Your "Main" or "Low" side solenoid valve is sticking, which may very well have something to do with the fact that you are only getting 14v AC to that solenoid. You need to find out why you only have 14v potential across that circuit. I would suspect the primary wire labeled "M" because a bad ground or "common" should replicate the voltage drop across both stages but thats not always the case so I would check for voltage across the common terminal and actual ground on the cabinet, the meter should read 0 volts but if not then you have a bad ground. You'll want to check the main gas relay, the wiring connections and also clean and check your flame sensor and the burner directly in front of the flame sensor with some sandpaper. I would also use alligator clips to do your electrical testing so that you can verify that it isnt a bad connection with your meter leads that is causing the irregular voltage reading.
Thank you for this video! Woke up to a 55 degree house during this blizzard in Colorado. Checked everything and determined the gas valve was not opening, found this video did a few light taps on the gas valve and now my house is warming up till it gets fixed! Thank a million!
Great presentation. I would like to add when applying the pipe dope, only apply it to the pipe (male) and not the valve (female). If it gets into the valve it could clog it up and have to buy a new one. Thanks for your video.
OMG I LOVE YOU!!! My furnace suddenly stopped working on day 3 of a 4 day ice storm. Exact same situation, blower turns on, ignitor glows, click of gas valve...but it wouldn't light. Wouldn't light with a manual flame either. Tried your screw driver banging method, didn't work, tried it again (hitting a little harder) and WOOSH! Heat again. Thank you so much for sharing the fix. Hopefully it'll work for the next day or two at least.
I appreciate your approach to the emergency need of heating your home I have an 83 yr Mom who I take care of. This video has shown me how some people can take advantage of a serious situation, such as heating your home. Your advice and explanation was fantastic and to the point. Thank you, and please, don’t pay attention to the negative comments made. I found your post positive and hopeful. Cheerio- djdonny
Thanks so much DJ Donny! Yeah, its funny how much negativity gets sent through these forums. However, it really warms my heart to know that I was able to be helpful to others.
Thank you for making this video. My furnace was acting funny. I have ignition but no flame ...... i stumble upon this watch it. Tap the gas valve and sure as shit it clicks and boom flame... its 1am. So right in the morning im replacing it. Thank you sir.
Great video. My problem on my late 80's Trane XL80 turned out to be slightly dirty and loosened up push-on wire connectors to the gas valve. All better now!
Thanks for the tip on 24 volts AC to the gas valve, showing that if there is voltage, the circuit board is ok and the gas valve is sticking. The problem appeared when I fired up the furnace for the first time after summer. Instead of banging (tapping) on the gas valve, I decided to tinker and removed a small plastic plug that screws into a hole with a fine thread machined into the aluminum top of the gas valve. I used silicone lubricant on the threads and counted the revolutions to remove the plug. The plug retains a small light-gauge spring that I also removed. Then, looking into the hole with a flashlight, there is a tiny metal "button" inside that the spring fits over and seats on. I took a small pin punch and carefully pressed down on the button. Although stiff, there was slight movement up and down with a bit of scratchy sound. I sprayed some silicone lubricant in the hole and pressed down again to create more movement. Then I replaced the spring and screwed in the plastic retaining plug over it with the same number of revolutions. The furnace fired up immediately with good ignition and after one day, no problems. Disclaimer: I don't know if this tinkering on a gas valve was a good idea, or a very dangerous idea.
This video saved me a bunch of cash and frustration. Typical dishonest business. Gouging customers. Some of these people get greedy when they see uninformed people in a bind. The way I have learned ...is that every company is allowed to do business any way they want but..... I don't have to do business with them. Get informed ... and find good honest businesses . Of course it is obvious that the control panel was not defective. I replaced my valve per your instructions and afterward it would not stay lighted . I think I reversed the polarity on the valve , switched it now, and now it's working fine.
If you can bump the valve to open, it means it can get stuck opened. Shut the gas valve and replace the valve. You risk a catastrophic explosion doing what you are doing.
Great Video. I have had similar experiences where something doesn't work or work correctly and the authorized dealer / technician messes with it, charges me money (even though it may be in warranty) and it doesn't fix it or fixes it until they get out of sight. So, I start messing with it and think about it and these days watch TH-cam video's like yours and figure out what is wrong and fix it or replace the defective part myself. Thank you for your video AND the trolls can go pound sand!
Glad to hear. Please be sure to have the system checked asap for safety and root cause analysis though. At least it won’t need to be an emergency visit though.
As an experienced HVAC (20+yrs). Gas is not always perfectly clean. Oils and small particles make it past the screen filter. Sometimes even old pipe dope. (I have looked inside bad ones.) AND especially at the start of the season the solanoid valve sticks. A good bump often gets the valve unstuck and dirt goes into the gas stream or sits down out of the way of the solenoid until the furnace is scrapped from old age. IF YOU HAVE TO KEEP doing the tapping the the valve may be bad or you need a pipe T trap installed in front of your furnace to catch the rust, water etc. OLD code required these on all gas appliance. Now it is often skipped or not done. BUT many a fixes have been done this way. NOTE: Pictures were poor but I COULD NOT SEE A TRAP INSTALLED ON THIS UNIT...
Thanks for your thoughts on this. You are correct about the trap! A proper trap was installed a bit later when a professional company came in to replace the furnace. ;-)
@@davidjpfau did you end up replacing the whole thing? I just replaced my gas valve today morning. It worked right after replacement, but now stop. I'll try to tap later today.
@@davidjpfau So what was the final permanent remedy? Was it the gas valve or something else? We just had our ignitor, control board and gas valve replaced, and furnace is still not working. Nearly $1000 Service charged. Thanks for your video, going to try this!
And this is why I hate modern appliances. So much faulty junk even when new, Almost everything is made so cheaply now and it's frustrating. Glad you were able to get your furnace going. I live in a house that was built in the mid 70's. The original furnace was virtually trouble free and reliable for decades. In the early 2000's it was replaced with an 80% efficiency unit due to incentives offered by the gov. Boy was that a mistake! It has been the most unreliable piece of garbage! Every winter something fails to function properly whether it's the board, a sensor, or whatever decides to quit working that day, and I end up battling with the darn thing to get heat back. I hate it, and I really wish we'd kept the old furnace.
I hear you the gas man came to check on it ( they come for free fall inspection here) and he said it was a small cheap part and he could not do the repair as it was a part, anyhow he said this old furnace is GREAT ! do not let him talk you into a new one. Called to get the part replaced and BOOM he broke something and new parts were not available YOU NEED A NEW furnace 4000 bucks later and oh year very efficient he said well it was not and it was noisier than my old and he took the old furnace away. (I was a renter so what could I do ) I said to him well there are a lot of parts there you could be using let the furnace stay here as my friend had the identical furnace and he said no the owner wants it removed. I wish I had youtube vids like this back then I would of bought the part and put it in myself. I am forever cleaning the flame sensor and now it seems it is the ignitor I am not calling anyone to come and put it in they might break some other part or say it is the control board.
OH MAN. You just saved me a $150 deductible!!! I will most like have them come anyway in the near future but with freezing rain and winds coming this week. This has kept our family warm for tonight.
Whenever changing a gas valve, don't over do the pipe dope like this and make sure it doesn't get into the line. Also, you will need a manometer to check the gas pressure and set correctly.
i would have told them take that board off and get money back for that. I am a HVAC tech and yes sometimes you end up replacing a part thats not needed but if you were getting 24v to your gas valve then any tech who said you needed a new board should not be troubleshooting. The tech obviously did not know what he was doing and you ended up paying for it. Great video by the way and if you are a homeowner on a DIY project then tap tap away but i would not advise any tech getting paid to do that but if you do keep that to yourself. They charged way to much but it looks like you will not be using that company anymore so that is a terrible way to run a business. Yea they got some money out of you but if they would have done you right and fair they could have had a customer for life
Now a days it seems like lots of bigger companies are offering the techs commission on parts so they sell parts that are not needed. I went to a customer the other day. Big company told them they needed a new heat exchanger. I checked it out and they had a bad pressure switch. Doesn’t make sense why the company would tell them that when I placed my camera inside the exchanged was fine. Looked up company and turns out they offer commission to the techs
Ours just went last week, but we are on the tail end of spring so I'm not worried about the house getting cold. BUT you've given me the courage to try this out myself. I've already replaced the blower fan and that was a success, so upward and onward !! Fist bumps from Canada :)
Good Video. I subscribed. Want to add that before you start tapping on the gas valve get a piece of wire or something really thin and sturdy and clean out the gas orifice they are prone to getting clogged especially after a long summer of sitting unused.
Hahaha! My furnace isn't working and I did a bunch of diagnostics and it still didn't work. My last test: hitting the gas valve with a screwdriver handle. Likewise, if an air cooled VW just stops running, the trick is to hit the bowl of the carb with the handle of a screwdriver. Great video. Thanks!
No way!! It worked. For the last 3 season changes, this would happen. All the sequences worked, get power to the valve, but no gas. Call the tech and they got it back working. Like clockwork this season change it was doing the same. Took the backend of a screwdriver, gave it some love taps…and whoof afterburners lit up. Scared me almost. Thanks for the video 🔥
Yaaay! I’m super glad to know this video helped you. You may want to have your system closely inspected by a credible and trustworthy HVAC pro before the heavy winter months hit. Perhaps that action will translate into an ounce of prevention that saves you a pound of cure when it’s below freezing outside.
As an HVAC service tech I can not advise anyone to bang the gas valve to get it to operate. As stated in a previous comment a gas valve that is stuck closed can also stick open. Just because you have 24v to the gas valve doesn't mean you can rule out the board or any other components. Goodman furnaces and some other units break the C (common) wire through pressure switches and safeties. Which can fool homeowners. Also you may have voltage present but no amperage. Always test with a load and look for voltage drop. Dont just go hitting a gas valve like this, use a meter and manometer and actually diagnose the problem. Otherwise hire a professional! No disrespect but people's safety is priority #1.
Yep, I also agree. In this case I would have needed a plumber to replace all the pipes that were going to burst in my home if I waited for another service to show up. So in the emergency, I took the course of action that made sense to me as the homeowner. That is, after researching the service manual and considering my next steps of an issue occurred.
