Your furnace has a control board in it that sends power to individual parts of your furnace when they need to activate to create and blow heat. If a control board goes bad, it can affect the operation of your furnace because it can put parts out of service.
The control board can be replaced, but the heating repair technician has to figure out the malfunction with your furnace first. This type of residential heating system repair is best left for a licensed technician since it involves working with wiring and electricity. Here's how the technician can test the control board and how they can replace it if it's bad.
Check The Furnace Error Codes
The error code displayed by your furnace gives important clues to the cause of the problem. Your furnace may display codes by flashing an indicator light in different patterns. The repair technician notes the code and then looks on the inside door of your furnace for an interpretation chart. The codes may indicate a problem with the control board and that gives the repair technician a place to start checking the voltage in the furnace.
Watch The Furnace Operate
The technician might force the furnace to start up so they can watch it go through the sequence of creating heat and triggering the blower. This often gives clues to which part is affected by the control board. The technician might want to check the part with a multimeter to verify it has power and the problem is with the control board.
Test The Voltage
The control board might have an indicator light that turns on when it's bad and needs to be replaced. If not, the technician may have to test different parts of the control board to see if there is the right amount of voltage coming in and going out of the board. The control board has many wires connected to it since it controls many parts of the furnace, so the technician may test the board in several places. This will confirm if the board is bad.
Replace The Board
If a control board is bad, the furnace repair technician will usually just replace it rather than attempt repairs. The control board is usually on the blower assembly close to the blower fan. Depending on the type of furnace you have, the board may be easy to reach and remove. Some furnaces have the control board tucked away, which is more difficult to work with.
Replacing a bad control board isn't the most common residential heating system repair, but the boards do go bad and you might need to have this type of repair done on your system someday. Fortunately, a furnace technician can replace the board and get your furnace operational again. If your heater is acting up, reach out to a professional for residential heating system repair services.
Share30 June 2021
Can furnace repairs be made by the average DIYer? If you know a little about what you are doing, is it possible to avoid the expense of having a professional come out to take care of any problems that you are having? My blog is all about furnace safety and repair. You will learn a few things that you can do on your own and advice for when to call in the professional repair technician to assist with the repairs. By the time you reach the end, you will have a better understanding of what you can and should not do on your own.