If you have problems with your furnace, BVS can restore comfort to your home. Call (281) 809-6417 to see what we can do for you.
If your furnace keeps shutting off, you’re probably wondering what causes soft lockout on a furnace. As the provider of the best furnace repair in Sugar Land, TX, our team at BVS Home Experts offers the following explanations, as well as advice about how to avoid soft lockouts.
What Is a Soft Lockout?
Also known as ignition lockout, hard and soft lockouts occur in gas furnaces to prevent dangerous gas leaks. Modern gas furnaces have sensors that detect when it’s safe to ignite the furnace to begin the heating process.
If the sensor detects a potentially dangerous situation, it shuts off the furnace until you reset it. Technicians call this a soft lockout. Resetting the furnace and addressing whatever caused it is often enough to fix the issue.
If you try to start your furnace too many times, it could force your heating system into a hard lockout. This means you’ll need a technician to reset the furnace and repair whatever caused the problem.
Causes of a Soft Lockout
What causes soft lockout on a furnace? They typically occur from a problem somewhere along the ignition process.
Faulty Flame Sensor
Flame sensors are one of the most important safety features in a gas furnace. The sensor detects whether a flame burns within your furnace. Without a flame present, the furnace closes the gas valve to prevent the dangerous fuel from leaking into your home.
With a dirty or broken flame sensor, your furnace can’t detect the flame even if it is present, so it shuts down your system to keep you safe. Cleaning or replacing the sensor can fix the problem, but don’t risk doing it yourself.
Damaged Igniter
When your furnace receives the signal to start heating, your igniter should activate the pilot light. However, with a faulty ignition, it can fail to ignite the flame or delay it by a few seconds, which causes the flame sensor to shut down your system.
You can attempt lighting the pilot light yourself, but if the problem persists, you’ll cause a hard lockout, so save yourself some time and call your technician at the first sign of trouble.
Dirty Limit Switch
If you have a highly efficient furnace, it likely uses a limit switch. The switch measures the fuel pressure and your heat exchanger’s temperature. If either measurement reaches unsafe levels, the limit switch shuts down the furnace through a soft lockout.
The limit switch isn’t immune to a type of false positive. If your air filter becomes too dirty, it can restrict the airflow and trick the switch into believing you have a problem. A technician can read the status codes on your furnace to determine the exact problem.
Steps To Address Your Lockout Issue
What causes soft lockout on a furnace? While you can perform basic troubleshooting yourself, you should call an HVAC professional for help if you want to save yourself time and avoid risking greater damage or health concerns. No matter who’s addressing the problem, the process usually follows the same steps.
1. Determine the Cause
The first step in deciding how to fix the issue is determining the cause. All major modern furnaces use status codes, a series of blinking lights, to communicate a problem. If you can interpret the code correctly, you’ll easily know what issue your furnace has.
Sometimes, you’ll need a full diagnostic to determine the issue. This involves checking every component of your furnace, as well as your ductwork and thermostat, to determine why your furnace doesn’t work.
2. Replace the Air Filter
A clogged air filter is one of the most common causes of a soft lockout because it can restrict your airflow or create dirt on your flame sensor or igniter. Replacing your air filter is one of the easiest things you can do both to maintain your furnace and fix any issues it might have.
3. Clean the Flame Sensors
To clean the flame sensor, your HVAC technician will unscrew it and use a scouring pad to remove any accumulated dirt. If the flame sensor has damage, rather than just dirt accumulation, you’ll need a new one before you can use your furnace.
4. Reset the Furnace
Each furnace model has a different method of resetting it. If you insist on doing it yourself, you can find the information in the owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer for advice. Improperly resetting the furnace can cause further damage, so if you call a professional, they can do it without issue and can also inspect your furnace for further problems.
Preventing Soft Lockouts
How can you prevent soft lockouts? Use the following tips to keep your furnace functioning longer:
- Regular maintenance: Annual maintenance is the most important thing you can do for your furnace. Schedule maintenance at least once a year, preferably during the fall, right before you use it the most. An HVAC professional can reduce the frequency of repairs, lower your energy bills, and help your furnace last longer.
- Replace air filters: Check your air filter at least once a month and replace or clean it as necessary. If you have pets, smoke, or live in a highly polluted area, you should check your filter more frequently.
- Moderate usage: The more you use your furnace, the faster it accumulates dirt, and the more frequently it needs repairs. Your furnace should keep you safe and comfortable, but if you can shut it off and stay warm in other ways, you should.
Contact BVS Home Experts for All Your Furnace Needs
Now that you know what causes soft lockout on a furnace, you can take the right steps to prevent it and fix it. Our BVS Home Experts team provides exceptional service for every job, no matter how big or small.
Whether you’re wondering about things you should do in a furnace checkup or need to upgrade your furnace, BVS Home Experts can help. Call (281) 809-6417 to book an appointment today.