@@davidjpfau After reading your reply to other comments I'm glad to know you found an honest HVAC contractor to get you taken care of. I'm all for homeowners taking action and fixing there own equipment. Just want people to be safe while doing it. Sounds like the company you had come out first were nothing but parts changers. Which is sad and gives our industry a bad reputation.
I’m sure you’ll not tell anyone to do that, but will you also tell them that if you “think” it’s the board and it’s not, is that part now free since you were wrong? Of course not. Charge as much as you can while doing as basic work as you can. Having been one, I know it’s the way of the serviceman. Since we know you’ll go the way of the money, “bump starting” is how people like us can afford to get things working.
Dave, love your car racing but being obviously a smart guy please try to put more daily help videos that you've figured out. I don't think you're a hvac guy (professional) and this means alot. Thanks much!
Just want to say that if you beat on your gas valve and it works your gas valve is sticking and is unsafe. It needs replaced. Also you should never be able to loosen any gas fittings by hand at first. If you don’t know call a professional.
Heard an oldtimer HVAC tech say if the valve is stuck closed it can also be stuck open - and of course cause gas to flow continuously. If true you may want to look at getting a replacement valve...
100% agree with you on this Maryam. As I mentioned, this was an emergency action taken after I had to kick a "professional" HVAC tech out of my house. It was well below freezing and this "trained pro" did nothing but charge me to swap out parts one at a time. He replaced the board, the gas valve, and the exhaust fan. $800 later, none of these things worked, my house was getting colder, and then he wanted another thousand dollars to keep guessing as to what the issue was. So, I elected to do my own research and troubleshooting of the problem. This trick got my heat going again and prevented a major catastrophe. I would have been okay with leaving the system in emergency on mode if needed until the house came up to a safe temp. Also, my system has an on/off valve right by where I was working so turning on/off was not a problem for me. I do agree that this emergency effort was not the best practice action. It was however, the only available action that could be taken at the time. The next day I went to an HVAC supply house and purchased new replacement parts that were promptly installed. So, what I'm saying is that yes, there were risks involved with what I was doing in an effort to save my home from freezing. There were also risks associated with taking no action and my attempts to work with professional HVAC resources proved to be nothing more than a wasted expense of money and critical time. As the homeowner, I had to make a decision on how I was going to handle this situation. I considered my options tried the most obvious path and then with no other options available to me at the time, I elected to take matters into my own hands rather than let the pipes in my home burst due to freezing. I was eventually able to find an HONEST hvac support company that helped me properly resolve the issue later. Since honest HVAC group actually helped me, I went back to them the following summer and paid them to replace the entire furnace with a new and much more efficient unit. With all of that said, I still agree with your point that this could be a very dangerous thing to do. You are also correct that nobody should mess with gas or electricity without taking proper precautions due to the risks involved.
Can't believe they charged you that much. Up here in northern wi, I would charge only $120 for the call, plus the parts at my cost. These big HVAC companies that mark everything up drive me nuts. That's why I started my own. Excellent presentation by the way.
I’m $75 for the service call plus parts. Typically mark up parts 20%. 99% of my work is on rentals and property owners are cheap. I do electrical as well so The work is nonstop.
You sound like a reputable and honest service provider. Thanks for adding this perspective so others can be aware of your approach. Perhaps you’d like to reply with your business website so people in your area can find you when they need quality services.
My afterburners won't ignite.from pilot,I turn to on and it doesn't catch or ignite.does this has to do with my gas?should I try the tapping while my finger is on pilot?
@@AphmauFan786 hey, it’s little difficult to troubleshoot in the comments without info about the unit and knowing a bit about your capabilities and available tools. Check out one of the troubleshooting vids like th-cam.com/video/dJzNrw6L_YU/w-d-xo.html I’d be happy to help with some troubleshooting if that doesn’t help
Boards are usually $150-180 for the part $ however only easy when you are using the same exact board often they have to use a universal board that is a major pain because each wire has to be figured out all manufacturers have different colors not straight forward at all.
Maybe ok to diagnose if all else has been done properly. But still wouldnt keep using it for safety reasons. Unless its just myself and hvac stores are closed or I cant find a replacement on Amazon.
Thanks a lot for the tips. From Quebec.... i had the same issue... ignitor glowing but no gas comes out... keeps glowing but nothing happens... got a good heavy screw driver and bang bang and hourraaa gas came out and flame made our house warm again. Will change that damn valve soon. ( same thing happened here...called service company... no RV's on the same day... temp is - 8 celcius and kids started complaining... the lady on the phone started telling me about rookies solutions like, check ur filter, breaker on/ off, exhaust gas pipe clogged etc... all the kind of stuff everybody with some common sense should be doing before calling)
I'm so glad you were able to get heat going again during the bitter cold. Hopefully you'll get that valve replaced and the problem wont resurface. In my case, even the new valve ended up failing within a year. I've since had the entire furnace replaced and have had zero problems since.
I went as far as buying replacement parts for everything and swapping out all the safety sensors. I banged on my valve during the click using a 1/4" drive ratchet end and it fired up first time. I have a new gas valve on order now, but this literally just made my day.
Hey L Z Gamer, thanks much! Yeah the honest HVAC pro's earned my ongoing business and I have continued to work with them on other projects. As for the other company, they have the guts to call me every few months to try and schedule a follow up. I always tell them the same thing. NO WAY, never again!!! :-P
This video is the reason I'm getting into hvac. I paid $125 to get the part over the weekend and they didn't install it until Monday. Why did I get charged an extra $125, wait 2 days, then get charged an additional $800 for a board? Did I mention they charged me 2 labor charges?
Thanks for commenting Larrye123, I hope you are able to use your newly developed HVAC skill for good. :-) Sorry to hear you got screwed over too. It's a real shame that people do stuff like that.
I'm so happy to know that this video helped you. Fyi, please dont just assume that everything will stay fixed now. Since the unit failed once, you should probably consider having it inspected by a pro with the correct tools as a safety precaution.
Nice video. Went through all this years ago on my 80's furnace. Today its looking like a bad control board. All kinds of spark going on, but not sending proper voltage to the gas valve.
The old style gas valve that came on those Goodman, Lennox (and a few others) are well known for the plastic housing to distort or crack at the seam from mild heat over time. This causes the contacts inside from making proper contact to open the gas solenoid. If you need to beat on it with a screwdriver to get it to function the gas valve needs to be changed even though you can get it to work for awhile. That HVAC company you were using probably sent out a Jr tech and he didn't have a clear idea or the experience on how to trouble shoot what was happening and was really just guessing. Back probing the 24v connector would have told him it wasn't the board. Most Heating companies have accounts at their suppliers for parts, its not uncommon to not have an account at every possible supplier even though its closer to the job you are currently on.
All excellent points. In this case, these guys were a Goodman reseller and I live near a Goodman parts house. While I’m sure they have specific vendors they prefer to work with, as the guy getting stuck with the travel and then after hours charges because they wanted to go to some far away place to get one part at a time instead of just going to the manufacturers supply store a couple miles from my house, that’s where my BS alarms really start going off.
Kudos to you for not failing for their BS bill padding. You can't expect much from the newer HVAC guys these days. The older real pros understood what they were doing and were on time. The could actually diagnose problems rather than just shotgunning parts till the problem goes away, or worse, say they can't fix it and then just shrug and say you need a new unit! Doesn't matter if they work for a big company, a lot of them just fell off the turnip truck and will puff up 10 feet tall about being an "authorized professional" and throw in some scare story about blowing up you house or poisoning your entire family with carbon monoxide! P.S. A LOT of auto mechanics use this same repair technique.
Omg this became a checklist on all the things the HVAC guy told my grandparents! And he did something that it no longer works instead of sort of working also-first thing he wrote is to charge us 300$ for a 15$ thermostat-but our thermostat was just replaced lol.
That is not all that is involved with changing out a gas valve my friend ! You also need to check all your gas pressures, and you need a special WC meter to check and adjust the gas pressures as needed! New gas valves may need adjustment there is no guarantee that they are set to proper gas pressure for your particular unit ! Also if your gas valve is sticking and you can tap it and it opens up , it can also stick in the open position and not shut off !! Very dangerous to run a unit with a sticking gas valve period ! Should be shut down until replaced by a QUALIFIED Technician! That will check gas pressures and adjust as needed for safe operation!
Even though it's new that on /off switch on valve is crappy may be why it needed tapping I'd would want another one plus make sure gas inlet pressure isn't to hi .
Excellent! I'm so glad your system is working again. Don't forget to follow up soon by having someone you trust look at the system too. It's better to be safe than sorry. :-)
....might just be a bad connection inside the vacuum pressure valve causing a partial interruption of your supply voltage potential to the main valve solenoid
I just want to warn you that if a qualified gas guy doesn’t do it and something does happen to your house regarding the furnace like fire the insurance for the home won’t cover you so that’s the only reason you should get the gas guy to do it because he’ll be insured and bonded
Great point! In my case I had to decide between facing water damage from frozen pipes or taking action. So I felt it best to address the snake that was going to bite me first. With that said, your point is a good one and I agree that this concern should be accounted for when determining an appropriate course of action.
Changing a gas valve requires setting the manifold pressure with a Manometer. There is a reason HVAC companies charge you to fix things. Anyone telling you to tapparoo on the gas valve is an idiot and doesn't understand how they work and the dangers associated with it sticking open.
@@wordsmith4177 it’s easy to make statements and call names from across the internet. Especially when doing so while hiding behind a fake name. This is an adult conversation aimed at helping homeowners that my find themselves in a similar emergency to the one I landed in after calling in a “professional” and getting scammed. If you’d like to offer constructive and thoughtful responses to this thread, you’re welcome to do so.
@@davidjpfau my "fake name?" Oh please, my name is Kevin Persic. Just because one HVAC company screwed you over doesn't make them all bad. I stand behind what I said, and I will add that you are ignorant and dangerous if you call banging on a gas valve a good idea.
