This young man has saved THIS old man, a retired auto mechanic, a fortune taking care of my 29 year old furnace. I've learned so much from this man. You should watch his other videos! Straight to the point and tells you in layman's terms how to overcome complex issues that you may or may not understand. Probably most importantly, he talks about in several videos different ways you can get heat from your furnace if there is a power outage in your area. Very important in our troubled times. I'm still learning from him.
Same retired auto mechanic here who always likes to maintain his own appliances including HVAC. 29 year old AC condenser and 19 year old furnace still good. Learned a bit more from this great video. Saved thousands over the years because never had to call service company and get that immediate “You need a new furnace, AC, etc.” line from incompetent “repair” trainees.
As a senior citizen on a fixed income, your videos are a Godsend. I don’t have loads of money but being retired, I do have the time to watch your videos and learn. You have already saved me money from an expensive callout. I cleaned the flame sensor and fixed the problem. My wife and I thank you. God bless you!
I had Pestinger heating & Air conditioning of Salina Kansas come out to fix my furnace. It would stop working but when you put the cover back on it worked, but would shut down at night. They Replaced something and that night it quit working. Called them again came back out and replace the Hot Surface Control. Put it back together it worked. That night did the same thing and quit working. I'd already paid out hundreds and I was mad. Thinking what would cause it to not work but you miss with the furnace it would work. Sounded like something sticking. So I pulled out the book to the furnace got to looking. Turned out to be the Air Presser Switch. Ordered the part and it fixed it! That was several years ago. Man was I made. Been working on it myself every since! Just fixed another problem thanks to UA-cam videos like yours. Turns out there really not hard to work on. THANKS!
As a gasfitter and a service technician, I like to watch other tech’s videos to see if I can learn something. I think this guy does a very good job, explaining how to service the furnace. However he could do a much better job explaining gas safety. Do not ever remove the test ports, or the manometer tube without first turning off the gas. In this situation it may not have been very dangerous because he is experienced and the type of test port doesn’t allow much gas through. A mid or low efficient gas valve however and you could have a massive ball of flames.
This needs to be bumped to the top. I just got done measuring the gas pressure on a unit where the test port has to be fully unthreaded. I should have known better than to do it running and it let a lot of gas out. Anyone else reading this, be careful and turn off the furnace when connecting and disconnecting the manometer.
My furnace wouldn't start, so I called a co. that advertised on a local religious channel. Thought they'd be honest? A guy came out and looked it over. Said electronic control panel was burnt. Obvious black flash mark on back. Said would be $900 to replace. I asked if anything else looked bad. Said no. He said wouldn't spend the $ on my 18 yo unit. Tried to sell me complete new system for $12k US. Looked up part online, bought for $200. UA-cam video for install. 5 years later, runs perfect. Crook. New sub.
No one wants this guy to go anywhere, for every 1 viewer that “fixes” their unit 10 others will short something out and have to call a company anyways. I think people in my area watch him because they think staybrite can be used on existing copper. I’ve been going out and just doing braze and pump downs does not bother me one bit.
Your my new best friend....Im that guy , the one that fixes everything, except HVAC. Your tutorials are very explanatory and easy to follow. Not rushing out to do HVAC repairs but have enough knowledge to help out family and friends avoid the pitfalls of unscrupulous contractors who pray on the uneducated. Thanks for what you do , who you are, and the knowledge you share.
I own and operate a small local HVAC company. I couldn’t agree with you more that there are companies out there that are seeking maintenance contracts specifically to try and sell you a product. Happy to say I started my own company so I didn’t have to participate in deceitful practices like this and so many more. We work of the old idea of helping our neighbors and community. Like you we educate and empower our clients to make the best decisions for them. We are here to provide a service not to sell a product. Huge difference. Thank you for posting this
You will not be able to scale your business unless you start down the path of sales. The numbers just don't work anymore. It's why private equity is going around snapping up independent HVAC shops. The industry is in turmoil right now, at least residential side of things.
I went to a service call the other day where someone recommended replacing a unit for a tripped limit on the blower housing. Easy fix and customer was pretty happy haha
Why would you thank him for posting that??????. How is it a good idea to encourage the general public to go meddling around in their gas heating system or air conditioning system for that matter..?? It's a horrendously bad idea.
@@NATHANFREDERICK-rs7yb - Because of all the scamming and lying from HVAC "technicians," it's good for him to THANK him for posting this content to help educate homeowners on doing much of this work for ourselves.
By far one of the best creators on youtube. Currently installing a new furnace. Wouldnt have thought it was possible without your videos. Just waiting for the return plenum to come in to finish it up. Thanks so much for what you do!
@diyhvacguy today was the first day that the house has had a working furnace in about a year and a half. no more space heaters! Thanks again! Love your videos. Gonna help friends tackle these projects in the future!
I have found through past experience never call the company with the big local advertisement for a furnace tune up special. Call the local company who has been in business for a very long time.
Bravo!!!!! Thank you for the very informative video without the stupid background music. You have the qualities of a very good instructor. Keep up the great work. Whoever taught you should be proud at seeking how capable a professional instructor you have become.
Really appreciate your videos. Over the last year, thanks to you, I've pimped out my a/c unit with a soft start kit and run it under light water mist on really hot days and it has helped immensely. Now our family has grown and we're buying a new house and I want to go through the new furnace completely thanks to this video. You've saved me a fair bit of money and really appreciate your knowledge.
Exactly. Save a couple dollars and ruin your coil. If you are trying to limp through a summer until you can save for replacement, fine. NEVER do this to a coil that you want to last. @@AndyDufresne4
Very thorough. Thank you for this in-depth video of what a technician does when they inspect your furnace. The most important thing that I learned is that it's worth the $150 a year to get it done LOL
As another mentioned below, i don't plan on doing my own maintenance, but i still appreciate the breakdown on the components and how things work. It's always best for homeowners to have some familiarity with everything in their home.
Absolutely love that adding a plug was so easy. Now i feel comfortable knowing i can plug furnace into my Delta 2 , in case of a power outage .Thanks again
I would say the following are reasons your heater shuts off after being on for a little bit. #1 Flame Sensor (this part is under $5 to replace or free to clean off) #2 Capacitor for your blower motor is worn or old (this part is under $10 to replace). #3 The drip line hose is clogged or the filter leading to the drain is clogged with black gunk (this happened to me and was causing my heater to turn off and on since the inside was clogged with water that could not get out of the unit).
I have been cleaning and servicing my 2 gas furnaces for years after being scammed on a service call. This video is the BEST I've seen !! Thank you very much for the extra detail, guys like me need. Have all the tools, just need needed a little extra eg pull the blower to clean and check the amp draws. Best use of 25 mins I've spent in a while !
I discovered a massive condensate leak. This was 3 days after a brand new Carrier installation. The guys did not connect the exhaust as per the manual. There were several other flaws. I'm glad I knew what to look for or I'd be buying another new furnace in only a few years. I also made them set my gas pressures. They had to send a different guy.
Very professional and well done summary. Recommend changing the title to something like” learn how to maintain your furnace like a pro.” Thank you for taking time to educate!
