Wouldn't you know it, 3 days before I leave for Asia for 2 weeks, my hot water heating system is acting up! Any plumbers in the house?
Grrrrr - no heat and leaving for China
- Thread starter wrench13
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Flboy
Well-known member
- Dec 28, 2014
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Yuk! ..
Funny, same issue here, I'm going to have to pay for an emergency service on my furnace....I leave Tuesday for a trip.
Start with 'Resetting' the Furnace!
If you have pump motor (on /off) switch, turn it off, first. Next switch-off the main Furnace switch (at or near the furnace). And, just in case you got one of those micro power; by pass units, which keeps the Furnace computer with a background power source - go to your Main Power Panel and switch-off the Furnace Breaker!
Let everything sit 'off' for about five minutes. During this time, set the Thermostat as low as it will go! Turn things on again, starting at the Power Panel and, then the Furnace switch and then the pump switch. (Note: if those switch have screw-in type fuse, check the fuse before turning the switch on! Now, stand next to the Furnace (with the access cover off) and have someone else turn the Thermostat to like 80 degrees. Listen Closely to your furnace attempt to turn-on, the following items:
- Is the Pump Motor Running?
- Look at auto flue control unit. (with the exception of the pump, it has to open before anything else starts) They can become confused as to where they are at and fail to open a position switch. Depending on the size of the unit, you may not have such a device.
- Look at the spark device that lights the pilot flame. You should see a red /orange glow with a sensor next to it. (this allows the Pilot Gas switch to open).
- Look at the flame sensing device (at or over the top of the pilot flame) If no pilot, the main gas valve will not open.
With the home quiet, you should hear the switches /valves click!
If it does not start, try this again. If it fails to start: One of the above have failed to operate properly! where the sounds stop, the next item is commonly the problem!
Major Failures:
- The furnace computer is dead and needs to be replaced. ($)
- The Main Gas Control /Value unit has failed and needs to be replaced. ($)
Hope this helps!
If you have pump motor (on /off) switch, turn it off, first. Next switch-off the main Furnace switch (at or near the furnace). And, just in case you got one of those micro power; by pass units, which keeps the Furnace computer with a background power source - go to your Main Power Panel and switch-off the Furnace Breaker!
Let everything sit 'off' for about five minutes. During this time, set the Thermostat as low as it will go! Turn things on again, starting at the Power Panel and, then the Furnace switch and then the pump switch. (Note: if those switch have screw-in type fuse, check the fuse before turning the switch on! Now, stand next to the Furnace (with the access cover off) and have someone else turn the Thermostat to like 80 degrees. Listen Closely to your furnace attempt to turn-on, the following items:
- Is the Pump Motor Running?
- Look at auto flue control unit. (with the exception of the pump, it has to open before anything else starts) They can become confused as to where they are at and fail to open a position switch. Depending on the size of the unit, you may not have such a device.
- Look at the spark device that lights the pilot flame. You should see a red /orange glow with a sensor next to it. (this allows the Pilot Gas switch to open).
- Look at the flame sensing device (at or over the top of the pilot flame) If no pilot, the main gas valve will not open.
With the home quiet, you should hear the switches /valves click!
If it does not start, try this again. If it fails to start: One of the above have failed to operate properly! where the sounds stop, the next item is commonly the problem!
Major Failures:
- The furnace computer is dead and needs to be replaced. ($)
- The Main Gas Control /Value unit has failed and needs to be replaced. ($)
Hope this helps!
Last edited:
Kentuckienne
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How is it acting up? I house sat for my sister recently and the furnace wigged out. Would say it was starting, fan came on, everything shut down. The repair person was sure it was a board but after several rounds it turned out to be a bad thermostat unit on the wall. Once that was replaced everything was fine.
I tried a bunch of things ... read that a dirty filter can cause the air flow to be too low so the automatic safety shut down clicks on, it wasn’t that. You might try replacing the wall thermostat just in case, I think it is returnable if that’s not the problem.
Wait, do you mean the hot water heater system? I love the Terry Love Plumbing Forum https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php
Great articles and resources and real time help.
I tried a bunch of things ... read that a dirty filter can cause the air flow to be too low so the automatic safety shut down clicks on, it wasn’t that. You might try replacing the wall thermostat just in case, I think it is returnable if that’s not the problem.
Wait, do you mean the hot water heater system? I love the Terry Love Plumbing Forum https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php
Great articles and resources and real time help.
OP
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks 'Boats, I will try all that when I gt home.
Kentuck - its the heat, we have a separate domestic hot water heater.
Kentuck - its the heat, we have a separate domestic hot water heater.
LordTriggs
New member
may sound stupid but if it's the normal radiator style heating have you tried "bleeding" the radiators? My mum's heating acts up a lot because air gets stuck in the radiators which stops the heat working. Just a thought
wrench13,
$350 later and my furnace is purring like a kitten
$350 later and my furnace is purring like a kitten
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