How To Switch On And Off An Old Floor Furnace

In general, old floor furnaces function similarly to modern furnaces. However, if you’ve never used one before, turning them on and off could seem a little difficult. They are most frequently found in houses that were constructed more than a century ago. But how can you operate an outdated floor furnace? These furnace kinds have been the subject of our research, which we shall discuss in this essay.

The pilot light and knob are typically found together in the same spot on these furnaces, which is directly above the vent. How to light it is as follows:

• Switch off the thermostat
• Switch on the pilot light.
• Turn on the ignition.

If you have trouble lighting the pilot light, you may always call an HVAC expert for help, even if you don’t have the instructions that came with your old floor furnace. But first, let’s examine the procedure.

Steps For Turning On And Off An Old Floor Furnace

1. Switch Off The Thermostat

Turn the thermostat to the lowest temperature setting or off first. then pick up the grill off the ground. Be aware that certain grills could be tight-fitting, so you might need to pry it up from the corner with a flat head screwdriver.

The pilot switch and the furnace control rod should be visible once you remove the grill.

2. Switch On The Pilot Light

Take the furnace key and set it on top of the control knob to turn the furnace to the “On” position after turning the switch to the “Pilot” position.

Turning on the gas could take anything from one to five minutes. If you do not smell gas after this period, turn off the furnace since there is probably a problem with your furnace’s gas source.

3. Ignition Switch Needs To Be Pressed

The furnace should have a tiny hole in the center where you can watch the pilot light ignite. The control rod should then be depressed and held in while the igniter button is depressed. At first, a tiny blue flame ought to be seen. You should hear the furnace blower start up as soon as the furnace is turned on.

Place the grill back on the floor and adjust the thermostat’s temperature to the desired setting after turning the pilot knob to the “On” position. After turning off the heat at the thermostat, turn the same knob to the “Off” position to turn the furnace off.

How Can You Tell Whether Your Furnace Is On?

If you stand close to a gas furnace, you should be able to hear the flames blowing. To examine the heater exchange, however, you can also unscrew the front panel and peer into the blower if you choose not to.

If your furnace is electric, you might just hear a faint humming from it, but you should also be able to see the coils inside the heat exchanger become a brilliant orange color and feel the heat coming from the vent ducts directly above the furnace.

Here are a few things to think about if you think your furnace isn’t functioning properly.

These are the most typical indications that a furnace needs to be fixed or replaced because it isn’t operating properly.

In The Winter, The Energy Bill Is Higher Than Usual

View the last two or three winters’ worth of your energy expenses. Has the price of heat supply been rising steadily? Is there another explanation that could explain this cause? Are there additional people residing in the house, for instance?

Is the insulation in need of replacement? Have you recently installed new windows? If not, take into account how old your furnace is. Is your furnace more than 15 years old? If so, it might just be running out of gas.

Furnace Is Making Loud Noises

When your furnace starts producing odd noises, there’s another indicator that something is wrong. While it’s running, if you hear loud banging, rattling, or sporadic pops, there may be a repair that needs to be done.

Yes, furnaces usually make some noise while they are running, but the noise shouldn’t be intrusive or consist of loud thuds, squeaks, or bangs.

Furnace Doesn’t Stay On All the Time

Sometimes the high limit switch on a furnace needs to be repaired if it runs continuously. The blower motor may need to be changed in some instances if it is malfunctioning and causing the furnace to turn off intermittently.

When the engine malfunctions, the furnace as a whole is frequently beyond repair and may also need to be replaced. In this situation, it is recommended to have an HVAC specialist examine the furnace to determine whether it is worthwhile to repair.

The Cost Of The Repairs Is Rising

The furnace may also be nearing the end of its useful life if you find that it needs more maintenance each season. It might not be worthwhile to repair the furnace if the costs of doing so start to equal at least the price of the furnace as a whole.

If the furnace is between 10 and 15 years old, then this is unquestionably the case. Examining your recent repair expenses and comparing them to the possible cost of a brand-new item may be instructive.

How Do I Light My Old Furnace’s Pilot?

Depending on the make and model of your furnace, there may be several stages to lighting the pilot. However, if your furnace was created within the last 20 to 30 years, you may usually light the pilot light by using the steps below.

• In many instances, you will need to press the knob inward while spinning it at the same time. First, open the gas valve by turning the knob to “Pilot.”
• The igniter button should then be pressed with your other finger until the pilot light is ignited. In rare circumstances, you might need to hold a long match or a grill lighter over the pilot light orifice.
• After the pilot light turns on, continue to hold the ignition button for 10 to 20 seconds. The thermocouple in the furnace will have more time to warm up as a result, which will save it from going out right away.

It is important to note, nevertheless, that the majority of contemporary furnaces come equipped with an electric igniter or a hot surface ignitor.

As a result, you won’t need a match or igniter; just hit the buttons.

Additionally, the majority of electronic igniters turn on automatically. It is important to first study the furnace lighting instructions in your user manual if they don’t turn on.

Where Is A Furnace’s On/Off Switch?

Typically, a furnace’s power button can be found on its side or on a nearby wall. The power button frequently resembles a normal light switch that you can turn up and down.

Be sure to flip the power switch all the way down to ensure that the furnace is fully off whenever you plan to change the filter, make a repair, or clean it.

Additionally, you should turn the unit off at the thermostat.

In A Gas Furnace, Should The Pilot Light Be On All The Time?

Generally speaking, yes. The pilot light will be on when the furnace is regularly utilized in the winter. However, the pilot light shouldn’t be on in the off-season when air conditioning is commonly utilized instead of heat.

How Can A Furnace Be Manually Started?

Using a grill lighter or a long match to ignite a pilot light is the standard method for manually lighting a furnace. As most contemporary furnaces have a pilot light knob and igniter switch to conduct this activity, this is only possible on older furnaces.

The pilot light is often covered by a glass wall in these furnaces, preventing direct access to it. Additionally, a surface ignition panel is frequently used in place of a pilot light in modern electric furnaces. Some older versions, meanwhile, can still be equipped with a temporary pilot light.

Conclusion

It can seem a little out of date to operate an antique floor furnace. However, they produce heat equally as effectively as conventional furnaces do.

Turn off your floor furnace right once and call a professional if you see that the pilot light is having difficulties staying lit or if you notice a sudden gas smell. This can be extremely dangerous and is typically an indication of a gas leak or problems with the gas valve.