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Thread: Furnace Issues

  1. #1
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    Default Furnace Issues

    So lately my furnace has been acting up. Specifically happens when my wife turns the temp up (e.g. hold 18*c to hold 20*c). The furnace will simply shut off. The status light (in the little peep hole) is not illuminated at all. Furnace still has power though, because the thermostat on the wall stays powered up. Thermostat is sending the heat signal correctly (can hear it click on and off when you adjust the temp).

    When I cut the power to the furnace and turn it back on, either with the breaker or the local switch that's wired in, everything works normally.

    For reference, furnace is a Goodman GKS90904CXAE. Installed in 2009, and sticker on the side says it got a new board and thermostat in 2015. I'm not sure specifically why this was done, we bought the house in 2016.

    Happy to hear anyone's 2c that's either knowledgeable about furnaces, or has seen this before. Obviously I can just continue to power cycle it if it stops working, but that's not exactly a solution.

  2. #2
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    When our furnace was turning on and shutting off shortly after, it was the flame sensor. 10 minutes of work and some steel wool, and it has been running flawlessly for the last 2 years. I am not sure if that is what you are describing or not, as yours might sound more electrical related if you say it works normally after a hard power cycle.

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    Yeah I don't think it's quite the same problem. It functions/cycles normally for the entire day, but sometimes will stop working specifically when the temp is turned up.
    I will take a look at that though.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cjblair View Post
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    Yeah I don't think it's quite the same problem. It functions/cycles normally for the entire day, but sometimes will stop working specifically when the temp is turned up.
    I will take a look at that though.
    Ours would occasionally work too, but most often it would try to start and then shut off when presumably it did not detect a flame. Either way, it probably needs cleaning if you've never done it and it's easy to do.

    If you can reliably 'fix' your issue with a power cycle though it probably isn't that, but I'd clean it regardless if you have a few minutes.

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    Not familiar with that brand but theres only so many ways you can make a furnace. Is it a mid or high efficiency unit? Any chance it has a honeywell smart gas valve on it. I've had to change two that had the exact same symptoms as OP.

    Attached Images Attached Images  

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    I went through the exact same thing a couple of years ago, restarting the furnace would make it come on properly but looking back I think that was just coincidence. Cleaning the flame sensor helped but the problem returned within days, replacing the flame sensor did the trick, it's worked flawlessly ever since. Most people say it's really easy to do but accessing it on mine was a real PITA, hopefully that's not the case for you and you can either fix it or rule it out quickly.

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    AMRE Supply is my go to for some furnace parts. My circuit board crapped out a few years ago. Reliance wanted $250 just to come look. Found a member on 780Tuners that does furnace side work. But his contact didn't have circuit board in stock. AMRE did. He did my install for cheap $120. Gave him another $20 for coming short notice/gas. Circuit board was $300ish IIRC. One day without a furnace and no space heater sucked.
    Originally posted by GTS Jeff
    You know those bored stay at home moms who's entire lives revolve around driving their kids to soccer, various cleaning accessories, and worrying about neighbourhood rapists? The kind of people that watch the View and go "uh huh..." Those unfulfilled people who try to fill the void in their empty lives by writing whiny letters to the editor complaining about shit that no one really cares about?

    Well imagine if instead of writing that letter to the editor, she just posts on a car forum for car enthusiasts. That's Kritafo.

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    Open the cover to look at the control board directly. The status lights may not be visible through the peephole.

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    Just an update, it's been working fine for the last couple days. Intermittent problems are the worst kind.

    And I can see the status light through the peephole, I know where to look. I also opened up the cover to look at the burner and noticed theres a small condensate leak coming from somewhere. If we get some consistently warm weather one weekend, and I feel ambitious, I'm going to tear into it and look around... until then, I'll just cross my fingers and do the power cycle routine if the problem pops up again

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    Check the screw clamps near where the vent pipe leaves the furnace. Apparently this is a very common spot to have a condensate leak. I just found this out the other day by a service buddy, and mine needed at least three full turns each to be tight. Common factory installed problem. Also, check rubber tubes that go from the vent to the lower resercoir, and the dummy side of the condensate connection that goes out to the floor drain/pump.

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    what does the status light indicator tell you regarding the problem?

    we had something like that happen earlier this year in the middle of winter when it was -20C and turns out for us it was the pressure switch gone bad

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    Quote Originally Posted by taemo View Post
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    what does the status light indicator tell you regarding the problem?

    we had something like that happen earlier this year in the middle of winter when it was -20C and turns out for us it was the pressure switch gone bad
    If you look in the manual or on the inside of the panel, there's a legend for the number/pattern of blinks and it will tell you what's wrong.