You still have to change the gas valve as soon as possibleIt’s not normal to have to hit a gas valve plus it can be very dangerous if that valve gets stuck in the open position
So your HVAC company that just defaulted to a board replacement as opposed to tested for and found a bad board should have let you know they could not test past the board (your gas valve for example) until it was replaced. Unfortunately technicians/un-trained technicians frequently just replace parts (at your expense) until they fix it. Bigger companies often have pricing to reflect this built-in so they cover their parts and labor costs on the first repair, if they can charge you for any extras that is just gravy. On gas dope, T2 White you used is ok, blue is better, green is best (but it ruins anything it touches, clothes carpets etc). You do need to wipe the excess and "gas test" for leaks after the install, you do not want leaky gas igniting outside of your burners. On meter testing, you were testing a 24v DC system, if you put your meter in DC as opposed to AC the decimals will be in the correct place. You might measure what looks like the correct voltage, but your gas valve could be sticking (not opening or holding open) due to unexpected resistance in the loop, something I would test for if a new gas valve was not opening or holding open. This could be caused by something as simple as corroded wiring at a connection or another component starting to fail. You would OHM test back down the loop to track this down. Overall your diagnostic process was better than the HVAC companies "replace parts until it works" technicians. However, there are a few things they are supposed to be checking for to insure nobody dies when they leave that you're just replacing a valve and starting the heater does not address. A few key items would be: Flame Roll-out (indicating a possible cracked heat exchanger), Flame color (Yours looked nice and blue in the video), Gas Leaks, Proper Venting, and most important CO testing. Overall excellent video and a damn good job of a non HVAC technician working through the issues. (I do think that gas valve is going to haunt you and predict replacing it wouldn't do a thing, the issue will be with wiring or a component in the loop) (technicians often call this a short, when it's not I.E. it's still working, but due to resistance that is in effect crushing your voltage as soon as you apply a load, I.E. call for heat).
I would say you might have a connection issue in the gas valve plug. Look at the male and female sides of the plug. Not sure what kind of pins in there, but if it has the type you can open up a bit it my be a permanent solution to a bad connection.
I’m a technician and when you changed the valve you got air in the gas lines that’s why it didn’t lite the first couple times beating on the valve didn’t make it work
That may well be right. Meaning yeah I think you are correct about needing to bleed out the air from the line. But there could have been another issue at play though. If not, I wonder why it stopped in the first place then... Perhaps two separate items, perhaps not. :-D
I had the same problem on my Goodman and started replacing vacuum switches at first as they were fairly cheap. Then I watched a ton of videos here on You Tube by HVAC techs and tried the tap method here and voila! it worked and tried another dozen times of powering off and powering the furnace back up and that worked every time. I was convinced it was the gas valve as I was always getting 24-27 volts during the startup sequence. So I found a new gas valve with the exact part number and manufacturer and changed it out. Upon startup it just did a 1-2 second flame and then nothing. I did assume there must be air (not gas) in the line as it's about 20 inches from the valve back to the gas shutoff. I Then tried unscrewing the 10 inches of flex line to the black iron pipe and let some gas flow out until I smelled rotten eggs and then tightened everything back up.What seems to be a bad design is there is no way to easily purge the gas line at the gas valve . So I have tried now over a dozen times to recycle the startup sequence and nothing. So I go back to checking for 24 volts at the gas valve upon start-up and I now notice I have 24 volts right up to the point when the ignitor starts glowing red and then the voltage at the valve drops out to zero. Now I'm thinking I should source out a new control board before I call a tech out as I know they're going to charge me $1,000 to $1,500 here in southern california now in 2024. Very frustrating to say the least. Where is the best place to buy Goodman control boards? I'm bummed I can't buy it directly from Goodman and I type in the part number clearly seen on the board and nothing comes up online???
I think the technicians who worked on it should have watched TH-cam videos. If they changed the board without checking to see if the valve was getting voltage then they were either uneducated or trying to get more easy money.
Good advice in the video. However I think videos should be shot in widescreen, ie by holding the camera sideways, otherwise it is like watching a movie through a gap in the fence.
Anyone say that you look like Chester Bennington. Even sound like him too when talking. You should've taked to the company owner or supervisor about that bs. That was an easy check to do for an honest or qualified "tech" and so glad that you caught on before he was gonna scam you again.
Hey @Squid Usn, hmmm no I’ve not heard the heater Bennington reference before. Although after watching an interview he gives, I can kind of see how our speech patterns are alike. :-) Your also probably right about calling the shop. I was just so fed up with the crap at that point, I didn’t want to wast more time with more bs. :-D
Thanks for the *GOOD-TO-KNOW* video. I'm sure it will help many others that will experience this issue. Just goes to show you the quality control on replacement gas valves for this model are not very good. The factory (presumably somewhere in China) probably only inspects one out of every 500 that are made to save money and time and guess who suffers? Welcome to the world of Amazon. Cheaper price cheaper quality. Continued success with your channel. Have liked and subscribed. (145 subs)
Hey Dude, You are on it. Absolutely frustrating working with service guys. I believe they are trained to be stupid and parts changers. Great diagnostics and that is exactly how i worked through my no heat issue. I purchased board and it turned out to be the valve. My bad for not checking voltage to the valve first🥲 I subscribed to help out!
@@bloodrace1085 There are good techs in the HVAC business and lots of bad ones. A friend of mine had a new unit installed. It ran continuously but never kept the house comfortable. The techs came back and did some useless stuff and charged a lot. After a couple of years my friend called another company. They tested the valve pressure and found out it was low. After adjustment the house was nice and toasty. Finding good techs is like rolling the dice.
People need to check their AC and their heat before they need it. I swear continuous use usually keeps the things working and as soon as you shut them down for a season or go away for a trip. Well here are your problems. A gas valve it's just a solenoid valve. It must have been sticking.
Never bang your gas valve to get it to open because if the flange on the inside doesn't close then gas will continuously flow into the furnace and your home. VERY DANGEROUS!!
Mike is correct about the dangers of working with natural gas or any other explosive. I took the actions I shared after exhausting all other options and after doing all the research I could. This is by no means intended to be a best practice approach to gas valve maintenance or repair. Rather, this was a last ditch effort I had to take before shifting my efforts to winterizing my home to prevent the damage frozen in pipes would have caused. Also, my gas valve has a manual on/off valve I was ready to pull if things got at all out of hand. Without quick access to that valve, there’s no way I would have taken the steps I did in this video. Lastly, as it’s been mentioned, this temporary issue was quickly addressed by a reputable HVAC company shortly thereafter. The reputable company won me as a customer and there honest support was rewarded when I went to them for an upgraded HVAC system the following summer.
This method worked for me as well, but I'm a bit afraid, that if it is prone to not opening properly, it might as well be prone to not closing properly either, which could be VERY dangerous. Does someone have any insight on whether being stuck open is less likely than being stuck close or not? 🤔
I’d actually like to hear more about the repair guy who you had to tell to leave. I had one several years ago that I’m pretty sure ripped me off to the tune of $1200; not the first utility scam I dealt with in my house, either. Just curious how often that happens & what they do that finally crosses a threshold.
For me it was when they had to make another trip to the warehouse and wanted me to pay for the additional trip and a fee to open the warehouse after hours. The parts changer was hours late coming to my home in the first place and then wanted to get parts one at a time over and over. It became clear to me that he was milking me for hourly “service” and that I was going to have to stand up for myself as a consumer and a homeowner in an emergency and put an end to the scam.
@@davidjpfau Jesus. Yep, that’s a scam. The worst asshole I dealt with tried to take advantage of me, knowing that I needed to get my electrical up to occupancy code after I bought my house. When he came for an estimate he asked who the inspector was. The next day he called and said he “talked to the inspector’s supervisor, ‘and he says they need to rip out all the wiring and the breaker box, then have the inspector approve it before they put it back in.’” Which by the way was going to cost me $3000 more than originally estimated. It was also a flat-out lie: I called the inspector, he called bull & told me to get another estimate. It really angers me at how many home owners are probably getting completely ripped off out of thousands of dollars, and I’d love nothing more than to run every one of those scam artists out of business.
I noticed with gas valve pointing up there is no way to add a tee or a clean out in the pipe, extra pipe where iron pipe debris can fall into and collect. I am beginning to prefer mounting the gas valve sideways. I make sure to have a 3 or 6” long clean out at every appliance dryer, water heater, and furnace.
Hey Daniel, how did things work out for you? Please remember to be careful when working with the gas or electric components. Things like this can get nasty fast if you're not prepared. Hopefully you got it working or were able to find an honest service group to help.
A few more drillings ti the back side and you'll be like me and tell them they will not get paid if they do not have the old parts for you ir to see prior to returning the core. As well as make them put the old part back on if they won't let you after the part replaced didn't solve the issue
iam a hvac tech and glad you changed gass valve after being ripped off, but some unlike yours are a pain in the ass to pull out off old furnaces you better be strong or have a great technique.but it looks like you ran into part changers mot techs.also once in a wile new gass valve can be faulty just because its new does not mean its good. i had a friend buy a new car drove it a block... engine fell out shit happens.
In order to determine that the board is bad a technician must verify that a specific component on the board is not performing its proper function and it stands to reason that if they understood how to do that they would also understand how to desolder and replace whatever faulty component needed replaced, which should be no more than maybe $20 considering there are no processors or sophisticated electronics on these boards that require machine automated precision solder work. At the very least they should have the good sense to take it to an electronics repair shop. They just use the excuse to make a quick buck off you. Stop letting these arrogant pricks hold you by the balls so they can squeeze every penny they can out of you to keep your family warm. Hold them accountable for the work they contribute to your castle.
If they stick closed and you bump it to work, they can stick open too!!! That would make this some pretty bad advice. Your system reached temp and system goes off. BUT THE VALVE STICKS OPEN-filling garage or attic with natural gas!!
Very true. I was prepared for this possibility but that does not mean other would be if they were to try this on their own. Tom, your point here is super important and anyone attempting this emergency action, NEEDS to be well informed and ready for what may come next.
