What a Flame Sensor Is and Why It Matters

February 26, 2017

Setting up your routine furnace maintenance helps keep your heating system working up to 30 percent more efficient and helps extend the life of your system. But things can still stop working, and when they do, you may feel like there is always something else.


What is a flame sensor, anyway?

A flame sensor is a crucial safety feature on your gas heating equipment. During the ignition sequence, your gas furnace undergoes a process where either a spark or a hot surface igniter will actually ignite the gas. As the gas is ignited, the flame sensor creates a current of electricity. The electricity is quantified in micro amps. If the furnace’s control board doesn’t read the proper level of micro amps, the furnace will quit giving the system fuel to stop an explosion.

Over time, if the flame sensor is not cleaned appropriately, oxidation or carbon buildup can restrict the flame sensor’s ability to work properly, which can cause the furnace to malfunction.



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