Why Your Goodman Furnace Won't Ignite & How to Solve It

As an Amazon Associate, We may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

You need a goodman furnace to heat your home and keep it warm during the cold season. However, there are at times when it may experience challenges and not function properly. One of the problems your goodman furnace may face is not being able to ignite. What can cause this, and is there a solution to such a problem? Read on and understand why your goodman furnace won’t ignite and the best way to solve that.

Table of Contents

Why Your Goodman Furnace Won’t Ignite?

There are various reasons which can make your goodman furnace not ignite. Some are things you can easily fix, while others require the intervention of a technician. Here are the most common reasons why it may fail to ignite;

It Could Be a Problem with The Furnace Filters

Sometimes it could be a problem with your goodman’s furnace filters that makes the equipment not ignite. A goodman furnace requires clean filters, which enable free airflow for it to ignite. However, if the filters are dirty, it will restrict airflow, preventing it from igniting when needed. So, you need to ensure the furnace filters are clean or rather replace them after some time to avoid experiencing such problems.

If you want to replace your furnace filter, check out those furnace filters.

The Furnace Is on High-Temperature Limit Switch

The limit switch helps the furnace’s blower fan pass air through the heat exchanger then into your house. When your goodman furnace is on a high-temperature limit switch, it will produce four blinks. However, the four blinks on it indicate that the heat exchanger is holding too much heat. This will force the limit switch to stop the burners from working to avoid causing the problem to the whole system, which can be costly to repair.

The heat exchanger can overheat because of dirty filters, which results in restricted airflow into the system. Also, if the goodman furnace blower has issues, it will make the heat exchanger overheat. You can, in this case, replace your furnace filters to solve the problem. However, if there is no change afterward, call your technician to help diagnose the issue.

Your Furnace Has Low Gas Supply

Your goodman furnace may not ignite because of a lack of enough gas supply. However, when the gas supply reduces, the lights will be on, so you’ll use that as a guide. You can check if your goodman furnace is getting gas by going to the gas storage tank. You will be able to see the gas valve and gauge in the middle of the tank. Check the gas gauge. If you see it indicates from 10% and above, the problem is not about less gas supply. But if it’s below that level, you need to refill the gas and enable your goodman furnace to ignite as usual. Note this check is only for those whose goodman furnaces use propane gas.

If yours uses natural gas, don’t try checking the gas level by yourself. Instead, call an HVAC technician as the gas is dangerous and can cause losses within no time. But this is not the problem when you switch on your goodman furnace and realize some gas smell while around it.

Check The Ignition Buttons

Another reason your goodman furnace may fail to ignite is because of the poor ignition sequence. Remember, it’s the ignition system that helps control the flow of gas into the goodman furnace. If you have a goodman furnace that uses an electronic ignition system, the igniter will get hot after the electric current passes through it. This means that when you switch on your goodman furnace, the igniter will shine or produce some clicking sound. But when the sound comes out continuously, then there’s a problem with it.

You can solve this by cleaning the igniter gently to avoid damaging it. Doing this will help remove excess carbon accumulation around the igniter, which might have prevented your goodman furnace from igniting.

Could It Be an Issue with The Thermostat?

Your goodman furnace should ignite after setting the thermostat to the right settings. This is after it produces some sounds, which is an indication that the furnace fans are at work. But if there’s a problem with the goodman furnace thermostat, it will not produce the sound as the gas-only get to burn when it’s turning on. In this case, you need to replace the goodman furnace thermostat to enable it lightly as usual. But ensure you get a thermostat that’s compatible with your system and meets your needs. Then you can follow the guide on how to replace the thermostat on the packaging.

A Problem with The Furnace Draft Motor

Every furnace has a draft motor that produces humming sounds after the thermostat allows heat to pass through. But this is before the burners light up. The draft motor helps remove the air out of the vent. This ensures no blockage can result in gas leakage and harm you. However, when the draft motor is not functional, it means your goodman furnace won’t be able to light up. To solve this, you need to remove the blockage on the vent to allow a smooth flow of air and enable your furnace to ignite.

What If All This Doesn’t Work?

If you try all the above tricks and none works, call your technician. This will prevent you from gauze work which can make your unit get spoilt. The professional will examine your goodman furnace then show you where the problem lies. However, be ready to pay for the services, which depends on the magnitude of the problem.

Can I Reset My Goodman Furnace?

Yes. You can reset your goodman furnace when it becomes too hot or if you realize there’s a problem with the electrical system. You can do this by following the below steps:

First, you need to identify where the circuit breaker is to reset it. Then after getting it, switch off the furnace for about 5 seconds before turning it on again.
After that, you can unscrew the access panel to enable you to reach the inner part of the furnace. Then, carefully remove the panel by pulling it off the front of the furnace.
Finally, you can reset the furnace by pressing the reset button, which is found on the internal components. Note that some goodman furnaces have their internal components at different positions. If after opening the internal components you can’t identify the reset button refer to the user guide. After that, you need to press the reset button for some seconds then you’ll have to reset your unit.

Can I Replace My Goodman Furnace Igniter?

If you realize that your goodman furnace is experiencing problems because of the igniter, you can replace it. You won’t spend much money doing this as the igniter isn’t expensive and you can also replace it by yourself as it’s easy to do so.

What’s The Meaning of The Solid Red Light on Goodman Furnaces?

All goodman furnaces in good working condition should produce a solid red light, which indicates that it’s in perfect shape. However, when the light starts to blink, you need to worry as it could be a sign of an underlying problem with one of its parts.

Bottom Line

If your goodman furnace won’t ignite, then there must be a reason for that. But to solve the issue though, you need to identify the root cause first then take the necessary steps. For example, your goodman furnace can stop to light because of a low gas supply, dirty filter, or a problem with the igniter. But if you can solve any of them, call your technician.

As an Amazon Associate, We may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no additional cost to you.

Check Out Our Popular Post:

Why Is Your Goodman Furnace Leaking Water?