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spot1989
Dec 7, 2008, 07:29 PM
When my furnace kicks off it comes back on for a second then goes off is that normal

KC13
Dec 7, 2008, 07:31 PM
No.

AMandaC37
Dec 8, 2008, 08:04 AM
Mine is doing the same thing. What could this problem be? The ignitor comes on and then goes right back out. We had people come clean the ignitor and it still doesn't work. It just blows out cool air since it won't stay lit.

hvac1000
Dec 8, 2008, 09:02 AM
when my furnance kicks off it comes back on for a second then goes off is that normal


Are you talking about the blower or the burner?

AMandaC37
Dec 8, 2008, 09:08 AM
The burner that you can see through the side of the unit ingites and then goes right back out. It won't stay lit. The people that came out replaced the filter and cleaned the ignitor. It worked for a couple weeks, but now isn't anymore.

hvac1000
Dec 8, 2008, 09:26 AM
The burner that you can see through the side of the unit ingites and then goes right back out. It won't stay lit. The people that came out replaced the filter and cleaned the ignitor. It worked for a couple weeks, but now isn't anymore.



Try cleaning the flame sensor or call the service people back. They did not fix your unit correctly the last time but they took your $$$$.

AMandaC37
Dec 8, 2008, 09:31 AM
Is this the piece that they should have cleaned when they said they were cleaning it? I can't imagine that it still wouldn't work after they said it just needed to be cleaned. I am always so scared they are going to cheat me out of money because I have no clue if what they say is true or not. Are there any other possiblilities of what it could be?

Thanks!

hvac1000
Dec 8, 2008, 09:35 AM
I really have no idea what they cleaned but this usually causes the problems you are having. The flame sensor could also be defective or the special cable that attaches the flame sensor to the board.

spot1989
Dec 8, 2008, 04:44 PM
Are you talking about the blower or the burner?

Actually both you know when the furnace reaches the desired temp it goes off like it should then it comes right back on for a second then goes off until the next cycle

hvac1000
Dec 8, 2008, 05:16 PM
So what you are saying is that after the blower shuts down the first time it comes back on for a very short time then turns off till the next heat cycle?

If that is the case the blower is clearing out the residual heat and this action is not normal. The fan and limit control or the fan blower control is defective or out of range causing the problem.

AMandaC37
Dec 9, 2008, 06:17 AM
So, I had the company come back out last night and they turned the furnace off and said we needed a new one. They told us it was the heat exchanger and the flame was coming out the side from under a plate? Apparently it was getting the plate very hot and the safety mechanism was cutting it off. Does this sound legit?

hvac1000
Dec 9, 2008, 06:35 AM
Anything is possible. Many furnaces have a 20+ year heat exchanger warranty so before you buy new I would look into that.

AMandaC37
Dec 9, 2008, 07:09 AM
This was the builder's furnace that was 14 years old. Might it still have a warranty with it? How would I find out?

Also, if it was the heat exchanger, can that part not be fixed alone? We would have to get a new furnace?

hvac1000
Dec 9, 2008, 08:10 AM
Heat exchangers can be replaced by themselves.

Get your manufactures model number. Find there web site for a number and call them

AMandaC37
Dec 9, 2008, 08:13 AM
We are suppose to have an estimator come out to the house today. Are there any brands of furnaces you would recommend more than others? Or any that you would say not to get?

hvac1000
Dec 9, 2008, 08:23 AM
Basically all furnaces work but the most important thing is a proper install. Some furnaces have more features but all you need to do is heat your home.

Make sure to get the 90+ version for good efficiency.
Stay away from the units that have a variable speed blower fan at all costs. After the warranty is over the price of the parts for these variable speed units will break the bank and the variable speed option is not really any more efficient in the long run.

AMandaC37
Dec 9, 2008, 08:32 AM
We are only staying in the house another year before we sell it. We just finished the windows and were not expecting this huge problem with the furnace. We would like to get one that works well, but we aren't concerned about the long run since we won't be in the home much longer. We also do not want a huge expense, so we would like to a furnace that will work well for the remainder of our time there, but also not cost too much for us.

hvac1000
Dec 9, 2008, 09:36 AM
Then just buy the cheapest thing available and make sure to get 2 or more bids on the price.

AMandaC37
Dec 9, 2008, 09:44 AM
Great! Thank you for all of your helpful advice. If I have any more questions, I know where to come! I'm sure I will have one or two after the estimate.