Thank you for these great tips on servicing a furnace. I will do this next week when the weather warms up a bit! Freezing weather has hit the Midwest over the last couple of days which is supposed to let up next week. I just implemented the "Keep Your Family Warm During A Power Outage By Installing This $5 Part" so my family is ready in the event of a power outage this winter". Thanks again Dave for all of these great tips.
I've been in residential HVAC for just over 2 years and this is by far the best explanation on how to do a maintenance i've seen. I am curious tho can you explain whats wrong with the video? @@zavie22
The startup sequence just saved me a ton. I watched my inducer motor come on and shut off no fire. After calling a company who wanted 300 to show and 50 every 15 after I watched again. I realized no fire could mean pressure switch issue. Was able to blow air in it free it up and get it working. Got the part for 50 bucks and back in business. Thank you so much for the tips. And yes there were no obstructions just an old switch.
WOWZA! Many thanks from an 80 y/o DIY. Been working on all household and farm equipment since I was a kid. Like you point out: "You need the proper TOOLS!"
Man, I really appreciate your videos. I was able to clean and maintain my furnace. My blower was never cleaned from the previous owner. Dust was caked up in the blade fins and the motor. I cleaned that sucker out well and it's peace of mind that I know the blower and furnace will run more efficiently without excessive overheating and breakdown of components. Hats off to you DIY Hvac Guy!
Great video - recently came back home to see control panel dead, no heat. Changed battery -2 times, checked fuse, checked condensation in the furnace. But somehow blower was not working Could not check capacitor, blower, fan. Always saw - fan come on. Called tech He wanted to replace thermostat for more than 450$ and upwards Requested- he relented- found some corrosion on connection pins apparently- he charged 120 bucks - I should have checked it. Your videos are best explained.
Thank you for making an easy to understand video for furnace maintenance. Now I'm not trying to make a sob story but my father was a professional HVAC installer and technician for homes and businesses for like 20 years and he passed away the day after black Friday unexpectedly and knowing a little bit more about what he did from your video makes me feel closer to him and more comfortable knowing that it wasn't too complicated to fix or at least maintain our furnace to prevent it from going down. I do wish, however, you mentioned how often this maintenance should be done.
So sorry to hear about your dad 😢 I’m glad these give you a measure of comfort though 😊 generally this should be done every fall but it can be done every other year or even every couple years. Best, Dave
Im glad youre doing this. Im an apprentice plumber who started out working for a residential company that also does hvac. Theyre very predatory and use all kinds of psychological tricks to sell, and it works! Customers leave them a 5 star rating after getting ripped off.
Excellent walk-through about critical maintenance steps for furnaces. You not only explained the various components in the system but also demonstrated the "how to" safely and efficiently. I had a classic failure of my Lennox 96% efficient furnace during the coldest time but it turned out to be a dirty flame sensor which I learned from one of your videos.
I've watched the HVAC guy do maintenance on my furnace and they definitely didn't do all those things. They only checked a few amperage items, did a visual check of the burners and went on their way. Definitely going to DIY this next time.
Thank you 1000 times for the class. I had a few bad experiences with HVAC techs, the worst techs wanted to change the entire system. I contacted the tech that I trust and all he found wrong with the system a leak on the line that he fixed, recharged the system all for under $300. I want to learn how the heater and air conditioner works to at least know what they charging me for because they don't want to tell you what they fixed all the want to give you is a bill with no information. thanks
Thank you for all your super useful videos. What is remarkable is not just your knowledge and amazing ability to clearly and methodically explain the issues and procedure - rather your honesty and integrity for even thinking of putting these clips together. We are lucky for sure. But, congratulation to your parents for having raised a human being like you with stellar values. Please raise a few children - we, the world, badly needs them. Thanks you.
In my experience those burner units are not going to move out of the way that easily because they are connected to the gas line with iron pipe - so getting that out of the way is a bit more involved and maybe beyond what a DIY person wants to take on (removing gas fittings).
My first thought exactly. It looks really easy when the whole gas inlet is flexible pipe. I'm not sure the contractor who fitted ours put in a union, but I'll be checking as soon as I finish watching this.
Excellent video. Thanks to info I’ve learned from your channel, I’ve installed a MicroAir soft start kit on my AC compressor, and next I’m going to service my furnace based on this video. I had 3 HVAC contractors come out earlier this summer to check out our system. They each suggested we replace our entire system, which is 15 years old, but works fine, with estimates ranging from 16k all the way up to 28k!
Same here. I purchased a house in 2019 that has a Munchkin natural gas boiler tied to a hydronic radiant floor system and indirect hot water tank. Installed in 2006. Of the 6 or so techs that have come out, only 1 has any idea what is going on and he is extremely expensive to do basic service. Now, Munchkin did go out of business so parts are a problem but I would think many are universal. All the techs, “This is a really old system. I’d replace it”. $17K-26K When I lived in New England most homes were radiant (old time radiators in each room) fueled by home heating oil. Those boilers were 50 plus years old and going strong. How can my boiler, which is 17 years old, need replacing? Anyway, I don’t have the $$$ even if I wanted to. I don’t understand the inherent dishonesty in the HVAC industry. Makes me lose faith in my fellow man. How can I live in an area of 750K people, hot housing market, and not be able to find a competent and honest HVAC company?
@@dukebeach1I work in residential for a large company. Company policy requires management to “encourage” techs to try and produce turnovers on jobs with older systems. Systems today will last about 10-15 years before getting replaced. It costs my company about 500 dollars just to send a tech out to the job. Just to SEND the tech to the house. Any turnovers to make up for that is desired. If we don’t at least plant the seed of a sale, and provide a record that we at least mention it to the homeowner, we can get penalized by the company. Most techs hate being told to sell things that don’t need replacing, and we’ve floated this to management, but it’s corporate policy. It’s not the techs fault, it’s the way the game is played these days, especially by larger companies.
Those old boilers you are referring to were made of cast iron or heavy gauge steel. That's why they can last so long. Even new cast iron and steel boilers aren't as durable as the older ones. They are made using less material. On most newer HVAC equipment, some parts are not universal. Munchkin boilers were not designed to last long.>@@dukebeach1
@@CrabtreeBob Well, I guess that is the case. I think I'm going to buy a bunch or parts now while I can to hopefully get as many years as possible out of my boiler. I found a supplier in CA that seems to have just about every part for my particular boiler. I'm sure they'er not OEM, but as long as they are an adequate substitute they should work. I can't imagine a spark ignitor or flame sensor is so different on my boiler than another make/model that aftermarket wont' do the trick. I suppose I'll find out.
Wow! You the best. I watched several videos but I didn’t understand. My thermostat was blank and I followed instructions of your video and immediately the AC started blowing/ cooling. Thanks so much
You are correct a lot of companies do up sell when it’s not necessary but I don’t hate that you are making customer’s aware of their equipment. Your video titles are a little click bait but it works. Good job
Great videos. For somebody who is a little bit handy can save a lot of money just following your advises. So many scammers offering 'furnace maintenance' like it is rocket science and needs PhD degree. By accident found your videos... Looking at 'furnace maintenance' at youtube there are at least 20 videos ahead of you and most are BS. I wish I could have some instruments to adjust gas flow but cannot justify price for once in a life time maintenance and nobody rents it. Thank you for simple and honest advices!
