I had a contractor plug a furnace burner orifice with Teflon tape and rearrange the burners. How serious is an issue like this?
Furnace plugging
Furnoguy
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The reason for plugging the burner orifice on this was because the furnace was tripping limit switches. The contractor believed the furnace was oversized for the house. During this phase of operation, the furnace began to go from the blower cycle to the igniting phaze, then gas shut off, then ignite again repeatedly. Could this have taken a toll on parts and wear and tear?
The reason Teflon tape was used because the tech didn't have an brass plugs on him and said it was temporary but never bothered coming back to do it correctly.
The reason Teflon tape was used because the tech didn't have an brass plugs on him and said it was temporary but never bothered coming back to do it correctly.
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You need to find a different service provider.
By the way, this was a Tappan natural gas furnace. The tech only took responsibility for replacing the limit switches 5 or 6 of them, the control board, and ignitor and denies that he touched the burners or plugged the burner when I was standing right next to him when it was performed.
The tech that actually got everything in running safe order again said it was misfiring and gas was also stuck in the chambers. Repeatedly, I'd hear a poof sound when firing up prior to returning to safe operation.
The tech that actually got everything in running safe order again said it was misfiring and gas was also stuck in the chambers. Repeatedly, I'd hear a poof sound when firing up prior to returning to safe operation.
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Multiple limit failures, the same one or different ones? Then he replaced the board and ignitor?
A different tech said that gas was building up in the chamber, the same one associated where the orifice was plugged?
Did anyone do a Combustion Analysis? The CA tells how the furnace is burning.
Delayed ignition (the puff) is generally from dirty burners. Bad limit switches are from not enough air flow so the furnace gets to hot unless the limit is not a limit but a flame rollout switch which puts us back in a serious problem area.
Does this furnace have a metal vent pipe or does it vent out in PVC?
Multiple limit failures on different ones. Then we turned the furnace on after those were replaced and the ignitor turned on and blew up with sparks and all. Replaced the ignitor, still didn't run correctly, then found out the control board was fried.
Finally after all these parts, it turned on but kept tripping switches. His temporary resolution was plugging one burner with Teflon tape and returning but never did.
The tech that found the gas building up in the chamber was a new tech. Combustion analysis done and operating as it should.
This has a metal vent pipe.
Finally after all these parts, it turned on but kept tripping switches. His temporary resolution was plugging one burner with Teflon tape and returning but never did.
The tech that found the gas building up in the chamber was a new tech. Combustion analysis done and operating as it should.
This has a metal vent pipe.
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Post the #'s
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There are a lot more numbers to a CA than 2 and except for indoor air and COaf is 75 a good number.
Multiple limits at the same time sound like rollouts tripping which will not let you have good CA numbers.
Not saying that a ignitor can't "blow up" but I have never seen anything close to that.
Also I don't know how a bad board will take out an ignitor or an ignitor take out a board.
I'm thinking maybe seafood has been in the sun too long.
Multiple limits at the same time sound like rollouts tripping which will not let you have good CA numbers.
Not saying that a ignitor can't "blow up" but I have never seen anything close to that.
Also I don't know how a bad board will take out an ignitor or an ignitor take out a board.
I'm thinking maybe seafood has been in the sun too long.
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In my opinion yes. This is a clear indication that he is worried about his actions.
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You have a potentially dangerous setup and should shut the system down until a different contractor who actually knows how to use a combustion analyzer for troubleshooting can be contacted and thoroughly go through this unit.
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That, like all the other fixes he tried, is not only bad for the system, but just puts a band-aid on the problem.
When dealing with gas burning appliances that can produce high levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) if not tuned properly, this guy is casting aside your safety.
Please keep us posted as to what the next contractor finds and recommends.
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Did he recheck or adjust the gas pressure at the gas valve after plugging at least one orifice, guessing removing the air filter was to help it not potentially trip the high limit.
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