Is your furnace due for a check-up? It’s not just heat that flows through those burners. Dust, grime, and debris build quickly and wreak havoc.
As the go-to furnace maintenance contractor in Kingwood, TX, we at Crew Heating & Cooling know how to clean furnace burners to a shine. Why does this skill matter? Keep reading as we share the nitty-gritty details about furnace upkeep.
What Happens When You Have Filthy Furnace Burners Trying To Heat Your Home?
Furnace burners mix air and gas to produce a flame, which heats the air and circulates it throughout your property. This combustion process isn’t perfect. Often, it creates a black powdery substance called soot.
What’s wrong with soot accumulation? Ignore it, and the following problems pop up:
- Subpar heating: Dirty burners can’t ignite gas properly with the reduced air intake. Random cold spots will plague your interior spaces.
- Higher energy usage: With the system failing to produce your desired heat, it compensates by consuming more fuel. You pay more for lower performance!
- Hastened wear: Buildup also causes ignition delays when gas accumulates in the combustion chamber. When the burner finally ignites, the resulting fire inside the chamber can explode or cause cracks over time.
- A hazard to your property: Breached combustion chambers can release carbon monoxide — a dangerous gas that’s often undetectable.
Know When To Give Your Heating Appliance Swift Attention in Kingwood, Texas
You don’t have to disassemble the setup while checking for soot. Just keep an eye out for the following red flags:
Subpar Furnace Operation
Are you bundling up in blankets in certain rooms while others feel strangely warm? The most detectable sign of furnace trouble is uneven heating.
It also pays to compare utility costs from month to month. A steep spike without changes in your routine might mean your system is suddenly working too hard. That’s also why knowing how to clean furnace burners helps you stay comfortable in Kingwood’s chilly winters.
Unusual Sounds
Modern furnaces produce no more than a quiet hum. Anything outside its usual operational noise should ring alarm bells.
Do you occasionally hear a loud boom? This small “explosion” in the combustion chamber might mean the burner has a clog and suffers from the ignition delay we talked about earlier.
Flame Quality
Take the cover off the appliance and observe the pilot light and flames while your Kingwood furnace operates. Is each individual flame roughly the same size? Unevenness indicates restricted ventilation, creating an unbalanced gas distribution.
Its color also tells a story. A steady blue flame is normal, whereas orange, green, or yellow points to incomplete gas combustion or a blocked or leaking exhaust flue.
Refreshing Your Furnace Burners in Kingwood, Texas
Our Kingwood furnace experts strongly advise against doing this task yourself, even if you know how to clean furnace burners. Mistakes won’t just lead to inefficiency — they could endanger your property!
Professional furnace cleaning follows these steps to stay safe:
Turn Off the Appliance
Safety first! The last thing you want is an otherwise straightforward job turning into a home emergency. Experts start by shutting down the associated breaker and gas supply valve.
Familiarize Yourself With the Setup
Even the most adept HVAC specialists take detailed pictures before taking things apart, as it’s tricky to remember where everything goes after the cleaning. We might also check your owner’s manual or go online to find diagrams.
Begin the Burner Removal
We gently take off the burner retaining plate with a socket wrench or screwdriver. Most models have several screws holding the plate in place. We slowly remove each of the burners, which usually come in cylindrical shapes, and start cleaning on the side of the gas valve. Burners are very delicate components, so we use a light touch!
Clean Everything
Items that you’ll need from any Kingwood hardware store include:
- A brass wire brush
- Fine steel wool
- A compressed air canister
We’ll start by brushing the end of the burners and blowing concentrated air inside them to eliminate carbon buildup. Fins need particular attention, as does the flame sensor, a tiny rod behind the final burner. Detach the sensor from the wire and screw, carefully scrubbing things with the steel wool.
Reassemble
Reassembly is tricky, even for professionals. It takes some time to carefully place each part back snugly and close up the plate.
Furnace Technicians in Kingwood, TX, Who Care
Why go through all the trouble of learning how to clean furnace burners? Crew Heating & Cooling always has you covered. Dial now for thorough maintenance — or a furnace replacement if you’re ready to upgrade.