My Heil is around 20 years old. Thanks to vids ive been able troubleshoot. Needless to say its got many new parts on it so its like new lol. Im no expert but overall ive discovered these things arent overly complicated. I did work commercial sheetmetal for 15 years but never learned service.
Thanks a lot for the video. I saw this when you released it but never got around to actually doing it. Well I noticed we've been randomly getting times where the thermostat was calling for heat but the temperature was still dropping. We'd still get heat eventually so I didn't pay it too much attention. Well I checked today and it was erroring out trying to ignite, because only the first burner would activate not the others. I took it apart as you showed here and took out the burners. The backs and wings were caked in rust. Cleaned them all with a brush and it lit first try! Saved me a service call. Thanks for putting this info out there for DIYers to find.
You are a honest man. I would say GOD will give you every thing what ever you need in your life. Post more videos like this. Thanksssssss of lot and GOD BLESS YOU.
Great info. I’m a DIY guy, and I’ve done a lot of maintenance on my furnaces. I was not aware that u could just clean a flame sensor. I’m guilty of replacing them thinking they were defective. Oops.
Hi there , yes you can clean the flame sensor but only very lightly with very fine steel wool .I'm in Canada and its colder so I need to do this every second year .Please note after a few years the flame rod will need to be replaced.
Thanks. I replaced mine at 13 years not knowing I could clean it. So it is possible it was actually bad. I've replaced the hot surface ignitor (keep a spare), and the draft inducer motor. 16 years of use.
I worked HVAC for 14 Years If the Tech says to you, You need to replace your furnace right after he gets there I would be leery, I used to ask is it dependable? after an inspection? it they say yes then I would say no reason to replace unless it becomes undependable! I used to tell them you'll know, If my boss ever knew i said that he would have been pissed no doubt! Don't care though, Just like putting bleach down all HVAC DFrains, I told every cust, I knew to do so, Boss said never Tell Cust. LOL! GREAT VIDEO, This will help many people not get taken and will empower them to maintain their equipment safely! GREAT JOB!!!
I did the same thing . I purchased a a receptacle and cover plate with only ‘one ‘ plug /not 2 . This will discourage others from plugging anything else into same circuit . It is usually labeled ‘furnace ‘ at household fuse panel . Definitely buy higher quality receptacle.
I have been doing my own maintenance for 40 years plus repairs when I could find a supply company that would sell me parts . I don't know how much money I have saved doing my own but you can bet it is substantial . There are some things that you cannot do unless you are a licensed HVAC or plumber though like running your own gas line but hey , it's all good ! Great video !
I have a contractor who have maintained my furnace and ac for years without finding anything wrong. They occasionally replace the flame sensor, once or twice over 11 years. They were the ones to replace the AC and furnace, but they did so only after I specifically asked for it. The only issue with them doing maintenance is that their maintenance appointments are backlogged by 2-3 weeks into the future.
I've saved myself several service calls once I learned to clean the flame sensor myself. I use the dollar bill method and have never had that particular issue since.
Rermember, to check for a cracked heat exchanger, you can use a manometer on the rubber line from the heat exchanger to the pressure switch and only turn on the fan, if the manometer senses change in pressure, you have a crack.
I actually have a new flame sensor in a ziplock bag duct taped to my furnace for that just in case day. Planning on buying a circuit board to also put in a freezer bag for standby. I priced it at about $150 and when I stupidly paid a company to clean my furnace they said a new installed board would run about $1400.
It is very very rare to replace a flame sensor. I have replaced 1 in the last 3 heating seasons. Just clean it once a year and you will be good. If I was you I would just get a capacitor for blower and outdoor unit. Probably a contactor for outside. Other than that save your money on the board and get a multi meter. Chances of correctly diagnosing a bad board with no meter or any other parts is slim
Thanks for you help. I changed out my thermostat and had a 5 amp fuse go out. I changed the fuse and it will not come on. After reviewing this video I realized that the Door cover switch was the issue. I hadn't put it back on, Thanks for your help. Keep on doing what your doing.
Your video is very informative that would greatly assist HVAC technicians that are new to the trade but having said that, I would never recommend a homeowner to mess around on the gas side of any gas fired appliance, recipe for disaster and in fact may nullify one's home insurance in the event of fire or damage. The only other point i would like to make is that you will never get a proper amp draw on a blower motor without the blower compartment door in place.
I used to work in the HQ of a boiler manufacturer. The reason they want approved people to work on the boilers and inspect them is because DIY maintenance/install can be deadly. All of the deaths we had we due to customers trying to DIY or work that was done by people unfamiliar with our specific boilers. Stay safe.
love your videos and appreciate your honesty, and you prompted me to install my own furnace and everything went well,as i saved three thousand doing my own work.
Another thing that you can do when you have your furnace apart for cleaning is to get some duct masking paste and seal up the seams in the sheet metal box of the furnace. While you are at it, you can seal up a lot of the sheet metal seams and cabinet junctions.
Hands down one of the most detailed videos!! Very thorough and the explanations are so user-friendly to understand. Honestly, I'm very excited to do all this by myself. Bless you for sharing. Thank you!
Truth is, another part of the equation is a lot of those guys at the big companies don’t even know how to service or diagnose systems. That takes a lot greater of a knowledge base than just saying “idk but I know it’ll work nice after I’m done installing a brand new system”
This is a good video for a new service tech. Although I'm not a fan of checking gas pressure while the burners are lit right by the set screw. Homeowners.. don't touch anything. Change ur filter..clean ur flame senser if u want n check blower bearings and capacitor if u want but thats all I'd touch on this furnace. N service techs just blow out burner dust w CO2 tank. Removing manifold is more difficult with black iron gas pipe going into unit as opposed to flex pipe.
Your videos have been a game-changer! Thanks to your tips, I upgraded my A/C unit, and now, as we're moving to a new house, I'm applying your advice to the furnace. You've saved me money and shared valuable knowledge. Much appreciated!
I love your videos 👍🏻 I'm also glad you use Tempstar. I just had mine replaced last year with one. Looks like now I'll be servicing my own this season. Thank you !
Thanks, Dave. Your instructions are detailed enough especially for people like me who never touched HVAC before. It would be great if you could do the same video for Goodman HVAC.
Ive been doing this for years on my home’s furnace, plus as a maintenance worker for rental management employer. Probably saved thousands of dollars on paying for regular maintenance plus repair work. Easy peezy
Excellent tutorial Dave, I really appreciate it. I found you through Scott at Everyday Home Repairs, who is excellent in his field of knowledge too. I was always intimidated about anything to do with gas, but with a few basic safety steps, it really is straight forward. I will be following these maintenance steps on my furnace. Like your link to tools also!