I ran a HVAC Business for 40 years. Sorry you got some part changers and not a real HVAC Technician. Why did you just get your friend who was in the business to come out and fix it. Anyway, I sold my company after 40 years. Have bad arthritis in my hands, knees, feet and ankles. It's a hard business to run. The overhead, Labor, and materials, specials expensive tools That is just part of overhead. I did over 40 million in sales and lost $200,000. made more on my building when i sold out. Still have Gov wanting to check my 2013 taxes. No its not worth it to run a 10 truck business. But I must tell you 1 thing if you need to Rapp on a gas valve to get the diaphragm to open and let the gas flow I had to replace any gas valve that did that problem. But yes you are correct you put the leads of your meter leads on common and hot if it reads 24 to 28 volts then it's calling for the gas valve to open. Yes I would wiggle the wires going into valve and knock on valve body if furnace fired up I would tell homeowner they needed a new Valve. My company had techs not part changers. Problem with young people today. They go to fast most did not go to 2 year Technical school, plus get there state license to install equipment. Overhead and call backs will kill a company. I got up to 40 people working for me and was losing big time on new construction. Downsized to 12 people and would only take customers no more then 10 miles from shop. If it takes 1 hour to get to customers house 2 hours of windshield time then a tech just can make a living. I loved the people I met a lot of good people that still look me up for a service call. I hope my body will let me do some more but looking to teach at the Community College. Try to get good techs back in the Business. A good tech can make $40 an hour and up.
Hey @behvac, Thanks so much for taking the time to share your perspective here. Also, thank you for the hard work and care you clearly put into your career and for making a business that helped so many others. I really hope you are able to bring your experience into the classroom. I get the sense that you'd be an incredible teacher.
I am just another poor guy trying to get his furnace to work. I have watched a few hundred video's and so far, no joy out of this POS. I saw another video and the guy tapped on the gas valve to get it going. So, I tried this as well, no luck. But when I told a repair guy about doing this, he kind of freaked out. And told me that was the wrong thing to do. Not to ever hit one. I am not sure if he was trying to hustle me into letting him work on it or perhaps, he was taught something else. I really do not know but there are others out there that say do not hit the gas valve. Perhaps I am wrong but a few years ago they started putting in new subdivision. Not sure about gas but the water got screwed up. The sink the refrigerator toilet and washing machine. All of them got plugged with fine sand. They dripped, the pressure dropped down and you could not shut them off. I have replaced most of them. After a few months they are starting to give the same problems. I know they put natural gas into these new subdivisions. Not sure if this is what's wrong or not. One thing I have heard them say is, If you have to beat on the gas valve to get it to work then it is sticking. And it can stick open or closed and you do not want one that will stick open. So, it is best to replace the gas valve.
Great question! For some reason, I was inclined to call the number on the sticker that was left on my furnace from before I purchased the house. Looking back at the situation, I agree with your suggestion and that I should have called a person I know and trust first.
If you rummage around a bit further you’ll find that, yes, this does work, but the fact that the gas valve fails to work all the time, and that giving it a whack gets it going, is an indication of a failing gas valve. You still need to replace that sucker. You may also find that, while you are able to do it yourself, and it may not be illegal where you are, you may require an inspection, and you may have voided your insurance.
Thanks for this point Jared! Root cause on this issue was never clearly identified. I wound up having the entire unit replaced the following summer by a different HVAC company. That also happens to be the same HVAC company that I found after this video was published that came out and actually put some thought and diagnostic effort into their troubleshooting. ;-) Since the second HVAC crew operated with integrity and knowhow, I knew exactly where to turn when it was time to hire someone to perform the much bigger job of a full HVAC upgrade.
Gas valves must be replaced by licensed technicians as each gas valve has set PSI. Just because it’s an easy swap doesn’t mean it’s calibrated to run your furnace or set to the correct gas flow. You can literally blow up your house man, I’d rather pay someone to install it than lose my house.
I'm going through the same thing right now! My furnace runs but tries to start multiple times before it actually completes the cycle and starts. Sometimes it starts right away, runs normal for half the day, then it starts having its issue. I cleaned, then replaced the flame sensor , Didn't help so I called Comfort Air Co. The repair guy said " Its the board" installed a board, I paid $470 with a $30. discount. Guess what????...... Didn't work. They came out two more times . Couldn't figure it out, Now the HVAC Co. owners son is comming out today , Wonder what they will tell me today
Hmmm it's almost like the same game gets played on consumers... I really hope they fixed your issue and that they didn't rake you over the coals in the process.
@@davidjpfau yes, it was finally fixed, The owners son stopped over, Pressure Switch was being bad, He got it to work, then gave me a oem back up . No extra charges. So I learned alot for my $400. Investment .
broooo thankkkk you i just replace the inducer motor think a mouse went in there got that orkin then the fukn gas val was ticking flame glo was there but the valves did not ignite you are spot on gas valve was stuck not sure if this mfr is gonna turn back on after thermostat temp gets met eitherway i feel good ...thanks again brudda
Sticky gas valve needs to be replaced by a professional! What also needs to be done is leak checked and gas pressures set by special meter most people don't have or know how to use.
By a professional? Buy the valve specifically for your model number, and it will be fine in almost every case. Just replaced the gas valve on my hot water heater. No special tools or payed professionals.
Jerry is right, the valve has to be replaced. I have seen it a few times where gas leaks in the house because of a sticky valve. you need to set the gas pressures using a manometer. It’s not rocket science, but the person needs to know what there doing.
Nobody is trying to scam anybody, it’s just a convenience and warranty fee with some overhead. Sure most handy people can change the gas valve but the again you have to have an account as a supply shop or order it online but have to match the model number otherwise had to splice the connection.
I wish I could agree with you on that one. In my experience, this dude was more than happy to rip me off while I was living through an emergency. Unfortunately, everyone isn’t honorable although your comment makes me think you probably are and that you’ve had to deal with some awkward situations when helping out customers during odd hours.
I called a friend that has an HVAC company but he wouldn't come change my gas off for me and you can't tell him people to do it yourself some states it's highly illegal to even touch gas I had to be certified
Interesting to hear James. I’d love the opportunity to read up on this topic. Please know, I don’t mean to be disrespectful or challenging at all when I ask my next question. Would you mind sharing a source that I can study regarding the legality of homeowners working on LP Gas in their private residences? Assuming this is true, that’s some important information and I’d really like to have it in the chat area for other viewers to see too so they can be aware.
@Dave Pfau So did the new hvac company find the actual problem? Im actually curious. Or did they just change out the biggest part, The whole system? I have run into a lot of Goodman/Amana furnaces that have issues with the gas valves. Some cases the valve has voltage and amps until it goes to open then bam it drops voltage and does nothing. And also if someone is going to change out a gas valve please make sure that you have a Monometer to check your gas pressures, Or you could end up with bigger problems. Was a good video none the less. 👍
Thanks! I ended up finding another HVAC company to help me. They did end up measuring gas pressure and found that our pressure and flow were okay. They also found that the furnace had some poor electrical connections (probably due to corrosion) that they cleaned up. The system ran great through the rest of the winter. I decided to upgrade my hvac system at the house the following summer since the system wasn’t quite able to keep up with the house and it seemed like a good time to upgrade rather than push through another Chicago winter. Your point about checking gas pressure (with proper tools and skill) is an excellent one though and I appreciate you mentioning it.
Hey Bloodrace, after I got the heater working I called another HVAC company to schedule a visit when they could make the time. Those guys came out and tested gas pressure and flow during their assessment. Both pressure and flow were normal. They cleaned up some wiring (corrosion at the wire nuts where wires were coming together and we made plans to upgrade the system once the weather warmed up. In my case, it made sense to upgrade because the system was undersized for my home and was also quite old. In any case, the second company has done right by me multiple times now and because of that, I'll continue to go to them.
Dear lord. I do it as a service technician extremely rarely. Very dangerous. Would never advise an untrained person like a homeowner doing it. You didn’t fix it. I guarantee it. I hope you can find a good hvac company in your area.
Is it possible you got some of the sealant in the new valve when you installed it. It looks like you used much more sealant than needed and some may have made its way into the valve causing it to stick.
Hey kwd57, That’s an excellent point and yes I definitely used too much sealant on the threads since I didn’t know better at the time. Fortunately, the sealant had not worked its way into the valve yet. We ended up replacing the furnace with a new model the following summer so there’s no risk of the sealant getting into the valve anymore. :-)
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Your "Main" or "Low" side solenoid valve is sticking, which may very well have something to do with the fact that you are only getting 14v AC to that solenoid. You need to find out why you only have 14v potential across that circuit. I would suspect the primary wire labeled "M" because a bad ground or "common" should replicate the voltage drop across both stages but thats not always the case so I would check for voltage across the common terminal and actual ground on the cabinet, the meter should read 0 volts but if not then you have a bad ground. You'll want to check the main gas relay, the wiring connections and also clean and check your flame sensor and the burner directly in front of the flame sensor with some sandpaper. I would also use alligator clips to do your electrical testing so that you can verify that it isnt a bad connection with your meter leads that is causing the irregular voltage reading.
Thank you for this video! Woke up to a 55 degree house during this blizzard in Colorado. Checked everything and determined the gas valve was not opening, found this video did a few light taps on the gas valve and now my house is warming up till it gets fixed! Thank a million!
Worked. Just over a year after publication and this video is still helping people out of a jam. Thank you
Great presentation. I would like to add when applying the pipe dope, only apply it to the pipe (male) and not the valve (female). If it gets into the valve it could clog it up and have to buy a new one. Thanks for your video.
Excellent point thanks Glen!
OMG I LOVE YOU!!!
My furnace suddenly stopped working on day 3 of a 4 day ice storm. Exact same situation, blower turns on, ignitor glows, click of gas valve...but it wouldn't light. Wouldn't light with a manual flame either.
Tried your screw driver banging method, didn't work, tried it again (hitting a little harder) and WOOSH! Heat again. Thank you so much for sharing the fix. Hopefully it'll work for the next day or two at least.
I appreciate your approach to the emergency need of heating your home I have an 83 yr Mom who I take care of.
This video has shown me how some people can take advantage of a serious situation, such as heating your home.
Your advice and explanation was fantastic and to the point.
Thank you, and please, don’t pay attention to the negative comments made.
I found your post positive and hopeful.
Cheerio- djdonny
Thanks so much DJ Donny! Yeah, its funny how much negativity gets sent through these forums. However, it really warms my heart to know that I was able to be helpful to others.
Thank you for making this video. My furnace was acting funny. I have ignition but no flame ...... i stumble upon this watch it. Tap the gas valve and sure as shit it clicks and boom flame... its 1am. So right in the morning im replacing it. Thank you sir.
