Any HVAC techs around??

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

I've got a furnace problem. No heat. Blower seems to work fine. The motor for the flue fan is working as well. I do get a small whiff of gas after I kill the power to the unit though.

Any ideas? It's 55 degrees in here, and being acheap bastard, I'm not paying $108/hr for them to come tonight.

 

[GeekDrew]

If the pilot light lit? You should be able to see a small flame somewhere if it is.

If you can't see that, and can smell gas, then shut off the gas immediately.

I'm not an HVAC tech, but I've worked with furnaces several times before.

 

[henryay]

We had the same problem happen to us. It was actually because the temperature control box was broken. We had to replace it.

 

[bctbct]

what brand, how old?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
If the pilot light lit? You should be able to see a small flame somewhere if it is.

If you can't see that, and can smell gas, then shut off the gas immediately.

I'm not an HVAC tech, but I've worked with furnaces several times before.

it's electronic ignition....no pilot light.

 

[ctracyw]

Not knowing anymore then I do aobut your furnace, I'd bet that you have had a hot surface ignitor fail. They should be replace every couple of years.

 

[Night201]

You probably have a similar one as my parents. They had a similar problem. I bet you that you need to replace the ignitor.

 

[newParadigm]

yeah do do us all a favor and kill ur gas now, get some space heaters, and stick it out until the morning hwen you can get it worked on during normal biz hours for less$$$

 

[kd2777]

another vote for ignitor.

Should be an easy fix for a HVAC man, and not to hard on your wallet.

kd

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

ignitor looks fine, not cracked or anything. guess I'll find out tomorrow....brrr!

 

[NascarFool]

I am your HVAC tech. If you are smelling gas, most likely the hot surface igniter is bad. What brand is the furnace ? Unplug the igniter and hook up a voltmeter to the connector (not the igniter end). Depending on the brand of furnace you should see 120v (80v or less if it is a newer Trane) before you smell gas. If that is what you see, replace the igniter. I replace three to nine igniters a week. Occasionally the problem is the circuit board but not very often.

By the way, the company I work for charges $190 an hour on OT + $35 service call and it's a one hour minimum. Regular hours is at $95 an hour + $35 service charge.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: NascarFool
I am your HVAC tech. If you are smelling gas, most likely the hot surface igniter is bad. What brand is the furnace ? Unplug the igniter and hook up a voltmeter to the connector (not the igniter end). Depending on the brand of furnace you should see 120v (80v or less if it is a newer Trane) before you smell gas. If that is what you see, replace the igniter. I replace three to nine igniters a week. Occasionally the problem is the circuit board but not very often.

By the way, the company I work for charges $190 an hour on OT + $35 service call and it's a one hour minimum. Regular hours is at $95 an hour + $35 service charge.

You were right, but the tech was an idiot.

Last night after I was done poking around, I turned off the gas valve, and killed the subpanel. This morning, the tech arrives, looks everything over, tells my fiance that everything was turned off, and that was the problem. He packs up and goes tot the truck to write the ticket, and she calls me. I tell her to tell him that I was the one wwho turned everything off, and he needs to look again. Surprise surprise he decides it's a bad igniter. Thanks for being thorough jackass....

 

[NascarFool]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NascarFool
I am your HVAC tech. If you are smelling gas, most likely the hot surface igniter is bad. What brand is the furnace ? Unplug the igniter and hook up a voltmeter to the connector (not the igniter end). Depending on the brand of furnace you should see 120v (80v or less if it is a newer Trane) before you smell gas. If that is what you see, replace the igniter. I replace three to nine igniters a week. Occasionally the problem is the circuit board but not very often.

By the way, the company I work for charges $190 an hour on OT + $35 service call and it's a one hour minimum. Regular hours is at $95 an hour + $35 service charge.

You were right, but the tech was an idiot.

Last night after I was done poking around, I turned off the gas valve, and killed the subpanel. This morning, the tech arrives, looks everything over, tells my fiance that everything was turned off, and that was the problem. He packs up and goes tot the truck to write the ticket, and she calls me. I tell her to tell him that I was the one wwho turned everything off, and he needs to look again. Surprise surprise he decides it's a bad igniter. Thanks for being thorough jackass....

Those kind of techs piss me off. I've seen young techs condemn furnaces because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with them. Where I work, it would have cost you $167 to have the igniter replaced (parts, tax, labor and service call included in the price).

 

[Ornery]

...hot surface ignitor...

Ain't this high tech shlt wonderful? :roll:

I finally stepped up to the 20th century, and had my vintage 1957, 60% efficient furnace upgraded to an 80% efficient unit. It was later that I heard about the wondrous ignitors being prone to fail on a regular basis. My God, what's so damn horrible about a simple pilot?