15 years ago I had a new furnace put in. the installer wanted me to set up a $100/year maintenance plan. I said no. For the last 15 years I have maintained it myself and it's been working great. I never had to replace a part, just clean it. I found checklists online to help me determine the points of concern. I also got the furnace service manual. No problem! Saved me $1500-2000 doing it myself. Plus I learned a lot and can likely troubleshoot a problem and even do a repair if I can get parts.
Excellent video! Worked on cars for years and do pretty much everything around the house that ever needs done but until you see a video on proper furnace maintenance you just don’t know what you’re looking for so thank you! I will be checking these in the coming days. Hoping it will take care of my issue where it only kicks on for about two minutes and shuts off, then comes back on in maybe 5 minutes for another 2. It’s maintaining the temp fine in the house but it just doesn’t seem normal to me to kick on 5-6 times for 2 minutes each in like a half hour
I had something similar and it turned out to be my control board. I replaced it with a newer style and did the work myself and and saved a lot of money. Usually when your furnace faults it will flash an LED and you can look up the area of fault being reported. Mine was saying that it was a limit switch but I tested the limit switch loop and it was fine so I knew it was the PCB.
Good video, the only thing I saw is that you should mention, do not touch your flame sensor when you are cleaning, getting oil from your fingers and on sensor could cause it to fail.
Thanks for the time and effort you take in making these videos. Your clarity in explaining each episode along with detailed video breaking down each task into to simple tasks is to be commended. Thanks for recommending the multi nut driver. I recently purchased one and the quality is excellent.
As many people have said, thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with the DIY community. I just subscribed. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to service my Munchkin natural gas boiler, but you have at least given me enough knowledge to discern when I’m about to be ripped off. My unit was installed in 2006. I’m the 3rd owner of the home. It’s tied to a radiant floor system, indirect hot water tank, and DX coils sitting on top of both blowers. I’ve had about 6 companies come out at my request to do basic maintenance. Only 1 company showed any degree of competence to understand my system and they are absurdly expensive. All have tried to sell me a new system with bids starting at $17K and upwards. Not an option. I don’t have that $ even if I wanted to play along. I now have a problem with the boiler throwing a fault code and shutting off. No heat. The manual indicates it’s either the flame sensor or something with the gas pressure. I think I’ll poke around and see if I can figure out what’s going on based on this video. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. I don’t know why there are so many dishonest people in the HVAC industry. Greed I guess.
Glen, i own a HVAC company in upstate NY and have worked on Many Munchkin boilers. Pull out the ignighter and flame sensor and clean them with emery cloth once a year, this is the biggest problem with that boiler. The exhaust blower also was a problem with them as they made the fan blades out of plastic and they don't last. I like the Weil McLain GV-90 boiler as replacement if and when the Munchkin finally goes. Good Luck.
I have a model year 1990 carrier 96 % efficient furnace. At one point the exciter motor started to squeal. Took that out remove end covers oil packing. Do that and blower motor every few years. In 2005 the heat exchanger failed. They were under warranty but front panel was getting rusty. $500. The first 10 years of furnace in 1928 house the furnace would run constantly with no insulation in house. So here it is 2024 still going.
Enjoy your video if you're doing a good job explaining the maintenance things about HVAC. Every homeowner should take care of their own equipment until they can't! But simple yearly maintenance can save you a lot of money! Keep up the good work you seem like a nice young man! Columbus Michigan
(8:10) If cleaning the flame sensor electrode makes any difference, it may mean that the intermittent pilot controller is on its last legs and should be replaced. I was cleaning the electrode on mine several years ago because the furnace wasn't lighting reliably or staying lit and it let the furnace limp along for a few months, only to stop working completely in late winter. I spent several months in a cold house until I could find a replacement controller on eBay for a reasonable price, not something I wish to repeat.
Wow, if this is this easy , im shocked ! I can't thank you enough. Im think i should order some extra parts before attempting to do the maintenance as if i need to replace anything ill have it ( still need the part #s though) . I was concerned about the blower wheel and cant wait to clean it all up, thx a million!
I'm in the process of buying a house from a friend. His mother passed away about 12 years ago and house has sat. Trane furnace. Local HVAC co came out to check and said need all new systems. AC and furnace. They are original units from 1993 but were only used about 10 years in mild NC climate. Quotes for new systems are $9,000.oo
I would just like to say, you sir are a nation treasure! I am incredibly grateful for the content you put out there. I myself am very mechanically inclined, and prefer to do stuff myself, and these kind of videos help a lot in making sure I am dotting my I’s and crossing my T’s. Keep making these great videos!!!
My coaches ceiling mounted heater randomly stopped working one morning. He called a guy to come check it out. Tech shows up, take a small panel off. Cleans some dust off a relay switch then turned it back on. It was just dusty around the switch. Heater has been working fine for 5 years now. That call cost cost him $275 for the tech just to show up and basically flick a switch.
This young man has saved THIS old man, a retired auto mechanic, a fortune taking care of my 29 year old furnace. I've learned so much from this man. You should watch his other videos! Straight to the point and tells you in layman's terms how to overcome complex issues that you may or may not understand. Probably most importantly, he talks about in several videos different ways you can get heat from your furnace if there is a power outage in your area. Very important in our troubled times. I'm still learning from him.
Same retired auto mechanic here who always likes to maintain his own appliances including HVAC. 29 year old AC condenser and 19 year old furnace still good. Learned a bit more from this great video. Saved thousands over the years because never had to call service company and get that immediate “You need a new furnace, AC, etc.” line from incompetent “repair” trainees.
Thanks for sharing! And thanks for the kind words. Comments like these are why I do what I do 👊🏼
Same here too! Nailed it.
As a senior citizen on a fixed income, your videos are a Godsend. I don’t have loads of money but being retired, I do have the time to watch your videos and learn. You have already saved me money from an expensive callout. I cleaned the flame sensor and fixed the problem. My wife and I thank you. God bless you!
I had Pestinger heating & Air conditioning of Salina Kansas come out to fix my furnace. It would stop working but when you put the cover back on it worked, but would shut down at night. They Replaced something and that night it quit working. Called them again came back out and replace the Hot Surface Control. Put it back together it worked. That night did the same thing and quit working. I'd already paid out hundreds and I was mad. Thinking what would cause it to not work but you miss with the furnace it would work. Sounded like something sticking. So I pulled out the book to the furnace got to looking. Turned out to be the Air Presser Switch. Ordered the part and it fixed it! That was several years ago. Man was I made. Been working on it myself every since! Just fixed another problem thanks to UA-cam videos like yours. Turns out there really not hard to work on. THANKS!
As a gasfitter and a service technician, I like to watch other tech’s videos to see if I can learn something. I think this guy does a very good job, explaining how to service the furnace. However he could do a much better job explaining gas safety. Do not ever remove the test ports, or the manometer tube without first turning off the gas. In this situation it may not have been very dangerous because he is experienced and the type of test port doesn’t allow much gas through. A mid or low efficient gas valve however and you could have a massive ball of flames.
