Listen to where the sequence stops
| What you hear | Where it stopped | Likely cause |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing at all | Before the sequence starts | Power, thermostat, door switch, or control board |
| A small motor spins up, then silence | Draft proving or ignition | Pressure switch, blocked vent, or cracked ignitor |
| Motor runs, faint click, no flame | Gas delivery | Gas valve, gas supply, or ignitor not reaching temperature |
| Flame for a few seconds, then out | Flame proving | Dirty or failed flame sensor |
| Repeated attempts, then everything stops | Lockout after failed attempts | Any of the above — the board has given up for safety |
Why ignitors fail so often
Hot surface ignitors are made of brittle silicon carbide or nitride and are heated to well over 1,800°F on every single call for heat. They are consumable parts. In Western New York, where the heating season runs five or six months and a furnace may cycle many times a day during a cold snap, ignitors accumulate cycles quickly. A hairline crack you cannot see with the naked eye is enough to stop it from reaching ignition temperature.
Ignitors are also fragile in handling — touching the element with bare fingers or bumping it during a filter change can shorten its life considerably.
Safe checks
- 1
Confirm gas service
Is your gas range or water heater working? If nothing gas-fired in the house works, the issue is upstream of the furnace.
- 2
Check the gas shutoff at the furnace
There is usually a manual valve on the gas line at the furnace. The handle should be in line with the pipe. Do not adjust anything beyond confirming its position.
- 3
Clear vent terminations
Snow or ice over the outdoor PVC pipes will stop ignition on the pressure switch every time.
- 4
Replace a clogged filter
It rules out an airflow-related shutdown.
- 5
Reset once
Turn the furnace switch off for 30 seconds, then on. One attempt only — a second lockout means a real fault.
Where safe checks end
Never bypass a safety switch, open or adjust a gas valve, disassemble burners or the heat exchanger, jump control board terminals, or work on live wiring. If the safe checks below do not restore heat, stop and call 716-412-2677.
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Do not keep forcing ignition attempts
Each failed attempt can release a small amount of gas into the combustion chamber before the board shuts the valve. Repeated cycling increases that risk and wears the ignitor further. If it locks out twice, stop.