Zero Degrees + My Furnace Dies !

Yup,
The coldest morning of the year --
I'm almost out the door at 4:30 am this morning --
I go to raise the thermostat and the setting is at 65 degrees
but the temp is only registering 60 degrees.

I feel the baseboards + yup....they're cold.
Go to the furnace in the basement + no pilot light w/
some water ooze-ing out of two valves.
I can't find the pilot lighting area ?
I go "on line" to the company that made it --
look up "troubleshooting " --
"If your furnace is not working call a professional "
That was a lotta help !
.
Watch several "You Tube" -- "light your furnace pilot videos "
But I can't find the damn pilot on my furnace.
I call my plumber ---
He arrives several hours later.....I call in to work "I'll be late".
Well....
My damn pilot is located WAY IN THE BACK - BEHIND a metal plate.
Funny thing....I'm always lighting the furnace at work -- but never
my own furnace.
The guy lights my pilot.......and I feel like a jerk.:confused2:
But my Thermocoupler ( starter )doesn't work + the pilot keeps going out.
So, I don't feel as much a jerk !
$258 bucks later ( half hour labor ) = my heat is on.
.
The guy told me to leave the overnite thermostat at 67 degrees
because of the cold snap.
Usually I leave it at 60.......last nite I left it at 65.
He said "Alot of frozen pipe calls coming in."
.
Live + learn.
And he told me -- "They don't make your furnace anymore."
.
Well....it had to be on the coldest morn of the year.
.
How's everybody else doing ?

 

I have the Service plan with the gas co.

Covers the furnace in winter and ac in summer,only a few bucks a month tacked on the bill .Have used it a few times so I guess it's worth it ,they seem to give prompt service which is nice when youre really freezing or roasting.I had that part go also ,it was covered100%.But to answer your original question,I'm doin fine gonna get cleaned up and go slop down a few beers at the Clubhouse.

 

its getting warmer..

so I've got the patio doors open and can see out over the pool as I use the computer... this cold spell sure sucks...


(sorry - can't help it - just moved here after 12 years in NH!)

 

and I have my AC on

However 1 of my ACs did die last summer when it was 100+ out.
Guess that is better then worrying about freezing pipes though. I remember those times!

 

Its a balmy -36C with wind chill here, 0 degrees is shorts weather.

 

Soloman! Where the heck do you live?

Sorry, Joe. Gotta put another log of the fire here, and it's not very cold.

 

At least it was only a thermocoupler going out. I had a similar issue but my heat exchange went. It was a few years ago on a Saturday of Super Bowl weekend, the coldest day of the year. I woke up to find the house was freezing. It was noon by the time I found someone to come out and the guy to tell me the furnace was too old and I'd be better off replacing the whole thing. I personally think I got raked over the coals on what he charged, but didn't feel that I had many other options.

Why do things always breakdown on weekends (especially cars) when you have little to no choice on getting the work done???

 

East coast of canada cant wait to ship out in a few days

 

I have never seen a thermometer that went lower then 32 so I guess I am doing great!!

Plus I dont know what a furnace is. Isnt that where they make steel?

 

I hate being a home owner. But, I hate renting more. I keep telling my husband to build us an off the grid earth ship.

 

Replace the furnace over 20 years ago....it's still going OK....but we heat mostly with WOOD........as a matter of fact I'm on a break from moving 2 cords of wood the town delivered for FREE (my favorite four letter word)......but that's wood for next year....using a plastic sled to move it to the back 40......anyone care to HELP......anyone.....anyone.....LOL

 

:Þ I am an HVAC service tech. I love the cold, and the heat, They are my busiest times of the year. I recommend seeking a maintenance program from a reputable heating/cooling company in your area. The failed thermocouple would have been noticed before it failed. It could have been changed during the routine maintenance saving you the cost of a service call, time off work and the cold morning.

 

I wish I knew how to find one that was really trustworthy. I always feel like I'm being taken advantage of with these services. I've asked around and everyone seems to have the same feeling about anybody they hire.

 

Like everyone feels reading your trip reports

 

Jacking this thread. I'm having furnace problems, maybe. I too woke up one morning last week and it was 55 degrees. Usually set it at 65. I just turned the power on and off and everything seemed to reset itself. Worked fine for a couple of days and then it stopped again. Turned power off and on again and it's been working fine again all week. But it's been on my mind all week.

I had error codes both times it stopped. One was pressure switch open when it should be closed. Other was pressure switch closed when it should be open. With these trouble codes, it's probably safe to say its the pressure switch.

When it wasn't working, the furnace would start up, the little gas flame comes on but when the fan tries to start, the ill gas flame turns off and everything shuts off. It cycles thru the a few times until I turn the power off. Now, it's done this twice and seems to be working fine. Should I still have it checked out? It'll cost about $100 just to have a repairman show up. If the furnace is working fine now, is there anything to check or repair?

What kind of trouble are freezing pipes anyways?

 

The pressure switch has changed state for a reason and the control module is locking out. Cycling power clears the error and the module allows ignition attempts until ignition fails or flame is not recognized. The pressure switches are in the safety circuit. Key word is SAFETY. Have your furnace checked.

 

Back in my house buying days (when I was young and stupid), the boilers (and one furnace) were relics of an era gone by. I replaced them as soon as I could estimating the savings and financing the units with a monthly payment about equal to the savings. It worked out well. The houses had a new heating plant which was warranteed, value of the house increased, the chance of breakdowns was less, and parts were stocked and easily available. I also installed MasterMinds which regulated boiler temp based on outdoor temp. Boilers paid for themselves and continued to same me money. I had separate hot water heaters and I tried shutting off the boilers in summer months but in damp basements rust from condensation could affect the thermocoupler and found it was just more cost effective to leave the pilots on. I don't recall any breakdowns.

Water heaters on the other hand, always seem to fail on weekends. Every water heater that I ever had to replace died on a sunday except for the one that failed on new year's eve! In those days there were no Home Depots or Lowes on every corner in NH so I ended up using the same model 50 gal. water heater in all the buildings and keeping a spare that I could just move in and connect. Thermocouplers used to go on these too but were relatively simple to replace. I only have one gas boiler in my business building and it was shut down for awhile and the thermocoupler doesn't work now and it is a sealed unit so I need to have my plumber replace it if I choose to. I also have an electric hot water hearer which I am using at present. Fortunately, having been in rentals, and living in a small town, I had a great network of tradespeople who always treated me well, and I trusted their judgement and appreciated their advice. Most are honest and often what seems like a large fee for parts and labor isn't when you factor their costs, insurance, vehicles, travel time, diagonistic, time, regular business expense, schooling etc. Just look what it costs us to keep our cars maintained and on the road.

Jimbo338