This needs to be bumped to the top. I just got done measuring the gas pressure on a unit where the test port has to be fully unthreaded. I should have known better than to do it running and it let a lot of gas out. Anyone else reading this, be careful and turn off the furnace when connecting and disconnecting the manometer.
Welder/Fabricator here - thanks for all you do. This is one fine side of youtube. Thanks for helping out average folk
Always make sure to snap a pic of the circuit board and wiring before you dissemble!
My furnace wouldn't start, so I called a co. that advertised on a local religious channel. Thought they'd be honest? A guy came out and looked it over. Said electronic control panel was burnt. Obvious black flash mark on back. Said would be $900 to replace. I asked if anything else looked bad. Said no. He said wouldn't spend the $ on my 18 yo unit. Tried to sell me complete new system for $12k US. Looked up part online, bought for $200. UA-cam video for install. 5 years later, runs perfect. Crook. New sub.
Surprised HVAC contractors havent tried to have you disappeared for the great value of the info you share. Thanks for doing this.
No one wants this guy to go anywhere, for every 1 viewer that “fixes” their unit 10 others will short something out and have to call a company anyways. I think people in my area watch him because they think staybrite can be used on existing copper. I’ve been going out and just doing braze and pump downs does not bother me one bit.
Finally, a honest practical and intelligent human being who is willing to share his nonsense approach to his trade.
Thank you!!!
NO nonsense approach.
Sorry
Your my new best friend....Im that guy , the one that fixes everything, except HVAC. Your tutorials are very explanatory and easy to follow. Not rushing out to do HVAC repairs but have enough knowledge to help out family and friends avoid the pitfalls of unscrupulous contractors who pray on the uneducated. Thanks for what you do , who you are, and the knowledge you share.
I own and operate a small local HVAC company. I couldn’t agree with you more that there are companies out there that are seeking maintenance contracts specifically to try and sell you a product. Happy to say I started my own company so I didn’t have to participate in deceitful practices like this and so many more. We work of the old idea of helping our neighbors and community. Like you we educate and empower our clients to make the best decisions for them. We are here to provide a service not to sell a product. Huge difference. Thank you for posting this
You will not be able to scale your business unless you start down the path of sales. The numbers just don't work anymore. It's why private equity is going around snapping up independent HVAC shops. The industry is in turmoil right now, at least residential side of things.
I went to a service call the other day where someone recommended replacing a unit for a tripped limit on the blower housing. Easy fix and customer was pretty happy haha
@@jgg204 - Deceiving customers with "sales" is not a good business model. - It will just motivate more people to do DIY repairs.
Why would you thank him for posting that??????.
How is it a good idea to encourage the general public to go meddling around in their gas heating system or air conditioning system for that matter..??
It's a horrendously bad idea.
@@NATHANFREDERICK-rs7yb - Because of all the scamming and lying from HVAC "technicians," it's good for him to THANK him for posting this content to help educate homeowners on doing much of this work for ourselves.
By far one of the best creators on youtube. Currently installing a new furnace. Wouldnt have thought it was possible without your videos. Just waiting for the return plenum to come in to finish it up. Thanks so much for what you do!
Thanks so much 🙏🏻 that means so much to me!
@diyhvacguy today was the first day that the house has had a working furnace in about a year and a half. no more space heaters! Thanks again! Love your videos. Gonna help friends tackle these projects in the future!
I have found through past experience never call the company with the big local advertisement for a furnace tune up special. Call the local company who has been in business for a very long time.
ua-cam.com/video/TImlf71j4K8/v-deo.htmlsi=CTg09uiH7QTmehTi
Same rule goes for car body shops!!
@@tretre1692Most big shops are in bed with the insurance companies! Basically they buy their work!
Yeah. Just like the guys want to sell you a brand new water heater instead of replacing a thermocouple.
How do I find such a long time business?
Bravo!!!!! Thank you for the very informative video without the stupid background music. You have the qualities of a very good instructor. Keep up the great work. Whoever taught you should be proud at seeking how capable a professional instructor you have become.
Thank you so much that means a lot!
Really appreciate your videos. Over the last year, thanks to you, I've pimped out my a/c unit with a soft start kit and run it under light water mist on really hot days and it has helped immensely. Now our family has grown and we're buying a new house and I want to go through the new furnace completely thanks to this video. You've saved me a fair bit of money and really appreciate your knowledge.
Thanks man! Happy the videos are helping people out 😊
How much as the mister saved you?
@@aaronw6706The real question is, how much WILL it cost him?
Exactly. Save a couple dollars and ruin your coil. If you are trying to limp through a summer until you can save for replacement, fine. NEVER do this to a coil that you want to last. @@AndyDufresne4
The other question is, how much money are the unscrupulous HVAC people lost?
Very thorough. Thank you for this in-depth video of what a technician does when they inspect your furnace.
The most important thing that I learned is that it's worth the $150 a year to get it done LOL
As another mentioned below, i don't plan on doing my own maintenance, but i still appreciate the breakdown on the components and how things work. It's always best for homeowners to have some familiarity with everything in their home.
My favorite service call is when I have to fix what the homeowner started.
Absolutely love that adding a plug was so easy. Now i feel comfortable knowing i can plug furnace into my Delta 2 , in case of a power outage .Thanks again
I would say the following are reasons your heater shuts off after being on for a little bit. #1 Flame Sensor (this part is under $5 to replace or free to clean off) #2 Capacitor for your blower motor is worn or old (this part is under $10 to replace). #3 The drip line hose is clogged or the filter leading to the drain is clogged with black gunk (this happened to me and was causing my heater to turn off and on since the inside was clogged with water that could not get out of the unit).
I have been cleaning and servicing my 2 gas furnaces for years after being scammed on a service call.
This video is the BEST I've seen !!
Thank you very much for the extra detail, guys like me need. Have all the tools, just need needed a little extra eg pull the blower to clean and check the amp draws.
Best use of 25 mins I've spent in a while !
I discovered a massive condensate leak. This was 3 days after a brand new Carrier installation. The guys did not connect the exhaust as per the manual. There were several other flaws. I'm glad I knew what to look for or I'd be buying another new furnace in only a few years. I also made them set my gas pressures. They had to send a different guy.
We must protect this man at all costs.
You da man.
Overused cliché. You a millenial?😅
One of the best done an most valuable videos on the web. You deserve a public service award. 👍👍
If I lived in your area, I'd hire you in a heartbeat. Thanks for all you do!
He's focusing on UA-cam
Very professional and well done summary. Recommend changing the title to something like” learn how to maintain your furnace like a pro.” Thank you for taking time to educate!
Clogged port to the pressure switch.
Thanks, you saved me a weekend service call!
well done man, we need more men in this world who can just work on their own home.
Thank you for these great tips on servicing a furnace. I will do this next week when the weather warms up a bit! Freezing weather has hit the Midwest over the last couple of days which is supposed to let up next week.
I just implemented the "Keep Your Family Warm During A Power Outage By Installing This $5 Part" so my family is ready in the event of a power outage this winter". Thanks again Dave for all of these great tips.
