The Ultimate Maintenance Guide for Home Appliance Igniters

How to Take Care of Your Home Appliance Ignitors

An appliance ignitor (or igniter) serves an invaluable purpose. They allow your home's ovens, stoves, water heaters. boilers, and HVAC furnaces to transform fuel into fire. They are necessary to properly start most furnaces, forced heat systems, and pellet stove systems. ignitors allow you and your family to have warm meals, stay comfortable in your homes during colder winters months, and more.

ignitors, just like any other appliance part, come with their issues. With age and time, home appliance ignitors will generate less heat than they did at their peak performance. Even if their performance only wanes instead of completely shutting down, you'll see the impact. For example, one of the main causes of your oven not working is a weak or broken broil/bake burner ignitor.

It should go without saying that it's crucial to understand how to take care of your ignitors to ensure your appliances run smoothly for years to come. In this article, we'll discuss different kinds of ignitors, how to clean and maintain them, and common safety tips you should know. You'll walk away with a new-found confidence on how to care for any home appliance powered by an ignitor.

Different Types of ignitors

There are a variety of types of ignitors in the appliances in your home. It's important to understand the difference between each kind so you have a better idea of what you are working with.

Here's a breakdown of some common types of appliance ignitors:

• Furnace ignitor: These ignitors create a flame in the system’s start up mode.
• Forced heat ignitors: This type of ignitor lights the fuel burned in a furnace. This "releases heat energy to air circulating through it. The hot air is then blown by a fan that is timed to cycle on and off with the furnace." (Source: Global Spec)
• Pellet stove ignitors: This kind of ignitor lights the fuel for pellet stove systems, which in turn can be adjusted and set for maximum burn efficiency.
• Gas ignitor: You can light any kind of fuel with this ignitor
• Remote ignitor: With this kind of ignitor, you'll be able to send a signal to the ignitor that then lights the fuel in a furnace.

While there are different kinds of ignitors, they all function in similar ways. First, an ignitor uses a tester to measure the ignition voltage during ignition. After a few pulses, the tester will simulate a flame. Then, that tester ensures the ignition pulse train has ceased.

Once that process is done, an ignitor will receive a signal to light the flame. Different types of ignitors receive this signal in different ways. A furnace ignitor will sense an electrical current and heat its surface and ignite the burners in the furnace. But a forced heat ignitor relies on the timing of the appliance's fan in order to ignite a flame.

An ignitor tends to operate in the 10 kV to 25 kV range to ensure proper functionality. But it's important to note that an appliance should always use the correct original equipment manufacturer’s ignitor to work as it should.

How to Clean ignitors

If your furnace or oven won't start, a dirty ignitor is often the culprit. "Cleaning your ignitor every so often removes the carbon deposits that build up and prevent start-up." (Source: Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric) It's crucial to understand how to clean an ignitor yourself, especially if you live in a cold weather environment. Here are some tips for cleaning different kinds of ignitors.

You'll find the ignitor behind the set of four burners near the gas valve. Your appliance will typically have one of the four following kinds of ignitors — direct spark, hot surface, intermittent, and standing pilot.

Once you have properly identified which kind of ignitor you're working with, gather the right tools. Grab a screwdriver, soft brush/cloth, spray-nozzle air compressor, headlamp, socket wrenches, scuff pads.

When all your tools are assembled, turn off the ignitor at the main switch or circuit breaker. This will ensure your safety during the cleaning process. Then, it's time to get to work.

How to Clean a Direct Spark or Hot Surface ignitor

• Step 1 — Disconnect the ignitor wire, and loosen the ignitor's screws.
• Step 2 — Carefully grab the ignitor's base and remove it from the appliance. Do not directly touch the object, so you can prevent a malfunction from oils left behind by the skin. Keep in mind here that direct spark ignitors will have spark wires, while hot surface ignitors have an element.
• Step 3 — If needed, take your air compressor and leverage it to remove carbon deposits that are preventing normal function.
• Step 4 — Use your cloth or scuff pad to gently wipe down your ignitor's surface. Clean and polish until you see a nice shine. Keep in mind that ignitors are fragile. Don't use too much force here.
• Step 5 — After you're satisfied, vacuum up leftover debris from the ignitor.
• Step 6 — Once it looks good, secure the ignitor, reconnect its wire, and place the panel back in its place. Turn your furnace back on to see if it's functioning better.

How to Clean an Intermittent or Standing Pilot ignitor

• Step 1 — Find the pilot orifice, which is where the pilot flame produces gas.
• Step 2 — Once you have located the orifice, inspect it for carbon deposits or dirt. Use any type of air compressor to blow away the unwanted debris. A canned compressed air and a straw, blowing air to the orifice is a great choice.
• Step 3 — Focus your cleaning efforts on the inside of the orifice, as this is where you'll find the most carbon buildup. Keep the nozzle as close to the target area as possible. Spray lightly with a second or two between sprays. If you're too forceful, you risk damaging your ignitor.