Dude, this worked for me today, I tapped on it while it was trying to start. Bam thank you man, got yourself a new sub
Great video. My problem on my late 80's Trane XL80 turned out to be slightly dirty and loosened up push-on wire connectors to the gas valve. All better now!
Yaaay!!!
Thanks for the tip on 24 volts AC to the gas valve, showing that if there is voltage, the circuit board is ok and the gas valve is sticking. The problem appeared when I fired up the furnace for the first time after summer.
Instead of banging (tapping) on the gas valve, I decided to tinker and removed a small plastic plug that screws into a hole with a fine thread machined into the aluminum top of the gas valve. I used silicone lubricant on the threads and counted the revolutions to remove the plug. The plug retains a small light-gauge spring that I also removed.
Then, looking into the hole with a flashlight, there is a tiny metal "button" inside that the spring fits over and seats on. I took a small pin punch and carefully pressed down on the button. Although stiff, there was slight movement up and down with a bit of scratchy sound. I sprayed some silicone lubricant in the hole and pressed down again to create more movement.
Then I replaced the spring and screwed in the plastic retaining plug over it with the same number of revolutions.
The furnace fired up immediately with good ignition and after one day, no problems.
Disclaimer: I don't know if this tinkering on a gas valve was a good idea, or a very dangerous idea.
This video saved me a bunch of cash and frustration.
Typical dishonest business. Gouging customers. Some of these people get greedy when they see uninformed people in a bind. The way I have learned ...is that every company is allowed to do business any way they want but..... I don't have to do business with them. Get informed ... and find good honest businesses . Of course it is obvious that the control panel was not defective. I replaced my valve per your instructions and afterward it would not stay lighted . I think I reversed the polarity on the valve , switched it now, and now it's working fine.
If you can bump
the valve to open, it means it can get stuck opened. Shut the gas valve and replace the valve. You risk a catastrophic explosion doing what you are doing.
Great Video. I have had similar experiences where something doesn't work or work correctly and the authorized dealer / technician messes with it, charges me money (even though it may be in warranty) and it doesn't fix it or fixes it until they get out of sight. So, I start messing with it and think about it and these days watch TH-cam video's like yours and figure out what is wrong and fix it or replace the defective part myself. Thank you for your video AND the trolls can go pound sand!
Warranty covers parts not labor
The bump method worked like a charm. Went hard with a hammer, I figure it was broke or it will unstick. It came unstuck. thanks
Glad to hear. Please be sure to have the system checked asap for safety and root cause analysis though.
At least it won’t need to be an emergency visit though.
Great presentation for anyone in a bind in a bad weather condition, Thank You, Dave
As an experienced HVAC (20+yrs). Gas is not always perfectly clean. Oils and small particles make it past the screen filter. Sometimes even old pipe dope. (I have looked inside bad ones.) AND especially at the start of the season the solanoid valve sticks. A good bump often gets the valve unstuck and dirt goes into the gas stream or sits down out of the way of the solenoid until the furnace is scrapped from old age. IF YOU HAVE TO KEEP doing the tapping the the valve may be bad or you need a pipe T trap installed in front of your furnace to catch the rust, water etc. OLD code required these on all gas appliance. Now it is often skipped or not done. BUT many a fixes have been done this way. NOTE: Pictures were poor but I COULD NOT SEE A TRAP INSTALLED ON THIS UNIT...
Thanks for your thoughts on this. You are correct about the trap! A proper trap was installed a bit later when a professional company came in to replace the furnace. ;-)
@@davidjpfau did you end up replacing the whole thing? I just replaced my gas valve today morning. It worked right after replacement, but now stop. I'll try to tap later today.
@@davidjpfau So what was the final permanent remedy? Was it the gas valve or something else? We just had our ignitor, control board and gas valve replaced, and furnace is still not working. Nearly $1000 Service charged. Thanks for your video, going to try this!
And this is why I hate modern appliances. So much faulty junk even when new, Almost everything is made so cheaply now and it's frustrating.
Glad you were able to get your furnace going.
I live in a house that was built in the mid 70's. The original furnace was virtually trouble free and reliable for decades. In the early 2000's it was replaced with an 80% efficiency unit due to incentives offered by the gov. Boy was that a mistake! It has been the most unreliable piece of garbage! Every winter something fails to function properly whether it's the board, a sensor, or whatever decides to quit working that day, and I end up battling with the darn thing to get heat back. I hate it, and I really wish we'd kept the old furnace.
Alot of times those old furnaces can be fixed by changing the bolts and the fan belt on the blower motor...my 70's furnace still going strong!!
I hear you the gas man came to check on it ( they come for free fall inspection here) and he said it was a small cheap part and he could not do the repair as it was a part, anyhow he said this old furnace is GREAT ! do not let him talk you into a new one. Called to get the part replaced and BOOM he broke something and new parts were not available YOU NEED A NEW furnace 4000 bucks later and oh year very efficient he said well it was not and it was noisier than my old and he took the old furnace away. (I was a renter so what could I do ) I said to him well there are a lot of parts there you could be using let the furnace stay here as my friend had the identical furnace and he said no the owner wants it removed. I wish I had youtube vids like this back then I would of bought the part and put it in myself. I am forever cleaning the flame sensor and now it seems it is the ignitor I am not calling anyone to come and put it in they might break some other part or say it is the control board.
OH MAN. You just saved me a $150 deductible!!! I will most like have them come anyway in the near future but with freezing rain and winds coming this week. This has kept our family warm for tonight.
Hey Miguel, I'm super glad this helped you. Yes please do have the system looked at ASAP though.
Whenever changing a gas valve, don't over do the pipe dope like this and make sure it doesn't get into the line. Also, you will need a manometer to check the gas pressure and set correctly.
THIS worked for me during our Texas Snowpocolypse.
That’s amazing to hear! Jon thanks for commenting and I’m sorry I didn’t notice your message until now.
i would have told them take that board off and get money back for that. I am a HVAC tech and yes sometimes you end up replacing a part thats not needed but if you were getting 24v to your gas valve then any tech who said you needed a new board should not be troubleshooting. The tech obviously did not know what he was doing and you ended up paying for it. Great video by the way and if you are a homeowner on a DIY project then tap tap away but i would not advise any tech getting paid to do that but if you do keep that to yourself. They charged way to much but it looks like you will not be using that company anymore so that is a terrible way to run a business. Yea they got some money out of you but if they would have done you right and fair they could have had a customer for life
Too bad if you hire a tech like that, charge a lot and didn't know how to check
Now a days it seems like lots of bigger companies are offering the techs commission on parts so they sell parts that are not needed. I went to a customer the other day. Big company told them they needed a new heat exchanger. I checked it out and they had a bad pressure switch. Doesn’t make sense why the company would tell them that when I placed my camera inside the exchanged was fine. Looked up company and turns out they offer commission to the techs
@Mr.Joetatoehead exactly. Customer for life is the most valuable thing you can get
Ours just went last week, but we are on the tail end of spring so I'm not worried about the house getting cold. BUT you've given me the courage to try this out myself. I've already replaced the blower fan and that was a success, so upward and onward !! Fist bumps from Canada :)
Good Video. I subscribed. Want to add that before you start tapping on the gas valve get a piece of wire or something really thin and sturdy and clean out the gas orifice they are prone to getting clogged especially after a long summer of sitting unused.
Fist pumping knowing you had saved yourself some good cheddar is a great feeling!
Hahaha! My furnace isn't working and I did a bunch of diagnostics and it still didn't work. My last test: hitting the gas valve with a screwdriver handle. Likewise, if an air cooled VW just stops running, the trick is to hit the bowl of the carb with the handle of a screwdriver. Great video. Thanks!
Glad to hear!
For safety, please remember to get some pro help or use pro tools correctly to finish the repair asap.
No way!! It worked. For the last 3 season changes, this would happen. All the sequences worked, get power to the valve, but no gas. Call the tech and they got it back working. Like clockwork this season change it was doing the same. Took the backend of a screwdriver, gave it some love taps…and whoof afterburners lit up. Scared me almost. Thanks for the video 🔥
Yaaay! I’m super glad to know this video helped you.
You may want to have your system closely inspected by a credible and trustworthy HVAC pro before the heavy winter months hit.
Perhaps that action will translate into an ounce of prevention that saves you a pound of cure when it’s below freezing outside.
As an HVAC service tech I can not advise anyone to bang the gas valve to get it to operate. As stated in a previous comment a gas valve that is stuck closed can also stick open. Just because you have 24v to the gas valve doesn't mean you can rule out the board or any other components. Goodman furnaces and some other units break the C (common) wire through pressure switches and safeties. Which can fool homeowners. Also you may have voltage present but no amperage. Always test with a load and look for voltage drop. Dont just go hitting a gas valve like this, use a meter and manometer and actually diagnose the problem. Otherwise hire a professional! No disrespect but people's safety is priority #1.
Couldn’t agree more!
Yep, I also agree.
In this case I would have needed a plumber to replace all the pipes that were going to burst in my home if I waited for another service to show up. So in the emergency, I took the course of action that made sense to me as the homeowner. That is, after researching the service manual and considering my next steps of an issue occurred.
@@davidjpfau After reading your reply to other comments I'm glad to know you found an honest HVAC contractor to get you taken care of. I'm all for homeowners taking action and fixing there own equipment. Just want people to be safe while doing it. Sounds like the company you had come out first were nothing but parts changers. Which is sad and gives our industry a bad reputation.
Agreed. Also a tech with 20 years...
I’m sure you’ll not tell anyone to do that, but will you also tell them that if you “think” it’s the board and it’s not, is that part now free since you were wrong?
Of course not. Charge as much as you can while doing as basic work as you can. Having been one, I know it’s the way of the serviceman.
Since we know you’ll go the way of the money, “bump starting” is how people like us can afford to get things working.
Dave, love your car racing but being obviously a smart guy please try to put more daily help videos that you've figured out. I don't think you're a hvac guy (professional) and this means alot. Thanks much!
Just want to say that if you beat on your gas valve and it works your gas valve is sticking and is unsafe. It needs replaced. Also you should never be able to loosen any gas fittings by hand at first. If you don’t know call a professional.
Thanks for the helpful and constructive comment Jaydn. Agreed.
Heard an oldtimer HVAC tech say if the valve is stuck closed it can also be stuck open - and of course cause gas to flow continuously. If true you may want to look at getting a replacement valve...