🙌🏼🙌🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
great video, as a 2nd year residential hvac apprentice this was very helpful to understand how to do a maintenance better. Thank You
Seriously you dont know how to dona maintenance you watch a non hvac person lmao
I've been in residential HVAC for just over 2 years and this is by far the best explanation on how to do a maintenance i've seen. I am curious tho can you explain whats wrong with the video? @@zavie22
@@zavie22 and you don't know how to spell correctly lmao !
@@zavie22you seem illiterate.😂
The startup sequence just saved me a ton. I watched my inducer motor come on and shut off no fire. After calling a company who wanted 300 to show and 50 every 15 after I watched again. I realized no fire could mean pressure switch issue. Was able to blow air in it free it up and get it working. Got the part for 50 bucks and back in business. Thank you so much for the tips. And yes there were no obstructions just an old switch.
WOWZA! Many thanks from an 80 y/o DIY. Been working on all household and farm equipment since I was a kid. Like you point out: "You need the proper TOOLS!"
Right tools and common sense make wonders!
Very thorough maintenance check. I doubt very many service techs are that thorough. Good job I would want somebody like you working on my HVAC.
Man, I really appreciate your videos. I was able to clean and maintain my furnace. My blower was never cleaned from the previous owner. Dust was caked up in the blade fins and the motor. I cleaned that sucker out well and it's peace of mind that I know the blower and furnace will run more efficiently without excessive overheating and breakdown of components. Hats off to you DIY Hvac Guy!
Great video - recently came back home to see control panel dead, no heat. Changed battery -2 times, checked fuse, checked condensation in the furnace.
But somehow blower was not working
Could not check capacitor, blower, fan.
Always saw - fan come on.
Called tech
He wanted to replace thermostat for more than 450$ and upwards
Requested- he relented- found some corrosion on connection pins apparently- he charged 120 bucks - I should have checked it.
Your videos are best explained.
Thank you for making an easy to understand video for furnace maintenance. Now I'm not trying to make a sob story but my father was a professional HVAC installer and technician for homes and businesses for like 20 years and he passed away the day after black Friday unexpectedly and knowing a little bit more about what he did from your video makes me feel closer to him and more comfortable knowing that it wasn't too complicated to fix or at least maintain our furnace to prevent it from going down. I do wish, however, you mentioned how often this maintenance should be done.
So sorry to hear about your dad 😢 I’m glad these give you a measure of comfort though 😊 generally this should be done every fall but it can be done every other year or even every couple years.
Best,
Dave
Im glad youre doing this. Im an apprentice plumber who started out working for a residential company that also does hvac. Theyre very predatory and use all kinds of psychological tricks to sell, and it works! Customers leave them a 5 star rating after getting ripped off.
Sad the world is this way and so many companies out there just to rip people off. Especially the elderly on a very tight fixed income.
Excellent walk-through about critical maintenance steps for furnaces. You not only explained the various components in the system but also demonstrated the "how to" safely and efficiently. I had a classic failure of my Lennox 96% efficient furnace during the coldest time but it turned out to be a dirty flame sensor which I learned from one of your videos.
I've watched the HVAC guy do maintenance on my furnace and they definitely didn't do all those things. They only checked a few amperage items, did a visual check of the burners and went on their way. Definitely going to DIY this next time.
Or you could hire a honest tech like me...Good luck !
Thank you 1000 times for the class. I had a few bad experiences with HVAC techs, the worst techs wanted to change the entire system. I contacted the tech that I trust and all he found wrong with the system a leak on the line that he fixed, recharged the system all for under $300. I want to learn how the heater and air conditioner works to at least know what they charging me for because they don't want to tell you what they fixed all the want to give you is a bill with no information. thanks
Awesome! Thank you so much for this simple tutorial.At least we can be informed consumers of HVAC services.
Thank you for all your super useful videos. What is remarkable is not just your knowledge and amazing ability to clearly and methodically explain the issues and procedure - rather your honesty and integrity for even thinking of putting these clips together. We are lucky for sure. But, congratulation to your parents for having raised a human being like you with stellar values. Please raise a few children - we, the world, badly needs them. Thanks you.
This comment means so much to me. More than you know. Thank you 🙏🏻
In my experience those burner units are not going to move out of the way that easily because they are connected to the gas line with iron pipe - so getting that out of the way is a bit more involved and maybe beyond what a DIY person wants to take on (removing gas fittings).
Should be a valve and a union. Only fitting you have to remove is the one designed to be taken apart.
My first thought exactly. It looks really easy when the whole gas inlet is flexible pipe. I'm not sure the contractor who fitted ours put in a union, but I'll be checking as soon as I finish watching this.
Excellent video. Thanks to info I’ve learned from your channel, I’ve installed a MicroAir soft start kit on my AC compressor, and next I’m going to service my furnace based on this video. I had 3 HVAC contractors come out earlier this summer to check out our system. They each suggested we replace our entire system, which is 15 years old, but works fine, with estimates ranging from 16k all the way up to 28k!
Same here. I purchased a house in 2019 that has a Munchkin natural gas boiler tied to a hydronic radiant floor system and indirect hot water tank. Installed in 2006.
Of the 6 or so techs that have come out, only 1 has any idea what is going on and he is extremely expensive to do basic service.
Now, Munchkin did go out of business so parts are a problem but I would think many are universal.
All the techs, “This is a really old system. I’d replace it”. $17K-26K
When I lived in New England most homes were radiant (old time radiators in each room) fueled by home heating oil. Those boilers were 50 plus years old and going strong.
How can my boiler, which is 17 years old, need replacing? Anyway, I don’t have the $$$ even if I wanted to.
I don’t understand the inherent dishonesty in the HVAC industry. Makes me lose faith in my fellow man.
How can I live in an area of 750K people, hot housing market, and not be able to find a competent and honest HVAC company?
@@dukebeach1I work in residential for a large company. Company policy requires management to “encourage” techs to try and produce turnovers on jobs with older systems. Systems today will last about 10-15 years before getting replaced. It costs my company about 500 dollars just to send a tech out to the job. Just to SEND the tech to the house. Any turnovers to make up for that is desired. If we don’t at least plant the seed of a sale, and provide a record that we at least mention it to the homeowner, we can get penalized by the company. Most techs hate being told to sell things that don’t need replacing, and we’ve floated this to management, but it’s corporate policy. It’s not the techs fault, it’s the way the game is played these days, especially by larger companies.
Those old boilers you are referring to were made of cast iron or heavy gauge steel. That's why they can last so long. Even new cast iron and steel boilers aren't as durable as the older ones. They are made using less material. On most newer HVAC equipment, some parts are not universal. Munchkin boilers were not designed to last long.>@@dukebeach1
@@CrabtreeBob Well, I guess that is the case. I think I'm going to buy a bunch or parts now while I can to hopefully get as many years as possible out of my boiler. I found a supplier in CA that seems to have just about every part for my particular boiler. I'm sure they'er not OEM, but as long as they are an adequate substitute they should work. I can't imagine a spark ignitor or flame sensor is so different on my boiler than another make/model that aftermarket wont' do the trick. I suppose I'll find out.
