Is it a little colder than normal?

The other day I woke up to find the house a little colder than normal. I didn't think too much about it until I heard the furnace. The blower was working, but as I listened to the furnace I could tell that the furnace would try to ignite and then it would shut off. The temperature kept dropping like a rock.

I am such a penny pincher and was not happy with the thoughts of having to call a repair "person" to come and fix the furnace.(I didn't care if they came, I just didn't want to pay them when they left). At the same time I knew something had to be done so that we could raise the temperature in the house. I remembered my friend having a similar problem with his furnace. I tried to remember the solution, however the cold temperature was like Kryptonite.

I couldn't think. I knew the future of the Jenson family was in my hands and I could not let them down....... FLAME SENSOR. That was it!! It was the flame sensor. I needed to clean the flame sensor. "Super John" set out to clean the "dirty" sensor prior to calling an expensive repair person.

Let me tell you a little about the flame sensor:

The flame sensor in your furnace is designed to ensure that the flame ignites. This keeps the furnace from leaking gas into your home if there is an ignition problem. Oftentimes the flame sensor will get dirty or coated. This happens because of the sensor being exposed to the flame. If this sensor doesn't register the flame, your furnace will shut down.

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Fine grit sandpaper

Step 1

Turn off the furnace. This will look like a light switch.

Step 2

Remove the furnace door using a screwdriver. The door will lift up and out to give you access to the internal parts of the furnace.

Step 3

Use a screwdriver to remove the flame sensor. The sensor is a thin, metal rod that will be in the path of the burners. You should be able to free it with one screw from below the burners.

Step 4

Use sandpaper to clean the entire sensor. The sensor will often have a greenish coating if it is too dirty.

Step 5

Reinstall the sensor and turn the power back on to the furnace.

Super Hero John was successful!! The furnace fired up and the house was back to normal temperature before the rest of the Jensons were even out of bed.

I still don't think Misty believes me that there was a problem with the furnace. She hasn't paid the bill!!! Super Hero John has the best rates in town. I think I will have to send her to collections. We will see if she believes me when her Credit Score is ruined.