100% agree with you on this Maryam. As I mentioned, this was an emergency action taken after I had to kick a "professional" HVAC tech out of my house. It was well below freezing and this "trained pro" did nothing but charge me to swap out parts one at a time. He replaced the board, the gas valve, and the exhaust fan. $800 later, none of these things worked, my house was getting colder, and then he wanted another thousand dollars to keep guessing as to what the issue was.
So, I elected to do my own research and troubleshooting of the problem. This trick got my heat going again and prevented a major catastrophe. I would have been okay with leaving the system in emergency on mode if needed until the house came up to a safe temp. Also, my system has an on/off valve right by where I was working so turning on/off was not a problem for me.
I do agree that this emergency effort was not the best practice action. It was however, the only available action that could be taken at the time.
The next day I went to an HVAC supply house and purchased new replacement parts that were promptly installed.
So, what I'm saying is that yes, there were risks involved with what I was doing in an effort to save my home from freezing. There were also risks associated with taking no action and my attempts to work with professional HVAC resources proved to be nothing more than a wasted expense of money and critical time.
As the homeowner, I had to make a decision on how I was going to handle this situation. I considered my options tried the most obvious path and then with no other options available to me at the time, I elected to take matters into my own hands rather than let the pipes in my home burst due to freezing.
I was eventually able to find an HONEST hvac support company that helped me properly resolve the issue later. Since honest HVAC group actually helped me, I went back to them the following summer and paid them to replace the entire furnace with a new and much more efficient unit.
With all of that said, I still agree with your point that this could be a very dangerous thing to do. You are also correct that nobody should mess with gas or electricity without taking proper precautions due to the risks involved.
Can't believe they charged you that much. Up here in northern wi, I would charge only $120 for the call, plus the parts at my cost. These big HVAC companies that mark everything up drive me nuts. That's why I started my own. Excellent presentation by the way.
I’m $75 for the service call plus parts. Typically mark up parts 20%. 99% of my work is on rentals and property owners are cheap. I do electrical as well so The work is nonstop.
You sound like a reputable and honest service provider. Thanks for adding this perspective so others can be aware of your approach.
Perhaps you’d like to reply with your business website so people in your area can find you when they need quality services.
My afterburners won't ignite.from pilot,I turn to on and it doesn't catch or ignite.does this has to do with my gas?should I try the tapping while my finger is on pilot?
I don't think my blower turns on at all.i don't hear anything
@@AphmauFan786 hey, it’s little difficult to troubleshoot in the comments without info about the unit and knowing a bit about your capabilities and available tools. Check out one of the troubleshooting vids like th-cam.com/video/dJzNrw6L_YU/w-d-xo.html I’d be happy to help with some troubleshooting if that doesn’t help
Boards are usually $150-180 for the part $ however only easy when you are using the same exact board often they have to use a universal board that is a major pain because each wire has to be figured out all manufacturers have different colors not straight forward at all.
Maybe ok to diagnose if all else has been done properly. But still wouldnt keep using it for safety reasons. Unless its just myself and hvac stores are closed or I cant find a replacement on Amazon.
Thanks a lot for the tips. From Quebec.... i had the same issue... ignitor glowing but no gas comes out... keeps glowing but nothing happens... got a good heavy screw driver and bang bang and hourraaa gas came out and flame made our house warm again. Will change that damn valve soon.
( same thing happened here...called service company... no RV's on the same day... temp is - 8 celcius and kids started complaining... the lady on the phone started telling me about rookies solutions like, check ur filter, breaker on/ off, exhaust gas pipe clogged etc... all the kind of stuff everybody with some common sense should be doing before calling)
I'm so glad you were able to get heat going again during the bitter cold. Hopefully you'll get that valve replaced and the problem wont resurface. In my case, even the new valve ended up failing within a year. I've since had the entire furnace replaced and have had zero problems since.
I went as far as buying replacement parts for everything and swapping out all the safety sensors. I banged on my valve during the click using a 1/4" drive ratchet end and it fired up first time. I have a new gas valve on order now, but this literally just made my day.
Then it stopped working after about 5 minutes. Time to beat my own head with the hammer lol
@@jjz814 oh no! I’m sorry to hear that the valve stopped on you again. I hope you made it through that issue okay.
Well I’m glad you guys are doing well. On the other hand I’m glad HVAC employees are able to earn an honest living and provide for their families
More like steal a living. Crooks.
Hey L Z Gamer, thanks much! Yeah the honest HVAC pro's earned my ongoing business and I have continued to work with them on other projects.
As for the other company, they have the guts to call me every few months to try and schedule a follow up. I always tell them the same thing. NO WAY, never again!!! :-P
This video is the reason I'm getting into hvac. I paid $125 to get the part over the weekend and they didn't install it until Monday. Why did I get charged an extra $125, wait 2 days, then get charged an additional $800 for a board? Did I mention they charged me 2 labor charges?
Thanks for commenting Larrye123, I hope you are able to use your newly developed HVAC skill for good. :-) Sorry to hear you got screwed over too. It's a real shame that people do stuff like that.
Thank you so much, believe it or not it worked for me!!! Few tapping fixed the problem of a furnace turned off during spring and summer.
Just worked for us on our Goodman furnace. Thanks!
I'm so happy to know that this video helped you. Fyi, please dont just assume that everything will stay fixed now. Since the unit failed once, you should probably consider having it inspected by a pro with the correct tools as a safety precaution.
Wow man. Thanks so much for taking the time to post this video
Nice video. Went through all this years ago on my 80's furnace. Today its looking like a bad control board. All kinds of spark going on, but not sending proper voltage to the gas valve.
Screw driver trick worked, Thank you!!
The old style gas valve that came on those Goodman, Lennox (and a few others) are well known for the plastic housing to distort or crack at the seam from mild heat over time. This causes the contacts inside from making proper contact to open the gas solenoid. If you need to beat on it with a screwdriver to get it to function the gas valve needs to be changed even though you can get it to work for awhile. That HVAC company you were using probably sent out a Jr tech and he didn't have a clear idea or the experience on how to trouble shoot what was happening and was really just guessing. Back probing the 24v connector would have told him it wasn't the board. Most Heating companies have accounts at their suppliers for parts, its not uncommon to not have an account at every possible supplier even though its closer to the job you are currently on.
All excellent points. In this case, these guys were a Goodman reseller and I live near a Goodman parts house.
While I’m sure they have specific vendors they prefer to work with, as the guy getting stuck with the travel and then after hours charges because they wanted to go to some far away place to get one part at a time instead of just going to the manufacturers supply store a couple miles from my house, that’s where my BS alarms really start going off.
Kudos to you for not failing for their BS bill padding.
You can't expect much from the newer HVAC guys these days. The older real pros understood what they were doing and were on time. The could actually diagnose problems rather than just shotgunning parts till the problem goes away, or worse, say they can't fix it and then just shrug and say you need a new unit!
Doesn't matter if they work for a big company, a lot of them just fell off the turnip truck and will puff up 10 feet tall about being an "authorized professional" and throw in some scare story about blowing up you house or poisoning your entire family with carbon monoxide!
P.S. A LOT of auto mechanics use this same repair technique.
Yep makes sense to me. I really try to avoid going to mechanics for anything I can do myself for that exact reason!
Omg this became a checklist on all the things the HVAC guy told my grandparents! And he did something that it no longer works instead of sort of working also-first thing he wrote is to charge us 300$ for a 15$ thermostat-but our thermostat was just replaced lol.
Dont write off all of us new guys, I didn't spend 9 months in a technical school just to go around selling new systems.
@@cwiens0079 months of "official" textbook training is not irrelevant .
That is not all that is involved with changing out a gas valve my friend ! You also need to check all your gas pressures, and you need a special WC meter to check and adjust the gas pressures as needed! New gas valves may need adjustment there is no guarantee that they are set to proper gas pressure for your particular unit ! Also if your gas valve is sticking and you can tap it and it opens up , it can also stick in the open position and not shut off !! Very dangerous to run a unit with a sticking gas valve period ! Should be shut down until replaced by a QUALIFIED Technician! That will check gas pressures and adjust as needed for safe operation!
Thank you for sharing this information. I appreciate both that the message is informative and that you were kind in your delivery.
Even though it's new that on /off switch on valve is crappy may be why it needed tapping I'd would want another one plus make sure gas inlet pressure isn't to hi .
Thank you just a little tap with the wooden part of small hammer and presto👍
Excellent! I'm so glad your system is working again. Don't forget to follow up soon by having someone you trust look at the system too. It's better to be safe than sorry. :-)
....might just be a bad connection inside the vacuum pressure valve causing a partial interruption of your supply voltage potential to the main valve solenoid
I just want to warn you that if a qualified gas guy doesn’t do it and something does happen to your house regarding the furnace like fire the insurance for the home won’t cover you so that’s the only reason you should get the gas guy to do it because he’ll be insured and bonded
Great point!
In my case I had to decide between facing water damage from frozen pipes or taking action.
So I felt it best to address the snake that was going to bite me first.
With that said, your point is a good one and I agree that this concern should be accounted for when determining an appropriate course of action.
Changing a gas valve requires setting the manifold pressure with a Manometer. There is a reason HVAC companies charge you to fix things. Anyone telling you to tapparoo on the gas valve is an idiot and doesn't understand how they work and the dangers associated with it sticking open.
@@wordsmith4177 it’s easy to make statements and call names from across the internet.
Especially when doing so while hiding behind a fake name.
This is an adult conversation aimed at helping homeowners that my find themselves in a similar emergency to the one I landed in after calling in a “professional” and getting scammed.
If you’d like to offer constructive and thoughtful responses to this thread, you’re welcome to do so.
@@davidjpfau my "fake name?" Oh please, my name is Kevin Persic. Just because one HVAC company screwed you over doesn't make them all bad. I stand behind what I said, and I will add that you are ignorant and dangerous if you call banging on a gas valve a good idea.
what insurance?
You still have to change the gas valve as soon as possibleIt’s not normal to have to hit a gas valve plus it can be very dangerous if that valve gets stuck in the open position
100% agreed @jets2232 great call on that.
Thanks, this got mine working.
I have started many old gas heaters by lightly tapping on the tubing. I guess dust builds up in there.