If you're working with an intermittent pilot furnace, apply compressed air to the spark ignitor wire. If your appliance is on the older side, it wouldn't hurt to start scheduling regular maintenance after you clean.

Signs of a Faulty ignitor

Your appliances undergo a lot of daily wear and tear. When they start to deteriorate, your ignitors will follow. The best quality appliances are built to last. However, frequent exposure to high temperatures means even the most reliable appliances or ignitors require regular maintenance. Here are some signs that your ignitor may need maintenance:

• No Ignition or glow: If the oven doesn't ignite at all or if the flame is weak, that is a clear sign of a malfunctioning ignitor. If you're experiencing this, make sure to check if the ignitor is glowing red-hot when the oven is turned on. If it's not lit, it has likely gone bad.
• Ignition is delayed: If you're experiencing a clear delay between turning on the oven and a flame appearing, the ignitor is struggling to reach the necessary temperature. This can lead to extended preheating times and delayed cooking time.
• Uneven cooking: If your ignitor isn't working properly, it will result in an inconsistent flame. That will lead to uneven cooking. If your meals are coming out with inconsistent temperatures, it could be a sign of an issue with the ignitor.
• Unusual noises: If you hear an excessive clicking or popping sound during the ignition process, your ignitor will likely be faulty. Unusual noises within the appliance can often indicate problems with the ignition system.
• Signs of visible damage: Do you think there could be a problem with your ignitor? Inspect it for any signs of damage, like cracks or breakage. If you find any, it will need to be replaced so full function can be restored.
• Excessive build-up: As previously mentioned, regularly cleaning your ignitor is key for peak performance. Food particles and other contaminants may fall onto the ignitor and cause build up over time. Too much buildup will eventually prevent the ignitor from heating up, creating a flame, and powering your appliance.

Safety Tips for Handling an ignitor

Whether you are cleaning or inspecting an ignitor for damage, you always need to keep one thing in mind. ignitors create flames, giving them the potential to be extremely dangerous. Also, when an ignitor fails, gas may still to flow out. This accumulation of gas in your home can create a major explosion hazard.

As a homeowner, you should be empowered to handle ignitors in your appliances. Just make sure to do so safely. Here are some tips to handle your ignitors with care:

• Don’t let the burner run without ignition: If burners on your gas stove fail to light but gas continues to flow, you face extreme risk of fire or explosion. While there are several safety systems to prevent gas from releasing unless a burner is properly lit, just make sure not to make multiple attempts at ignition if your burners won't light. Quickly turn off the knob instead.
• Understand how your appliance works: Whether it’s a new appliance or one you’ve had for years, make sure you are able to locate the ignition, vents, and any other safety features. If you can’t find this information on the manufacturer’s website, get in touch with a customer support representative to have them walk you through the location of each feature.
• Use a carbon monoxide detector: Install detectors near gas stoves and other combustion appliances. Perform a monthly test to ensure they'll properly alert you to the presence of odorless, poisonous gas. If your detectors ever sound an alarm, evacuate your home immediately and call emergency services when you're outside.
• Maintain proper ventilation: Ventilating your kitchen, or wherever these appliances live, is an imperative safety measure. This is especially true for gas stoves. When you cook with gas burners, combustion byproducts containing carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, water vapor, and volatile organic compounds will automatically flow into your kitchen air. Proper ventilation will quickly remove these contaminants so you and your family are not exposed.

No matter how careful you are, accidents might still happen. Ensure you and your family have an emergency response plan for a worse case scenario. For example, outline an action plan in case you experience a gas leak or a fire starts. You need to know how to put out any flames and pick an evacuation spot outside your home for all family members to meet at. While accidents do happen, being prepared and understanding the safest way to handle appliances will minimize your risk.

TL;DR Taking Care of Your ignitors Will Help Avoid Appliance Replacements

ignitors power a number of appliances we use every day — and there are a number of different ignitors that produce fuel for those appliances. Take some time to understand what type of ignitor your appliance has and where it is located.

Understand how to recognize the signs of a faulty ignitor. Then, learn how to take care of your ignitor. Regularly clean it, and make sure you're following the right cleaning process for the right type of ignitor. Most importantly, make sure you follow best practices to stay safe when you're handling your ignitors.

Maintaining appliances will help you be more sustainable by producing less landfill waste, reducing impact of climate change, and more energy savings. Virtually all home appliances are repairable, including those powered by ignitors. Timely upkeep and repair will also help you save money in the long run, too.

McComb’s Supply offers replacement repair parts for HVAC, range-ovens, commercial cooking, and more. Our team is committed to providing you with quality products, great customer service, fast shipping, and competitive prices. No matter what your concern is, we're here to help.

Contact us today to learn how we can best assist your ignitor needs.