Wow! You the best. I watched several videos but I didn’t understand. My thermostat was blank and I followed instructions of your video and immediately the AC started blowing/ cooling. Thanks so much
You are correct a lot of companies do up sell when it’s not necessary but I don’t hate that you are making customer’s aware of their equipment. Your video titles are a little click bait but it works. Good job
I do this myself, but you taught me an extra few steps to do. Thank you. Goodman propane 5 burner 120k BTU with AC option over the furnace.
Great videos. For somebody who is a little bit handy can save a lot of money just following your advises. So many scammers offering 'furnace maintenance' like it is rocket science and needs PhD degree.
By accident found your videos... Looking at 'furnace maintenance' at youtube there are at least 20 videos ahead of you and most are BS.
I wish I could have some instruments to adjust gas flow but cannot justify price for once in a life time maintenance and nobody rents it.
Thank you for simple and honest advices!
Thanks couldn’t do all that, but your class put me in the game talking to people.
My Heil is around 20 years old. Thanks to vids ive been able troubleshoot. Needless to say its got many new parts on it so its like new lol. Im no expert but overall ive discovered these things arent overly complicated. I did work commercial sheetmetal for 15 years but never learned service.
Thanks a lot for the video. I saw this when you released it but never got around to actually doing it. Well I noticed we've been randomly getting times where the thermostat was calling for heat but the temperature was still dropping. We'd still get heat eventually so I didn't pay it too much attention. Well I checked today and it was erroring out trying to ignite, because only the first burner would activate not the others. I took it apart as you showed here and took out the burners. The backs and wings were caked in rust. Cleaned them all with a brush and it lit first try! Saved me a service call. Thanks for putting this info out there for DIYers to find.
You are a honest man. I would say GOD will give you every thing what ever you need in your life. Post more videos like this. Thanksssssss of lot and GOD BLESS YOU.
Great info. I’m a DIY guy, and I’ve done a lot of maintenance on my furnaces. I was not aware that u could just clean a flame sensor. I’m guilty of replacing them thinking they were defective. Oops.
Hi there , yes you can clean the flame sensor but only very lightly with very fine steel wool .I'm in Canada and its colder so I need to do this every second year .Please note after a few years the flame rod will need to be replaced.
Thanks. I replaced mine at 13 years not knowing I could clean it. So it is possible it was actually bad. I've replaced the hot surface ignitor (keep a spare), and the draft inducer motor. 16 years of use.
I worked HVAC for 14 Years If the Tech says to you, You need to replace your furnace right after he gets there I would be leery, I used to ask is it dependable? after an inspection? it they say yes then I would say no reason to replace unless it becomes undependable! I used to tell them you'll know, If my boss ever knew i said that he would have been pissed no doubt! Don't care though, Just like putting bleach down all HVAC DFrains, I told every cust, I knew to do so, Boss said never Tell Cust. LOL!
GREAT VIDEO, This will help many people not get taken and will empower them to maintain their equipment safely!
GREAT JOB!!!
I did the same thing . I purchased a a receptacle and cover plate with only ‘one ‘ plug /not 2 . This will discourage others from plugging anything else into same circuit . It is usually labeled ‘furnace ‘ at household fuse panel . Definitely buy higher quality receptacle.
I have been doing my own maintenance for 40 years plus repairs when I could find a supply company that would sell me parts . I don't know how much money I have saved doing my own but you can bet it is substantial . There are some things that you cannot do unless you are a licensed HVAC or plumber though like running your own gas line but hey , it's all good ! Great video !
This is the most detailed while also easiest to follow HVAC inspection DIY video. Kudos to the dedication and thank you so much for sharing!
Excellent information and really good video. As a handyman of 30 + years I think you did an outstanding job. Thanks for sharing.:)
I have a contractor who have maintained my furnace and ac for years without finding anything wrong. They occasionally replace the flame sensor, once or twice over 11 years. They were the ones to replace the AC and furnace, but they did so only after I specifically asked for it. The only issue with them doing maintenance is that their maintenance appointments are backlogged by 2-3 weeks into the future.
I've saved myself several service calls once I learned to clean the flame sensor myself. I use the dollar bill method and have never had that particular issue since.
Thanks Pal I wired up my furnace just like you did to run in case of power failures with a Generator…. No worries in KC Mo
Thanks
Rermember, to check for a cracked heat exchanger, you can use a manometer on the rubber line from the heat exchanger to the pressure switch and only turn on the fan, if the manometer senses change in pressure, you have a crack.
I actually have a new flame sensor in a ziplock bag duct taped to my furnace for that just in case day. Planning on buying a circuit board to also put in a freezer bag for standby. I priced it at about $150 and when I stupidly paid a company to clean my furnace they said a new installed board would run about $1400.
Sounds about right
You should also carry a spare hot surface ignitor
In my world that board would cost you $500 ish diagnosed & installed.
It is very very rare to replace a flame sensor. I have replaced 1 in the last 3 heating seasons. Just clean it once a year and you will be good. If I was you I would just get a capacitor for blower and outdoor unit. Probably a contactor for outside. Other than that save your money on the board and get a multi meter. Chances of correctly diagnosing a bad board with no meter or any other parts is slim
Thanks for you help. I changed out my thermostat and had a 5 amp fuse go out. I changed the fuse and it will not come on. After reviewing this video I realized that the Door cover switch was the issue. I hadn't put it back on, Thanks for your help. Keep on doing what your doing.
Best maintenance video that I have seen on gas furnaces....Great Job!
Your video is very informative that would greatly assist HVAC technicians that are new to the trade but having said that, I would never recommend a homeowner to mess around on the gas side of any gas fired appliance, recipe for disaster and in fact may nullify one's home insurance in the event of fire or damage. The only other point i would like to make is that you will never get a proper amp draw on a blower motor without the blower compartment door in place.
I used to work in the HQ of a boiler manufacturer. The reason they want approved people to work on the boilers and inspect them is because DIY maintenance/install can be deadly. All of the deaths we had we due to customers trying to DIY or work that was done by people unfamiliar with our specific boilers. Stay safe.
love your videos and appreciate your honesty, and you prompted me to install my own furnace and everything
went well,as i saved three thousand doing my own work.
Did you need a permit or inspection?
Another thing that you can do when you have your furnace apart for cleaning is to get some duct masking paste and seal up the seams in the sheet metal box of the furnace. While you are at it, you can seal up a lot of the sheet metal seams and cabinet junctions.
The few you could reach 🤔
O
Hands down one of the most detailed videos!! Very thorough and the explanations are so user-friendly to understand. Honestly, I'm very excited to do all this by myself. Bless you for sharing. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience and tricks of trades. I would be really scared to do something like this. Thanks again.
Truth is, another part of the equation is a lot of those guys at the big companies don’t even know how to service or diagnose systems. That takes a lot greater of a knowledge base than just saying “idk but I know it’ll work nice after I’m done installing a brand new system”
I watch alot of DYI video's... this one is a must... so well done thank you HVAC Guy!