 

[boomerang]

Now that the OP's problem is resolved, I have a question.

I'm seriously thinking of replacing my furnace and AC this spring. I know that furnaces are getting kind of high tech. Who makes products to stay away from and who makes the "good stuff".

 

[Ornery]

I got quotes from 11 HVAC outfits. During that time, I researched all the different manufacturers. In the end I wanted Rheem, because they had the two speed induction air motor, and used stainless steel for the exchanger.

I finally got the lowest quote from a pair of guys who moonlighted at HVAC. They sold me on Comfortmaker, because it also uses the two stage induced draft fan and stainless exchanger. Initial cost was lower, and replacement parts cheaper.

 

[myusername]

Is this a generic HVAC thread now? Cause I was wondering about using high-filtration filters...They reduce airflow, but how badly do they ding efficiency?

 

[bctbct]

I put in a Tappan, good price, longest warranty at the time and no problems in 5 years.

 

[NascarFool]

hot surface igniters

Rheem, Ruud and Weatherking are the noisiest equipment out there. They are made by the same manufacturer too. Trane has a real nice Variable Speed 90% furnace and it comes with a two year labor, ten year parts and 20 year heat exchanger warranty.

 

[danzigrules]

Originally posted by: NascarFool

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NascarFool
I am your HVAC tech. If you are smelling gas, most likely the hot surface igniter is bad. What brand is the furnace ? Unplug the igniter and hook up a voltmeter to the connector (not the igniter end). Depending on the brand of furnace you should see 120v (80v or less if it is a newer Trane) before you smell gas. If that is what you see, replace the igniter. I replace three to nine igniters a week. Occasionally the problem is the circuit board but not very often.

By the way, the company I work for charges $190 an hour on OT + $35 service call and it's a one hour minimum. Regular hours is at $95 an hour + $35 service charge.

You were right, but the tech was an idiot.

Last night after I was done poking around, I turned off the gas valve, and killed the subpanel. This morning, the tech arrives, looks everything over, tells my fiance that everything was turned off, and that was the problem. He packs up and goes tot the truck to write the ticket, and she calls me. I tell her to tell him that I was the one wwho turned everything off, and he needs to look again. Surprise surprise he decides it's a bad igniter. Thanks for being thorough jackass....

Those kind of techs piss me off. I've seen young techs condemn furnaces because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with them. Where I work, it would have cost you $167 to have the igniter replaced (parts, tax, labor and service call included in the price).

Thank God I can fix my own stuff.

Ignitor cost me 46.50 and 10 minutes of my time :roll:

 

[imported_Condor]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
I've got a furnace problem. No heat. Blower seems to work fine. The motor for the flue fan is working as well. I do get a small whiff of gas after I kill the power to the unit though.

Any ideas? It's 55 degrees in here, and being acheap bastard, I'm not paying $108/hr for them to come tonight.

Pay the bgucks. Get someone in who knows what they are doing. You may have a leaking heat exchanger and it could kill you if not fixed correctly.

 

[Benthere]

Originally posted by: danzigrules

Originally posted by: NascarFool

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: NascarFool
I am your HVAC tech. If you are smelling gas, most likely the hot surface igniter is bad. What brand is the furnace ? Unplug the igniter and hook up a voltmeter to the connector (not the igniter end). Depending on the brand of furnace you should see 120v (80v or less if it is a newer Trane) before you smell gas. If that is what you see, replace the igniter. I replace three to nine igniters a week. Occasionally the problem is the circuit board but not very often.

By the way, the company I work for charges $190 an hour on OT + $35 service call and it's a one hour minimum. Regular hours is at $95 an hour + $35 service charge.

You were right, but the tech was an idiot.

Last night after I was done poking around, I turned off the gas valve, and killed the subpanel. This morning, the tech arrives, looks everything over, tells my fiance that everything was turned off, and that was the problem. He packs up and goes tot the truck to write the ticket, and she calls me. I tell her to tell him that I was the one wwho turned everything off, and he needs to look again. Surprise surprise he decides it's a bad igniter. Thanks for being thorough jackass....

Those kind of techs piss me off. I've seen young techs condemn furnaces because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with them. Where I work, it would have cost you $167 to have the igniter replaced (parts, tax, labor and service call included in the price).

Thank God I can fix my own stuff.

Ignitor cost me 46.50 and 10 minutes of my time :roll:

Amen to that,I too fix all my own stuff, downside is all my friends and relatives want me to fix their stuff also.

 

[mrrman]

some good info and input

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Condor
You may have a leaking heat exchanger and it could kill you if not fixed correctly.

Oh that's lots of fun.

The guys throw a smoke grenade in the firebox and look for white smoke coming out of the supply side.