Mobile Home Furnace: Three Troubleshooting Tips
Posted on: 9 February 2017
As with traditional homes, maintenance plays a role in keeping your mobile home furnace running properly. However, even well-maintained furnaces can experience problems. One of the most common issues is pilot problems. If you're experiencing pilot issues with your mobile home furnace, try these troubleshooting tips before making a service call.
Pilot Out
If the pilot goes out, check your thermostat to make sure it's on the heat setting and that the gas going to the furnace is on. Make sure the knob on the gas valve is turned to pilot and try to light the pilot by pressing down on the knob and inserting a match. When the pilot lights, continue holding the button for about 30 seconds before letting go. You'll want to wait five minutes to see if the pilot remains lit. If it does, turn the knob to the on position. Sometimes air can get in the line. When this happens, you'll need to flush the line by attempting to light it several times. Be sure to wait five minutes between each try.
Check Thermocoupler
If you've attempted to light the pilot several times and it won't stay lit, you might have a problem with the thermocoupler. If the thermocoupler is not aligned, it won't get the full flame from the pilot light, so check the alignment first. Another issue could be debris and dirt built up in the pilot light. Clear any dirt, grime, or debris from the pilot light. To check whether your thermocoupler is working, light the pilot and then blow it out and listen to the gas valve. You'll hear a clicking noise when the gas valve closes. If the valve closes too quickly, you may need to replace the thermocoupler. If the thermocoupler is working fine, you'll usually hear the gas valve close within 30 to 60 seconds. If it closes before that, your thermocoupler may not be working properly.
Check Transformer
If your thermocoupler is working fine, you may want to check the transformer, which is an electrical device that converts the energy coming into the furnace to energy for other parts of the furnace, such as the thermostat. Mobile home transformers have a certain amount of volts coming in and a certain amount going out to the thermostat, usually 110 volts in and 24 to 28 volts out. One way to test the transformer is to use a voltage meter. The meter will be able to tell you whether the transformer is receiving and converting the appropriate volts. If it's not, you'll likely need to replace the transformer.
If these parts of your mobile home's furnace need replacing, contact a company that offers mobile home supplies.
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