So your HVAC company that just defaulted to a board replacement as opposed to tested for and found a bad board should have let you know they could not test past the board (your gas valve for example) until it was replaced. Unfortunately technicians/un-trained technicians frequently just replace parts (at your expense) until they fix it. Bigger companies often have pricing to reflect this built-in so they cover their parts and labor costs on the first repair, if they can charge you for any extras that is just gravy.
On gas dope, T2 White you used is ok, blue is better, green is best (but it ruins anything it touches, clothes carpets etc). You do need to wipe the excess and "gas test" for leaks after the install, you do not want leaky gas igniting outside of your burners.
On meter testing, you were testing a 24v DC system, if you put your meter in DC as opposed to AC the decimals will be in the correct place. You might measure what looks like the correct voltage, but your gas valve could be sticking (not opening or holding open) due to unexpected resistance in the loop, something I would test for if a new gas valve was not opening or holding open. This could be caused by something as simple as corroded wiring at a connection or another component starting to fail. You would OHM test back down the loop to track this down.
Overall your diagnostic process was better than the HVAC companies "replace parts until it works" technicians. However, there are a few things they are supposed to be checking for to insure nobody dies when they leave that you're just replacing a valve and starting the heater does not address. A few key items would be: Flame Roll-out (indicating a possible cracked heat exchanger), Flame color (Yours looked nice and blue in the video), Gas Leaks, Proper Venting, and most important CO testing.
Overall excellent video and a damn good job of a non HVAC technician working through the issues. (I do think that gas valve is going to haunt you and predict replacing it wouldn't do a thing, the issue will be with wiring or a component in the loop) (technicians often call this a short, when it's not I.E. it's still working, but due to resistance that is in effect crushing your voltage as soon as you apply a load, I.E. call for heat).
Hi @John wow thanks so much for the reply great tips and for the kind words!
I would say you might have a connection issue in the gas valve plug. Look at the male and female sides of the plug. Not sure what kind of pins in there, but if it has the type you can open up a bit it my be a permanent solution to a bad connection.
I’m a technician and when you changed the valve you got air in the gas lines that’s why it didn’t lite the first couple times beating on the valve didn’t make it work
That may well be right. Meaning yeah I think you are correct about needing to bleed out the air from the line.
But there could have been another issue at play though. If not, I wonder why it stopped in the first place then... Perhaps two separate items, perhaps not. :-D
I had the same problem on my Goodman and started replacing vacuum switches at first as they were fairly cheap. Then I watched a ton of videos here on You Tube by HVAC techs and tried the tap method here and voila! it worked and tried another dozen times of powering off and powering the furnace back up and that worked every time. I was convinced it was the gas valve as I was always getting 24-27 volts during the startup sequence. So I found a new gas valve with the exact part number and manufacturer and changed it out. Upon startup it just did a 1-2 second flame and then nothing. I did assume there must be air (not gas) in the line as it's about 20 inches from the valve back to the gas shutoff. I Then tried unscrewing the 10 inches of flex line to the black iron pipe and let some gas flow out until I smelled rotten eggs and then tightened everything back up.What seems to be a bad design is there is no way to easily purge the gas line at the gas valve . So I have tried now over a dozen times to recycle the startup sequence and nothing. So I go back to checking for 24 volts at the gas valve upon start-up and I now notice I have 24 volts right up to the point when the ignitor starts glowing red and then the voltage at the valve drops out to zero. Now I'm thinking I should source out a new control board before I call a tech out as I know they're going to charge me $1,000 to $1,500 here in southern california now in 2024. Very frustrating to say the least. Where is the best place to buy Goodman control boards? I'm bummed I can't buy it directly from Goodman and I type in the part number clearly seen on the board and nothing comes up online???
I think the technicians who worked on it should have watched TH-cam videos. If they changed the board without checking to see if the valve was getting voltage then they were either uneducated or trying to get more easy money.
Sounds like you got it all figured out Dave . Why not start your own company and you can charge people super low prices to work on their stuff !
Well I'd hate to take money away from those that would prefer to rip people off. That would be a shame wouldn't it. :-D
Good advice in the video. However I think videos should be shot in widescreen, ie by holding the camera sideways, otherwise it is like watching a movie through a gap in the fence.
great point. Sorry about that.
Anyone say that you look like Chester Bennington. Even sound like him too when talking. You should've taked to the company owner or supervisor about that bs. That was an easy check to do for an honest or qualified "tech" and so glad that you caught on before he was gonna scam you again.
Hey @Squid Usn, hmmm no I’ve not heard the heater Bennington reference before. Although after watching an interview he gives, I can kind of see how our speech patterns are alike. :-)
Your also probably right about calling the shop. I was just so fed up with the crap at that point, I didn’t want to wast more time with more bs. :-D
Hey great video bro. Thank you from HVAC specialists
Thanks for the *GOOD-TO-KNOW* video. I'm sure it will help many others that will experience this issue. Just goes to show you the quality control on replacement gas valves for this model are not very good. The factory (presumably somewhere in China) probably only inspects one out of every 500 that are made to save money and time and guess who suffers? Welcome to the world of Amazon. Cheaper price cheaper quality. Continued success with your channel. Have liked and subscribed. (145 subs)
Hey Dude,
You are on it. Absolutely frustrating working with service guys. I believe they are trained to be stupid and parts changers.
Great diagnostics and that is exactly how i worked through my no heat issue. I purchased board and it turned out to be the valve. My bad for not checking voltage to the valve first🥲
I subscribed to help out!
You are a jackass. Some people do service work and take pride in helping their customers. Until we run across your kind, then we play "stupid"
And i am sure that you did not set your gas valve pressures after it was installed. Like us trained individuals do.
@@bloodrace1085 There are good techs in the HVAC business and lots of bad ones. A friend of mine had a new unit installed. It ran continuously but never kept the house comfortable. The techs came back and did some useless stuff and charged a lot. After a couple of years my friend called another company. They tested the valve pressure and found out it was low. After adjustment the house was nice and toasty. Finding good techs is like rolling the dice.
People need to check their AC and their heat before they need it. I swear continuous use usually keeps the things working and as soon as you shut them down for a season or go away for a trip. Well here are your problems. A gas valve it's just a solenoid valve. It must have been sticking.
Never bang your gas valve to get it to open because if the flange on the inside doesn't close then gas will continuously flow into the furnace and your home. VERY DANGEROUS!!
Mike is correct about the dangers of working with natural gas or any other explosive. I took the actions I shared after exhausting all other options and after doing all the research I could. This is by no means intended to be a best practice approach to gas valve maintenance or repair. Rather, this was a last ditch effort I had to take before shifting my efforts to winterizing my home to prevent the damage frozen in pipes would have caused.
Also, my gas valve has a manual on/off valve I was ready to pull if things got at all out of hand. Without quick access to that valve, there’s no way I would have taken the steps I did in this video.
Lastly, as it’s been mentioned, this temporary issue was quickly addressed by a reputable HVAC company shortly thereafter. The reputable company won me as a customer and there honest support was rewarded when I went to them for an upgraded HVAC system the following summer.
This method worked for me as well, but I'm a bit afraid, that if it is prone to not opening properly, it might as well be prone to not closing properly either, which could be VERY dangerous. Does someone have any insight on whether being stuck open is less likely than being stuck close or not? 🤔
I’d actually like to hear more about the repair guy who you had to tell to leave. I had one several years ago that I’m pretty sure ripped me off to the tune of $1200; not the first utility scam I dealt with in my house, either. Just curious how often that happens & what they do that finally crosses a threshold.
For me it was when they had to make another trip to the warehouse and wanted me to pay for the additional trip and a fee to open the warehouse after hours.
The parts changer was hours late coming to my home in the first place and then wanted to get parts one at a time over and over. It became clear to me that he was milking me for hourly “service” and that I was going to have to stand up for myself as a consumer and a homeowner in an emergency and put an end to the scam.
@@davidjpfau Jesus. Yep, that’s a scam. The worst asshole I dealt with tried to take advantage of me, knowing that I needed to get my electrical up to occupancy code after I bought my house. When he came for an estimate he asked who the inspector was. The next day he called and said he “talked to the inspector’s supervisor, ‘and he says they need to rip out all the wiring and the breaker box, then have the inspector approve it before they put it back in.’” Which by the way was going to cost me $3000 more than originally estimated. It was also a flat-out lie: I called the inspector, he called bull & told me to get another estimate. It really angers me at how many home owners are probably getting completely ripped off out of thousands of dollars, and I’d love nothing more than to run every one of those scam artists out of business.
@@davidjpfau it’s a business guy. Would you work for free?
@@marcusfitzgerald59 No I wouldn't. But I would conduct myself with integrity. Some people understand that. Others don't...
I noticed with gas valve pointing up there is no way to add a tee or a clean out in the pipe, extra pipe where iron pipe debris can fall into and collect. I am beginning to prefer mounting the gas valve sideways. I make sure to have a 3 or 6” long clean out at every appliance dryer, water heater, and furnace.
Great point!
Please hold the camera 'more still' please & thank you
If it's a smart Honeywell stupid valve, ck the connections on the valve.
flying home tomorrow and heard heats out. hoping this works!!
Hey Daniel, how did things work out for you? Please remember to be careful when working with the gas or electric components. Things like this can get nasty fast if you're not prepared. Hopefully you got it working or were able to find an honest service group to help.
Thank you so much!
A few more drillings ti the back side and you'll be like me and tell them they will not get paid if they do not have the old parts for you ir to see prior to returning the core. As well as make them put the old part back on if they won't let you after the part replaced didn't solve the issue
Agreed!
Buy a 60$ manometer gas pressure and check pressure at 3.5 water column to the burner. 7-10 from the Street into the house.
iam a hvac tech and glad you changed gass valve after being ripped off, but some unlike yours are a pain in the ass to pull out off old furnaces you better be strong or have a great technique.but it looks like you ran into part changers mot techs.also once in a wile new gass valve can be faulty just because its new does not mean its good. i had a friend buy a new car drove it a block... engine fell out shit happens.