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    I had intermittent furnace problems, and like someone mentioned above, it was the damn gas valve that got stuck. AMRE had one for $125, replaced mine and it's been perfect since. Before that I had to basically power cycle the thing every few days sometimes, or sometimes multiple times a day. Used a recording software and an old laptop webcam to record with sound what was going on. The click when the gas valve opened was very different than when it didn't light up, and that's how I finally knew it was the valve. It was the worst kind of problem to troubleshoot as it would work for days at a time before crapping out. I am sure if I called someone to troubleshoot they would have been here multiple times replacing every part imaginable.

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    Not really related to Op's issue, but want to share my experience with a furnace replacement that happened just this morning.

    Mine started acting up with some low screeching noises, then hot air stopped coming out couple of days later. Checked the error code and it said something was wrong with the pressure switch. The furnace is intimindating so ended up calling Action Furnace. $70 for a service call, determined the induction motor was out, $900 for parts and labour. Advised that mine was 14 years old, and unless it was built prior to the 80's, 15 years is about how long the new ones last.

    The sevice guy made an appointment for the sales guy to come to do an evaluation, they range from $5500 to $6600 all in for Amana's. Ended up picking up a mid range one for $6000 for my average-sized single detached. Service was good and fast, but do feel they push to replace more than doing the repair.

    Could had probably insisted on a repair, but knowing the blower was replaced once before and it was a mid-efficency furnace. Just seems like it was time to bite the bullet on a new one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cdnsir View Post
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    Service was good and fast, but do feel they push to replace more than doing the repair.
    yup, i noticed this as well when talking to almost all HVAC companies. Even when i posted on an HVAC-professionals forum (hvac-talk.com) about replacing my blower motor, pretty much all replies were "don't bother doing the $200 repair on your 40 year old furnace that otherwise works fine, just get a new furnace"

    On the other hand, i had ATCO come in for a free inspection right when i moved in, and he told me the opposite - "keep your old furnace as long as you can, they don't make them like they used to". Amazing the different viewpoint when you're an expert but DON'T have any skin in the game/interest in selling a new furnace.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sabad66 View Post
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    yup, i noticed this as well when talking to almost all HVAC companies. Even when i posted on an HVAC-professionals forum (hvac-talk.com) about replacing my blower motor, pretty much all replies were "don't bother doing the $200 repair on your 40 year old furnace that otherwise works fine, just get a new furnace"

    On the other hand, i had ATCO come in for a free inspection right when i moved in, and he told me the opposite - "keep your old furnace as long as you can, they don't make them like they used to". Amazing the different viewpoint when you're an expert but DON'T have any skin in the game/interest in selling a new furnace.
    Yep Yep, get ATCO to check things out to have an unbiased opinion. The HVAC and plumbing company reps get a comission on the total invoice I'm sure, so they push hard to make you spend money. Cocksuckers.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    Yep Yep, get ATCO to check things out to have an unbiased opinion. The HVAC and plumbing company reps get a comission on the total invoice I'm sure, so they push hard to make you spend money. Cocksuckers.
    I’m in the industry. Keep fixing it forever if you want to save money.

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    So yeah, if I need a furnace tech to come out, it seems cheaper to just pay for furnace cleaning and get the "tune up" free. I'm having some confusing issues, what may be furnace or thermostat related. Can't figure it out yet. Seems like both, but that also seem unlikely.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    So yeah, if I need a furnace tech to come out, it seems cheaper to just pay for furnace cleaning and get the "tune up" free. I'm having some confusing issues, what may be furnace or thermostat related. Can't figure it out yet. Seems like both, but that also seem unlikely.
    Not knowing what your issues are, have you checked to see how dirty your filter is? A dirty filter will create all sorts of issues due to inadequate air flow.
    Will fuck off, again.

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    also check where the air comes into your home. Sometimes the intake can get full of snow or ice up? Can you call Atco out to get it checked out?



    "Yep Yep, get ATCO to check things out to have an unbiased opinion. The HVAC and plumbing company reps get a comission on the total invoice I'm sure, so they push hard to make you spend money. Cocksuckers."


    LOL ... just saw this. You say it like its a bad thing!!!! lolol....

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