Lennox Furnace Ignitor Problems
When you own any type of furnace, chances are that you will have to troubleshoot problems at some point or another.
If you have a Lennox furnace, you might find that you have Lennox furnace ignitor problems. If this is the case, you will need to decide whether you can fix the problems yourself or you need to hire a repair person.
First, you need to make sure that the problem is actually with the furnace ignitor. Make sure that you have done proper maintenance on your system so that you know the problem is not just something minor, such as a clogged air filter.
Once you have made sure that your furnace has been maintained properly, you can begin to diagnose the problem at hand.
One way to find out if the ingitor is your problem or not is to check the red LED code on the furnace. Lennox systems have a red blinking LED light at the bottom front of the furnace.
If the light is blinking out the code which corresponds to the furnace ignitor, then you know that’s what the problem is.
Now that you know that the furnace ignitor needs to be replaced, you can check out your manual to see exactly how to perform the task.
At this point, it is important to figure out whether or not you are capable of making the repair yourself.
If you feel that you need to call in a repair person because you feel that you are unable to make the repair, be sure that you find one who is reputable.
Locate several repair technicians in your area who are certified to work on Lennox furnaces. Then spend some time checking their references.
Even if you do hire someone to fix your Lennox furnace ignitor problem, you might want to go ahead and purchase the part yourself.
Ask the repair person how much the part will cost and then check around with the dealer on your own. If you can get it cheaper, go ahead and buy the part yourself before having the repair person fix the problem.
For those having problems with furnaces not working in sub-freezing weather you should look outside at your exhaust and intake pvc pipes. The exhaust pvc pipe should be at a higher level than the fresh air intake pvc pipe.If this is not the case they should be reversed.
For those furnaces not working in sub-freezing weather owners should look outside at the position of the intake and exhaust pvc piping. The exhaust pipe should be at the higher level with the fresh air intake pipe below, if this is not the case consider having them reversed.
I am a heating and air conditioning service technician and have literally worked on thousands of Lennox furnaces. Every furnace from every manufacturer has its own quirks however I’m not aware of any ignitor problems with any particular Lennox furnace. Newer Lennox furnaces (within the last ten years) typically use a silicon nitride ignitor that is extremely reliable. I’m sure I have replaced one or two over the years but honestly can’t say that I can remember a single one. Lennox ignitor failures are very few and very far between. The most common problems I find on Lennox furnaces are collector box (also known as cold header box) issues. Unfortunately if your furnace is experiencing these issues you will need to call a tech out. IMO Lennox makes a very high quality furnace. If you happen to own a Lennox G71 or a new SLP’s gas furnace then you have one of the most reliable furnaces ever made.
I would like to speak with Justin about his post. I have a Lennox G51MP Series Unit and have had the little black plastic box that collects & drains the water off the furnace replaced four times in the last five months. Is this the part that you are calling a collector box – cold header box? Does anyone know what is causing the box to crack? Is there a gas build up with slow ignition that pops and after so many times, the box cracks and leaks??
I have a lennox Elite unit that will not heat. I will turn up the thermostat and it will not fire up the burner. The blower turns on immediately, with out any hesitation and there is no clicking from the ignitor. Any ideas?
Mr. Valdez. I’ve never heard of the G51 collector boxes cracking. The most common problem they have is the ports for the pressure switch tubing plugs up. Lennox has recently corrected the problem and any new collector box made within the last year should be good. If the collector box is cracking, then there must be something going on elsewhere in the furnace. The gas pressure may be way too high, the furnace might not be vented right, the technician may be tightening the bolts way too tight, or something along those lines. Where exactly is it cracking? Do they all crack in the same place? Also what is the part number of the collector box? Are you using propane or natural gas? How old is the furnace and how long after installation did the first collector box crack?
my burner ignites about 4 or 5 times for about 2 or 3 seconds at a time then shuts off what causes that and can i make the repair myself
Todd does your furnace eventually light? or do you have to reset it? I have same problem, and have narrowed down to pressure switch or circut board.
I have a 3 year old Lennox furnace G71MPP series. My furnace quit last week so I called a repairman. He could not find the problem – had to cut the pvc pipes which were filled with soot. Now apparently there is soot all over the furnace parts so they want to rebuild my furnace. Is this a feasible option or would a new replacement furnace be better? I am wondering if it was installed correctly (the install guys had to return to move a pvc pipe) or if I maybe got a lemon. Any feedback would be much appreciated as I know nothing about furnaces. Thank you.
Lennox board needs replaced at a cost of $500. There are 10 homes in our complex built in the last 6 years, 4 of those I know have had to replace the board. Is this normal?