In order to determine that the board is bad a technician must verify that a specific component on the board is not performing its proper function and it stands to reason that if they understood how to do that they would also understand how to desolder and replace whatever faulty component needed replaced, which should be no more than maybe $20 considering there are no processors or sophisticated electronics on these boards that require machine automated precision solder work. At the very least they should have the good sense to take it to an electronics repair shop. They just use the excuse to make a quick buck off you. Stop letting these arrogant pricks hold you by the balls so they can squeeze every penny they can out of you to keep your family warm. Hold them accountable for the work they contribute to your castle.
THANX
If they stick closed and you bump it to work, they can stick open too!!! That would make this some pretty bad advice. Your system reached temp and system goes off. BUT THE VALVE STICKS OPEN-filling garage or attic with natural gas!!
Very true. I was prepared for this possibility but that does not mean other would be if they were to try this on their own. Tom, your point here is super important and anyone attempting this emergency action, NEEDS to be well informed and ready for what may come next.
I ran a HVAC Business for 40 years. Sorry you got some part changers and not a real HVAC Technician. Why did you just get your friend who was in the business to come out and fix it. Anyway, I sold my company after 40 years. Have bad arthritis in my hands, knees, feet and ankles. It's a hard business to run. The overhead, Labor, and materials, specials expensive tools That is just part of overhead. I did over 40 million in sales and lost $200,000. made more on my building when i sold out. Still have Gov wanting to check my 2013 taxes. No its not worth it to run a 10 truck business. But I must tell you 1 thing if you need to Rapp on a gas valve to get the diaphragm to open and let the gas flow I had to replace any gas valve that did that problem. But yes you are correct you put the leads of your meter leads on common and hot if it reads 24 to 28 volts then it's calling for the gas valve to open. Yes I would wiggle the wires going into valve and knock on valve body if furnace fired up I would tell homeowner they needed a new Valve. My company had techs not part changers. Problem with young people today. They go to fast most did not go to 2 year Technical school, plus get there state license to install equipment. Overhead and call backs will kill a company. I got up to 40 people working for me and was losing big time on new construction. Downsized to 12 people and would only take customers no more then 10 miles from shop. If it takes 1 hour to get to customers house 2 hours of windshield time then a tech just can make a living. I loved the people I met a lot of good people that still look me up for a service call. I hope my body will let me do some more but looking to teach at the Community College. Try to get good techs back in the Business. A good tech can make $40 an hour and up.
Hey @behvac, Thanks so much for taking the time to share your perspective here. Also, thank you for the hard work and care you clearly put into your career and for making a business that helped so many others. I really hope you are able to bring your experience into the classroom. I get the sense that you'd be an incredible teacher.
I am just another poor guy trying to get his furnace to work. I have watched a few hundred video's and so far, no joy out of this POS. I saw another video and the guy tapped on the gas valve to get it going. So, I tried this as well, no luck. But when I told a repair guy about doing this, he kind of freaked out. And told me that was the wrong thing to do. Not to ever hit one. I am not sure if he was trying to hustle me into letting him work on it or perhaps, he was taught something else. I really do not know but there are others out there that say do not hit the gas valve. Perhaps I am wrong but a few years ago they started putting in new subdivision. Not sure about gas but the water got screwed up. The sink the refrigerator toilet and washing machine. All of them got plugged with fine sand. They dripped, the pressure dropped down and you could not shut them off. I have replaced most of them. After a few months they are starting to give the same problems. I know they put natural gas into these new subdivisions. Not sure if this is what's wrong or not. One thing I have heard them say is, If you have to beat on the gas valve to get it to work then it is sticking. And it can stick open or closed and you do not want one that will stick open. So, it is best to replace the gas valve.
Why didn’t you call your friend who had an HVAC company originally? We hear this often in the trade
Great question!
For some reason, I was inclined to call the number on the sticker that was left on my furnace from before I purchased the house.
Looking back at the situation, I agree with your suggestion and that I should have called a person I know and trust first.
If you rummage around a bit further you’ll find that, yes, this does work, but the fact that the gas valve fails to work all the time, and that giving it a whack gets it going, is an indication of a failing gas valve. You still need to replace that sucker. You may also find that, while you are able to do it yourself, and it may not be illegal where you are, you may require an inspection, and you may have voided your insurance.
check between Common and Main. Not Common and High.
Thanks for this point Jared!
Root cause on this issue was never clearly identified.
I wound up having the entire unit replaced the following summer by a different HVAC company. That also happens to be the same HVAC company that I found after this video was published that came out and actually put some thought and diagnostic effort into their troubleshooting. ;-)
Since the second HVAC crew operated with integrity and knowhow, I knew exactly where to turn when it was time to hire someone to perform the much bigger job of a full HVAC upgrade.
lol dealing with a stressful situation right now, but 14:40 got me laughing
Hopefully you've made it through the stressful time okay.
Now we know what goes 'bump' in the night...
Gas valves must be replaced by licensed technicians as each gas valve has set PSI. Just because it’s an easy swap doesn’t mean it’s calibrated to run your furnace or set to the correct gas flow. You can literally blow up your house man, I’d rather pay someone to install it than lose my house.
I'm going through the same thing right now! My furnace runs but tries to start multiple times before it actually completes the cycle and starts.
Sometimes it starts right away, runs normal for half the day, then it starts having its issue. I cleaned, then replaced the flame sensor , Didn't help so I called Comfort Air Co.
The repair guy said " Its the board" installed a board, I paid $470 with a $30. discount. Guess what????...... Didn't work. They came out two more times . Couldn't figure it out,
Now the HVAC Co. owners son is comming out today , Wonder what they will tell me today
Hmmm it's almost like the same game gets played on consumers... I really hope they fixed your issue and that they didn't rake you over the coals in the process.
@@davidjpfau yes, it was finally fixed, The owners son stopped over, Pressure Switch was being bad, He got it to work, then gave me a oem back up .
No extra charges. So I learned alot for my $400. Investment .
@@markallandryden2965 You still had to pay for the new board? That's complete bs.
Heat won’t come on automatic only when change to fan? Why? A/c comes on auto… thermostat?
so, would gas valve still need to be changed if you're getting proper voltage to it but tapping on the valve generally helps kick-start the heater on
Check that you have the proper inlet and outlet gas pressures first. If you do then yes replace the valve.
Appreciate the video but hurry up and get to it
Haha yeah sorry. I'm a bit of a talker I guess.
broooo thankkkk you i just replace the inducer motor think a mouse went in there got that orkin then the fukn gas val was ticking flame glo was there but the valves did not ignite you are spot on gas valve was stuck not sure if this mfr is gonna turn back on after thermostat temp gets met eitherway i feel good ...thanks again brudda
Sticky gas valve needs to be replaced by a professional! What also needs to be done is leak checked and gas pressures set by special meter most people don't have or know how to use.
By a professional? Buy the valve specifically for your model number, and it will be fine in almost every case. Just replaced the gas valve on my hot water heater. No special tools or payed professionals.
Jerry is right, the valve has to be replaced. I have seen it a few times where gas leaks in the house because of a sticky valve. you need to set the gas pressures using a manometer. It’s not rocket science, but the person needs to know what there doing.
@@mattalford3932 Hope you're not that "Almost" case!
Nobody is trying to scam anybody, it’s just a convenience and warranty fee with some overhead. Sure most handy people can change the gas valve but the again you have to have an account as a supply shop or order it online but have to match the model number otherwise had to splice the connection.
I wish I could agree with you on that one. In my experience, this dude was more than happy to rip me off while I was living through an emergency.
Unfortunately, everyone isn’t honorable although your comment makes me think you probably are and that you’ve had to deal with some awkward situations when helping out customers during odd hours.
I called a friend that has an HVAC company but he wouldn't come change my gas off for me and you can't tell him people to do it yourself some states it's highly illegal to even touch gas I had to be certified
Interesting to hear James.
I’d love the opportunity to read up on this topic.
Please know, I don’t mean to be disrespectful or challenging at all when I ask my next question. Would you mind sharing a source that I can study regarding the legality of homeowners working on LP Gas in their private residences?
Assuming this is true, that’s some important information and I’d really like to have it in the chat area for other viewers to see too so they can be aware.
@Dave Pfau So did the new hvac company find the actual problem? Im actually curious. Or did they just change out the biggest part, The whole system? I have run into a lot of Goodman/Amana furnaces that have issues with the gas valves. Some cases the valve has voltage and amps until it goes to open then bam it drops voltage and does nothing. And also if someone is going to change out a gas valve please make sure that you have a Monometer to check your gas pressures, Or you could end up with bigger problems. Was a good video none the less. 👍
Thanks!
I ended up finding another HVAC company to help me. They did end up measuring gas pressure and found that our pressure and flow were okay.
They also found that the furnace had some poor electrical connections (probably due to corrosion) that they cleaned up.
The system ran great through the rest of the winter.
I decided to upgrade my hvac system at the house the following summer since the system wasn’t quite able to keep up with the house and it seemed like a good time to upgrade rather than push through another Chicago winter.
Your point about checking gas pressure (with proper tools and skill) is an excellent one though and I appreciate you mentioning it.
Hey Bloodrace, after I got the heater working I called another HVAC company to schedule a visit when they could make the time. Those guys came out and tested gas pressure and flow during their assessment. Both pressure and flow were normal. They cleaned up some wiring (corrosion at the wire nuts where wires were coming together and we made plans to upgrade the system once the weather warmed up.
In my case, it made sense to upgrade because the system was undersized for my home and was also quite old. In any case, the second company has done right by me multiple times now and because of that, I'll continue to go to them.
Dear lord. I do it as a service technician extremely rarely. Very dangerous. Would never advise an untrained person like a homeowner doing it.
You didn’t fix it. I guarantee it. I hope you can find a good hvac company in your area.
So you bought a new valve and it still needed bump started?
Thanks
"No way...way. "😆🔥
"chyeah..."
This isn’t a charity this is a business. Some customers complain about the costs I don’t work for free.
Is it possible you got some of the sealant in the new valve when you installed it. It looks like you used much more sealant than needed and some may have made its way into the valve causing it to stick.
Hey kwd57,
That’s an excellent point and yes I definitely used too much sealant on the threads since I didn’t know better at the time.
Fortunately, the sealant had not worked its way into the valve yet.
We ended up replacing the furnace with a new model the following summer so there’s no risk of the sealant getting into the valve anymore. :-)
Ok gotta get my hammer 🔨 😄 Thanks