnace. Then cover and reinstall the gas furnace properly. Connect the power and see if everything is okay or not.
See the summary of this article in an infographic here – Cleaning Your Gas Furnace Flame Sensor [Infographic]
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