How Do You Clean A Furnace Sensor?

A furnace sensor is a vital component that ensures the gas valve opens only when flames are present, protecting your home from potential gas leaks. Found in all modern gas furnaces and other gas-powered heating systems, this critical component detects and confirms flame presence to keep your system running safely. If you have an older furnace model, check whether it includes a flame sensor, as not all older units are equipped with one.

Keeping your flame sensor clean is essential for optimal performance—learn how to clean a furnace flame sensor and prevent common issues in our guide.

How To Clean a Furnace Sensor?

Here are some easy tips for cleaning your furnace sensor:

• Turn Off The Electricity

There’s a danger of electrical current when dismantling a system like a furnace, and if the heating system isn’t turned off and starts with a thermostat or buzzer while you’re working, you could get severely burned.Out of an abundance of caution, you should remove the power supply to the unit. Remember that simply turning off the thermostat’s instantaneous temperature control does not mean the system gets turned off.

• Take Away The Furnace Sensor

Access the outer panel with your wrench driver or connector set and store the bolts somewhere safe. Your gas sensor should be easy to find, and it’s most likely near the panel’s entrance. It should get assembled using the same hex screws as the outer panel screws, so no special tools are required.

• Clean The Sensor First

Keep in mind that the base is most probably created- of porcelain, making it quite delicate, so be careful while handling your flame sensor. Now is the time to get scrubbing! It is only significant to clean the metal rod; don’t let your cleaning tools contact the plaster or other components.Begin by rubbing the rod lightly with sandpaper to remove the majority of the buildup. Apart from carbon accumulation, you don’t want to remove anything.

• Rebuild

It’s time to put everything back together now that your gas sensor is as fresh as possible. The reassembly procedure is the exact inverse of the disassembly procedure. If you separated the sensor physically, now is the time to reconnect it before reinstalling it in its mount and tightening the screws. Return the cover panel to its original position and fasten the securing screws. If you overtighten these, you risk scraping them. They need to be a bit past finger tight, but no more than that.

• System Evaluation

Modern furnaces have several security features built-in, some of which may activate automatically if the system detects a reboot after a period of no electricity. It is normal, so don’t get concerned if your heating system doesn’t roar back to life the moment you turn it on.Based on the thermostat configurations, the system should either be in constant alert or start running after cycling through its checks.