This is a good video for a new service tech. Although I'm not a fan of checking gas pressure while the burners are lit right by the set screw. Homeowners.. don't touch anything. Change ur filter..clean ur flame senser if u want n check blower bearings and capacitor if u want but thats all I'd touch on this furnace. N service techs just blow out burner dust w CO2 tank. Removing manifold is more difficult with black iron gas pipe going into unit as opposed to flex pipe.
Never knew spider webs and/or spider's nest can plaque as a factor from having the HVAC performing correctly. Until now... Facts!
Your videos have been a game-changer! Thanks to your tips, I upgraded my A/C unit, and now, as we're moving to a new house, I'm applying your advice to the furnace. You've saved me money and shared valuable knowledge. Much appreciated!
Awesome to hear. Thanks man!
I love your videos 👍🏻 I'm also glad you use Tempstar. I just had mine replaced last year with one. Looks like now I'll be servicing my own this season. Thank you !
Thanks, Dave. Your instructions are detailed enough especially for people like me who never touched HVAC before. It would be great if you could do the same video for Goodman HVAC.
Ive been doing this for years on my home’s furnace, plus as a maintenance worker for rental management employer. Probably saved thousands of dollars on paying for regular maintenance plus repair work. Easy peezy
Well done, right to the point. Truthful nothing lacking.
Excellent video! Even though I may not do the maintenance, at least I know what service items are required.
Excellent tutorial Dave, I really appreciate it. I found you through Scott at Everyday Home Repairs, who is excellent in his field of knowledge too. I was always intimidated about anything to do with gas, but with a few basic safety steps, it really is straight forward. I will be following these maintenance steps on my furnace. Like your link to tools also!
15 years ago I had a new furnace put in. the installer wanted me to set up a $100/year maintenance plan. I said no. For the last 15 years I have maintained it myself and it's been working great. I never had to replace a part, just clean it. I found checklists online to help me determine the points of concern. I also got the furnace service manual. No problem! Saved me $1500-2000 doing it myself. Plus I learned a lot and can likely troubleshoot a problem and even do a repair if I can get parts.
Dude, I respect you and really appreciate the educational tutorials.
Excellent video! Worked on cars for years and do pretty much everything around the house that ever needs done but until you see a video on proper furnace maintenance you just don’t know what you’re looking for so thank you! I will be checking these in the coming days. Hoping it will take care of my issue where it only kicks on for about two minutes and shuts off, then comes back on in maybe 5 minutes for another 2. It’s maintaining the temp fine in the house but it just doesn’t seem normal to me to kick on 5-6 times for 2 minutes each in like a half hour
I had something similar and it turned out to be my control board. I replaced it with a newer style and did the work myself and and saved a lot of money. Usually when your furnace faults it will flash an LED and you can look up the area of fault being reported. Mine was saying that it was a limit switch but I tested the limit switch loop and it was fine so I knew it was the PCB.
Good video, the only thing I saw is that you should mention, do not touch your flame sensor when you are cleaning, getting oil from your fingers and on sensor could cause it to fail.
Thanks for the time and effort you take in making these videos. Your clarity in explaining each episode along with detailed video breaking down each task into to simple tasks is to be commended. Thanks for recommending the multi nut driver. I recently purchased one and the quality is excellent.
No thanks necessary, UA-cam compensates him nicely
One of the best videos I've seen that clearly shows what you need to do. Thaks for producing such a great video!
Gracias for sharing this video with us and help us with the maintenance of the unit before a major problem occurs 👋😃👋
As many people have said, thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with the DIY community.
I just subscribed.
I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to service my Munchkin natural gas boiler, but you have at least given me enough knowledge to discern when I’m about to be ripped off.
My unit was installed in 2006. I’m the 3rd owner of the home. It’s tied to a radiant floor system, indirect hot water tank, and DX coils sitting on top of both blowers.
I’ve had about 6 companies come out at my request to do basic maintenance. Only 1 company showed any degree of competence to understand my system and they are absurdly expensive. All have tried to sell me a new system with bids starting at $17K and upwards. Not an option. I don’t have that $ even if I wanted to play along.
I now have a problem with the boiler throwing a fault code and shutting off. No heat. The manual indicates it’s either the flame sensor or something with the gas pressure. I think I’ll poke around and see if I can figure out what’s going on based on this video.
Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. I don’t know why there are so many dishonest people in the HVAC industry. Greed I guess.
Glen, i own a HVAC company in upstate NY and have worked on Many Munchkin boilers. Pull out the ignighter and flame sensor and clean them with emery cloth once a year, this is the biggest problem with that boiler. The exhaust blower also was a problem with them as they made the fan blades out of plastic and they don't last. I like the Weil McLain GV-90 boiler as replacement if and when the Munchkin finally goes. Good Luck.
Great video Some olde timer told me the dollar bill trick. It was the middle of the winter 15 degree day. This tip totally came in handy. ❤
This video, like so many of your other videos, is very helpful for a DIY homeowner. Thank you very much!
I have a model year 1990 carrier 96 % efficient furnace. At one point the exciter motor started to squeal. Took that out remove end covers oil packing. Do that and blower motor every few years. In 2005 the heat exchanger failed. They were under warranty but front panel was getting rusty. $500. The first 10 years of furnace in 1928 house the furnace would run constantly with no insulation in house. So here it is 2024 still going.
Enjoy your video if you're doing a good job explaining the maintenance things about HVAC. Every homeowner should take care of their own equipment until they can't! But simple yearly maintenance can save you a lot of money! Keep up the good work you seem like a nice young man! Columbus Michigan
(8:10) If cleaning the flame sensor electrode makes any difference, it may mean that the intermittent pilot controller is on its last legs and should be replaced. I was cleaning the electrode on mine several years ago because the furnace wasn't lighting reliably or staying lit and it let the furnace limp along for a few months, only to stop working completely in late winter. I spent several months in a cold house until I could find a replacement controller on eBay for a reasonable price, not something I wish to repeat.
Wow, if this is this easy , im shocked ! I can't thank you enough. Im think i should order some extra parts before attempting to do the maintenance as if i need to replace anything ill have it ( still need the part #s though) . I was concerned about the blower wheel and cant wait to clean it all up, thx a million!
Best way to keep hvac running great change filter every 3 months have a Goodman furnace and ca have never had it serviced will be 12 years Sept 24
I'm in the process of buying a house from a friend. His mother passed away about 12 years ago and house has sat. Trane furnace. Local HVAC co came out to check and said need all new systems. AC and furnace. They are original units from 1993 but were only used about 10 years in mild NC climate. Quotes for new systems are $9,000.oo
I would just like to say, you sir are a nation treasure! I am incredibly grateful for the content you put out there. I myself am very mechanically inclined, and prefer to do stuff myself, and these kind of videos help a lot in making sure I am dotting my I’s and crossing my T’s. Keep making these great videos!!!
My coaches ceiling mounted heater randomly stopped working one morning. He called a guy to come check it out. Tech shows up, take a small panel off. Cleans some dust off a relay switch then turned it back on. It was just dusty around the switch. Heater has been working fine for 5 years now. That call cost cost him $275 for the tech just to show up and basically flick a switch.