3 Furnace Safety Switches That Protect Home and Health

Some people have concerns over running a gas heater, as any gas installation comes with the risk of overheating, natural gas leaks, and carbon monoxide poisoning. However, today’s furnaces not only burn fuel more efficiently than ever before, they also have advanced safety features that make these safety issues very rare. At Comfort Central, Inc. we want to answer your questions about installing a furnace in Arden, so we’ve put together this guide to some of theB key safety features of a modern gas furnace.

• Flame Sensor: This is the component that is perhaps most important in preventing gas leaks. The flame sensor detects when there is no longer a flameB at your burner, and shuts off the gas after a set amount of time. In older furnaces where the pilot light stayed on at all times, this was called a thermocouple. It is simply a probe that sends a signal to the control board if there is nothing present. It is possible for the thermocouple or flame sensor to get a faulty reading, particularly if it is dirty or out of a place. You should leave it up to an expert to determine whether the part is faulty or not.
• Limit Switch: The limit switch is programmed to switch off the furnace if the furnace plenum is at risk of overheating. Long ago, this would have meant an explosion, but today, limit switches keep this from ever becoming a fear. Some modern limit switches are combinedB with the fan switch,B which is the part that delays the fan a bit until the unit heats up. If the plenum is overheating, it’s most likely because the fan failed to turn on or to power to the extent needed to move heat out of the plenum.
• Air Pressure Switch: In modern furnaces, an additional blower helps to vent the byproducts of combustion, such as carbon monoxide, away from the home and through the flue. If there is not enough are pressure moving through the flue, a modernB unit will shut down as the air pressure switch signals to the control board to do so.

Call the experts atB Comfort Central, Inc.B to get more information about your furnace in Arden. We offer professional installation, maintenance, and repairs.